What’s happening in foster care? Hazel Halle. What’s happening and what does it mean for you?
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What’s happening in foster care? Hazel Halle
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Budget cuts £6.2billion to be saved this year Funding for children in care has not been ‘ring fenced’
Transcript of What’s happening in foster care? Hazel Halle. What’s happening and what does it mean for you?
What’s happening in foster care?
Hazel Halle
What’s happening and what does it mean for you?
Budget cuts• £6.2billion to be
saved this year
• Funding for children in care has not been ‘ring fenced’
• Fostering is already drastically underfunded
• Another £580million is needed
• Urging Government to consider in the autumn Comprehensive Spending Review
• Tim Loughton visited our offices in Foster Care Fortnight (first visit as minister)
• Early Day Motion tabled to protect funding for foster care
• Joined forces with six other charities to call on Govt to ensure that funding for children in care remains a priority
“The experiences and opportunities for children in careneed to improve. For some children, care is the bestoption, but the system must work better so that their lifechances and education do not suffer.
I want to see local authorities working more effectivelytogether to provide more stability for children in care. And at thefrontline, we want to free social workers from red tape, enablingthem to work more closely with children and families, interveningearlier and more effectively.
This will not only improve outcomes for children, but be more costeffective as well.”
Tim Loughton, Minister for Children
CWDC• £15million from budget.• Many cuts coming from abolishing
programmes not yet scoped, pilots and communications.
• Practitioner-led research funding cut.• As far as we know, foster care work
continues
National Minimum Standards
• Still due this year.• We have been asked to feedback on
the final proposal.• What are the significant changes?• The Fostering Network is developing
workshops to help fostering services implement changes.
And finally some good news…
• Jacky Slade, regional consultant• Role is to support organisational
members in the regions• Can attend meetings with foster
carers and staff• Advice and information sharing
