Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Acknowledged
We have seen many cases of the potential for better outcomes and potential savings being...
Conclusion
We have seen many cases of the potential for better outcomes and potential savings being blocked by inflexibility in the care system. These typically involve the costs of the space required to provide kinship or foster care, or support with the changes to working patterns that providing such care might require. The system can be complex, particularly where multiple organisations and different local authority areas are involved.42 Further, the Care Review highlights the financial challenges faced by kinship carers, many of whom ‘live in more deprived areas and are generally poorer than foster carers. Some studies report that financial distress is reported by 70% of kinship carers, and in one study 39% of kinship carers reported being in debt.’43
Government Response Summary
The department works closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and HM Treasury (HMT) at working and ministerial levels. The government will test how to optimise implementation of Family Network Support Packages in local areas, alongside reforms to Family Help and child protection, through an end-to-end Families First for Children Pathfinder and will be delivering an initial fostering recruitment and retention programme in the North-East Regional Improvement and Innovation Alliance.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
4. 2 The department already works closely with both the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and HM Treasury (HMT) at working and ministerial levels. All departments have an interest in children’s social care policy given the considerable impact on local government funding and council budgets. In 2021-22, local authorities spending on children’s and young people’s services was £11.9 billion. This has increased by 32% (£2.9 billion) since 2015. 4.3 The department has worked in close collaboration with DLUHC and HMT on the publication of Children's social care: Stable Homes, Built on Love which seeks to put children’s services on a long-term sustainable footing by pivoting majority service use to early family help and support and, where appropriate, increased (and more easily accessible) use of fostering and kinship arrangements. The government is therefore satisfied that the publication of its implementation strategy addresses this recommendation. 4.4 The government wants local authorities to use funding flexibly where there are financial barriers to implementing family-led alternatives to care, through family network support packages. The department will test how to optimise implementation of Family Network Support Packages in local areas, alongside reforms to Family Help and child protection, through an end-to-end Families First for Children Pathfinder. 4.5 Further, the department will be delivering an initial fostering recruitment and retention programme in the North-East Regional Improvement and Innovation Alliance. This will introduce a regional support hub and targeted communications and will aim to improve retention using the evidence-based model Mockingbird. The aim is to create end-to-end improvements in fostering recruitment and retention. This initial programme will allow the department to test and develop a best practice regional model that can then be delivered more widely.