Fostering analysed
1 July 2005
Foster children, carers and birth parents were asked for the
first time of their views on the foster care system, published in
the Being Fostered report, launched today.
This unique approach was used in a major national survey by the
Office of Children’s Rights Director undertaken last year.
They were asked similar questions, simultaneously, regarding all
aspects of fostering, using three different multiple choice and
open-ended questionnaires, with some of the questions focussing
on:
- the advantages and disadvantages of fostering
- maintaining contact with birth families
- education
- staying safe
- how fostering can be improved
The top messages received covered the following:
- children wanting more information about their future
carers
- carers said they want more training when looking after children
with special needs
- carers wanted better payment for fostering
- birth parents said there should be more visits to homes
- children said the changes fostering made to their lives
included feeling safer, doing better at school and becoming more
independent.
Visit www.rights4me.org.uk for a
detailed breakdown of their views.
Dr Roger Morgan, Children’s Rights Director, said: “This was a
particularly lengthy informative process that involved the
participation of those in the foster care system. It was overdue,
as over 41,600 children were fostered in England last year. No one
had ever asked the participants what they wanted or how they felt
about it.
The overriding message we discovered is that although people who
work in fostering are doing well, there is room for improvement.
Everyone surveyed agreed children need to be listened to.”
He continued: “This report comes at a time when many councils
are advertising for foster carers. I hope those responsible for
children and checking on foster care or making it better will
adhere to the contents of the report and implement some of the
changes mentioned.”
Copies will also be sent to all participants involved, to show
how their views were reported.
Various organizations gave their comments in support of the
report.
Robert Tapsfield - Chief Executive, the Fostering
Network said: “This report reminds us yet again of why it
is so important to listen to children and young people. They tell
us why foster care is so important. Importantly, they also tell us
what we must do to improve things, to ensure that children in
foster care have the same opportunities as other children.
“We already know that it is more likely that placements will be
successful if children want to live with their foster carers and if
these foster carers have an understanding of the child’s needs.
It is, therefore, enormously worrying that two thirds of
children are given no choice in the family they live with and one
third say they did not know enough about the family before they
moved in. Also of concern is that foster carers reported that they
were often not given the information they needed.
“This is a key message for everyone involved in fostering.
Children must be given a choice and must have good information
about their foster carers before they move in. Likewise, foster
carers also need full information if they are to provide children
with the care they need.”
Tony Hunter, Executive Director - Association of
Directors for Social Services said: “I welcome the report
and it is encouraging that many of the children said they had a
good social worker. However, they made two notable points that were
echoed by their carers: they wanted more visits in their homes and
the same social worker to remain with them for a longer period of
time.
“The ADSS believe the way forward is to support and develop as
well as recruit and train more social workers into a profession
that is already under a great deal of pressure. I encourage all my
colleagues throughout the country to read it as it should have a
tremendous impact on how they carry out their fostering work.
Felicity Collier - Chief Executive, British Association
of Adoption and Fostering: “This is an impressive study
and has real credibility given the level of response from children,
young people and foster carers. The clear message from children was
how important it is to live in a family when you cannot live at
with your birth parents and how critical it is to find the right
family first time round. It was revealing that 80% of children
would go to their foster carer if they had a problem.
“Given the concerns about recruitment and retention of carers,
it is also good to read that so many of the foster carers who
responded had a good relationship with their social workers and
felt supported - but worrying, but unsurprising that the need for
better pay is such a live issue. Everyone striving to meet the
needs of children who cannot live at home, and all those
responsible for providing foster care services, will benefit hugely
from reading this report.”
Ends
Notes for editors
- For reasons of strict confidentiality, the names, locations and
addresses of participants in the survey will remain anonymous.
- The Children’s Rights Director for England, Dr Roger Morgan
OBE, is based within CSCI. He has a statutory role within the
Commission to ascertain the views of children in services the
Commission inspects about issues concerning their welfare. The
Commission itself has a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the
welfare and rights of children.
- The Commission is responsible for the regulation of children's
homes and residential family centres across England. In line with
the regulations and national minimum standards, the Commission will
aim to assess the extent to which services secure positive welfare,
health and education outcomes for children and young people, and
reduce risks to their welfare and safety.
- The Commission began operation on 1 April 2004, replacing the
Social Services Inspectorate (SSI), the SSI/Audit Commission Joint
Review Team and the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC).
- CSCI will provide a more rational and integrated approach to
the assessment of all social care services. It will provide a
complete picture of social care:
- for people who use the services
- locally and nationally
- in adult services and children’s services
- for local councils, voluntary and private providers
- for government.
Source (figure 41,600): Children Looked After by Local
Authorities, year ending 31 March 2004, Department for Education
and Skills
For more information on the Fostering Network visit
www.fostering.net
For more information on the Association of Directors for Social
Services visit www.adss.org.uk
For more information on British Association of Adoption and
Fostering visit www.baaf.org.uk