Issue - meetings

The purpose of this briefing note is to provide members of the Children, Young People and Education Scrutiny Panel with an update on the level of care places in the borough and the national shortages of care places.

Councillor Abdul Abdullahi, Cabinet member for Children’s Services introduced the item explaining himself and the team had been working on the issue of the level of care places since June 2022. The recruitment and retention of Social Workers remains a top priority.

 Ram Ramasurbamanian, Head of Access to Resources Integrated Services highlighted the key points from the report which included the local and national issue of shortage of placements in children’s homes and foster parents and looking at ways to tackle the issue. These include the possibility of increasing the local authority foster care provision, working with other local authorities to develop in house care homes and sub-regionally finding ways to increase capacity to end inappropriate placements.

In response to members questions, officers advised they try to keep placements within London, although the capacity is decreasing, and some children have gone as far as the midlands. The team works to keep the children as close to Enfield as possible, however with some children it can be beneficial to be away from London to access specialist therapeutic homes. If this is the case the parents are supported to visit the child.

Officers confirmed there around 50 children seeking asylum within the borough and there are no children who do not have a placement. The team have a good relationship with the providers and work hard to get each child placed.

Following member queries, officers explained that independent fostering agencies cost around £450 more per week. There is a London wide framework who oversee the independent fostering agencies.

Members wanted to know the main barriers for having adoptive parents, to which officers explained that an adoption is a court decision and is not always the best option for the child. Special Guardianship, which is means tested, can be available to friends or family of the child to enable them to remain within their community.

In response to questions from members, Officers explained that they have members of staff on duty every day and an out of hours system to be able to respond to any emergencies.

ACTION: Anne Stocker to provide data from the last 3-4 years in relation to item 14 of the report.