Fostering Service Improvements

12 July 2024

Councillors have approved significant investment into the fostering service in Powys to help recruit, support and train more foster carers.

At a meeting of Powys County Council yesterday (11 July), members agreed a package of support which included increasing the allowance foster carers receive to better support existing carers and to attract more people into the role.

At present, the Council has a shortage of in-house foster carers to support children in care, with independent fostering agencies needed to fill the gap. This is at considerable cost to the public purse, with each placement costing over 85 % more per week compared with using in-house foster carers.

The change has been welcomed as a positive example of how Council services can be re-modelled to improve outcomes whilst making longer-term savings. This ethos is central to Sustainable Powys, an approach the Council is taking to be innovative and pro-active to re-think how services are delivered to meet future budget pressures. The Council is forecasting funding shortfall, based on national fiscal analysis, of more than £18 million for the current budget year with that figure rising to £64 million or more over the next four years.

Powys County Council's Cabinet Member for Future Generations Cllr Sandra Davies says: "The work our foster carers do is remarkable and I am delighted that we are amongst the first in Wales to increase our allowances and support in this way.

"For the children in our care we need to provide positive parenting and specialist support.  In Powys, demand is greater than supply for quality placements for our looked after children so we need to take bold actions to address this."

Cllr Davies added: "The projections are that within two years, the changes will result in an increase of in-house foster carers so spend is reduced to external agencies. We are clear that large profits should not be made by agencies but that more is done to directly attract and retain local foster carers who are caring for our vulnerable children and their families."

As part of the £620,385 package of investment, additional support and training will be put in place to develop more specialist foster carers to support children and young people with significant complex needs.

The plans will also see a reorganising of staff to better support foster carers and family and friends carers. A number of reflective carers will also be recruited to provide dedicated support for Powys children and young people and to be available for emergency placements.

To find out more about becoming a foster carer for Powys visit www.powys.fosterwales.gov.wales or call 0800 223 0627.