Assessment of potential risks posed by foster carers and residential care staff
IICSA · Children in the Care of the Nottinghamshire Councils Investigation Report · Issued 30 July 2019 · Addressed to: Nottinghamshire Councils
Source — verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation, E
Nottingham City Council should assess the potential risks posed by current and former foster carers directly provided by the council in relation to the sexual abuse of children. They should also ensure that current and former foster carers provided by external agencies are assessed by those agencies. Any concerns which arise should be referred to the appropriate body or process, including the Disclosure and Barring Service, the local authority designated officer (LADO) or equivalent, the fostering panel and the police. Nottinghamshire County Council should assess the potential risks posed by current and former residential care staff and foster carers, which are directly provided by the council, in relation to the sexual abuse of children. They should also ensure that current and former staff in residential care provided by external agencies, and current and former foster carers provided by external agencies, are assessed by those agencies. Any concerns which arise should be referred to the appropriate body or process, including the Disclosure and Barring Service, the relevant regulatory body, the local authority designated officer (LADO), the fostering panel and the police.
IICSA, Children in the Care of the Nottinghamshire Councils Investigation Report · 30 Jul 2019 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
Publicly available evidence relating to this recommendation:
- In May 2023, the government confirmed that Nottingham City Council had completed this recommendation (Government Response to IICSA Final Report, HM Government, May 2023).
Response — verbatim from government
●UK Government
Nottingham City Council: On 20 December 2021, Nottingham City Council stated that an internal fostering review was complete. External assurance of the review was also complete. The review concluded that no further referrals were required in relation to former carers and found no evidence that carers assessed as 'suitable' presented a risk of sexual harm to children. Nottingham City Council also stated that it had, in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council, written to all Independent Fostering Agencies with whom it had placed a child since 2013. All agencies confirmed that they had reviewed information to assess the risk posed by current and previous foster carers. Nottinghamshire County Council: On 21 June 2021, Nottinghamshire County Council stated that it is reviewing existing and former members of residential care staff. In relation to reviewing existing and former foster carers, Nottinghamshire County Council stated that a joint approach was taken with Nottingham City Council to engage with relevant independent fostering agencies who completed their own reviews. A report of responses was brought to a joint meeting of Nottinghamshire and Nottingham City Children's Safeguarding Partnership Board, which will provide recommendations if further actions are required.
UK Government · 22 May 2023 Written response →
Evidence trail — what's actually happened since
No published activity has been recorded against this recommendation yet.
Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.
How this page is built
Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.
This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.