Agenda item

The council’s assistant director - safeguarding and care introduced the annual fostering service annual report referencing the massive impact of Covid-19 at all levels to the service (staff and foster carers).

The committee heard from the fostering team explaining how they adapted to the pandemic and the rollout of zoom online training for foster carers, which was fully embraced and welcomed by foster carers.

Additionally, the committee heard from two foster carers who talked about their experiences. Key points raised are set out below:

·  Tried to plan many fun activities with the home and use of garden (where available)

·  Issue of one foster care family just having one toilet in the home. Investigations had been undertaken previously with housing association which unfortunately were not successful in increasing this provision to an extra toilet for the family

·  Dealing with religious requirements and ensuring all the relevant provisions were made at home when not possible for the young people to visit places of worship in the height of the pandemic

·  Coping with foster children not being able to see their friends in lock down and seeking the help and support when necessary from the fostering team. Foster carers felt supported by the team at this difficult time

·  A single man talked about his experiences as a new foster carer starting at the time of the pandemic, feeling that the placement had gone extremely well. Raised the issue of accommodation. He lived in a privately owned two bedroom flat and the need in the future to keep the room for his foster son if attending university for example (which in turn may limit his ability for other fostering). Officers explained the support and package in place to support the foster son being continue to return to his foster home in holiday periods and when not at university in the future (staying put policy).

·  Experiences of medical treatment in the pandemic and the understandable trauma experienced by foster parents in not being allowed to stay with their children when being treated at hospital (for example) but did comment that the doctor in this instance kept the foster parent fully informed via mobile phone throughout the treatment process.

Summary of issues/discussion arising:

·  Issue of housing allocations and aids/adaption discussed and the importance of this towards the stability of the placement. Officers explained the challenges relating to adaptions to properties and gave examples when this had been undertaken to secure the longer term needs of some foster placements

·  In light the contribution from one of the foster carers a query was raised in respect of creative advertising to encourage single men to foster.

RESOLVED:

That the annual report of Southwark Fostering Service be noted.