Archived decisions

Contact: Colin Hardy 07718 146800, [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Members of the Select Committee received a report in December 2006 identifying the number of Children in Care in Hampshire, which included some national comparator information. Further information was made available in the March 07 Information Dispatch, which at that stage included comparator information from the JAR Toolkit for 2005/6.

1.2 This report updates the position in Hampshire to the end of March 2007, however no new national comparator information is available as the data for 2006/7 will not be published until September 2007.

1.3 At the end of March 2007 there were 1025 Children in Care, which represents .37% of the 0-17 population. The all England range for 2005/6 is between .25% and .51%.

1.4 The following table shows the % of children in care placed in foster homes.

JAR data	2001/2	2005/6
Hampshire	78.2%	84.3%
Statistical neighbours	82.1%	81.9%
England	80.8%	81.5%

1.5 The following table shows the % of children in Hampshire placed with friends and relatives compared to others.

JAR data	2001/2	2005/6
Hampshire	6%	19.2%
Statistical neighbours	10%	14%
England	11.8%	12.9%

2. Recommendation

a) That Members note the report

3. Trend analysis

3.1 The number of children in care has been reducing since reaching a high point of 1091 in August 2006 and at the end of March 2007 there were 1025 children in care, a reduction of 52 during 2006/7. Appendix 1 shows further detail since January 2006

3.2 During the same period the number of carers receiving an allowance for children placed for adoption, in special guardianship placements or within a residence order increased by 38 to a total of almost 400. Most of these children will have been in care and in general terms a significant part of the overall reduction in children looked after in 2006/7 is due to the increase in alternative forms of care which do not count as `in care' but do require financial support. Appendix 2 shows the position in more detail.

3.3 The level of purchased residential care for children with a disability has reduced by 12 to 38 at March 2007 largely as a result of those reaching age 18, and transferring to adult services, not being replaced at the same rate by new arrangements for residential placements. The number of purchased residential placements for other children has remained stable, at 19 in march 2007. Appendix 3 shows further detail

3.4 During 2006/7 the number of purchased foster care placements for children with a disability remained stable with 10 placements at March 2007. whilst the number of purchased placements for other children increased over the year by 12 to 129 at march 2007. This level of demand for purchased care is largely due to the capacity of in house foster carers. Appendix 4 shows the position since January 2006.

3.5 In March 2007 there were 487 Hampshire foster carers of which 458 were available for use. The position has remained stable over the year with the number of newly approved carers matching the number of those who cease fostering. The number of children cared for by Hampshire foster carers has fallen by 55 during 2006/7 to 541 at March 2007. This mainly reflects the ability of foster carers to care for sibling groups. Appendix 5 shows the trend line

3.6 Hampshire supports over 170 children and young people placed with friends or family foster carers, these young people are in the care of the County Council and the foster parents are approved only for that specific family placement. Allowances are paid on a means tested basis. The development of this form of care has proved to be cost effective in relation to the allowances paid, although the work of care managers in supporting these placements also must be taken into account in any comparison to other forms of intervention.

4. Service changes

4.1 The Executive Member for Children's Services noted a confidential report on the 17^th May which set out in summary form the emerging commissioning strategy for children in care and for those on the edge of care.

4.2 The strategy includes proposals summarised below, which are in support of the project to raise the educational ambition and attainment of Children in Care by promoting security of care alongside plans to improve continuity of education.

· To increase the capacity of in house foster care in order to be able to reduce the level of purchased care.

· To review some residential care services to consider options to develop intensive community support, including to those on the edge of care

· To reduce the level of purchased residential care by changing the purpose of some in house units

· To reinvest in preventative services to those on the edge of care and to be able to better support care placements under pressure

4.3 Further reports will be considered by the Executive Member in the autumn and consultation in relation to key proposals will be undertaken, particularly in relation to options for the future of some residential care services.

4.4 As the commissioning strategy is developed and as other service changes are made a number of factors will begin to bear upon the way services are developed for those on the edge of care and changes to the balance of opportunities for foster care and residential care placements will emerge. The key issues are summarised below

· The LPSA project to increase the number of in house foster carers by 30 more than the historic position has commenced. The early results from advertising are encouraging and it is envisaged those completing training and assessments will start to be able to take placements from the autumn, which will in turn support plans to reduce the level of purchased foster care.

· The tender for purchased foster care places has now been concluded and overall a price advantage in the order of between 8 and 9% for new placements has been achieved. Negotiations are continuing to obtain the reduced price for existing placements and the banding system of prices to be paid will in future allow a better differentiation across placements. The results of this approach will begin to show in budgets from April 2007.

· The residential care service at Stonecroft in Havant ceased taking new admissions in February and closed in April 2007, reducing the available residential beds by 6. An intensive support service has commenced in SE Hampshire to better support existing care placements and to prevent the need for care.

4.5 Where residential care capacity has been reduced there is a risk that in house residential care or foster care would not be available if local services were unable to prevent the need for care and an increased need for purchased care may emerge. Whilst there has been a small increase, of 6, in the number of purchased foster care places the changes are evenly spread across the county, are within historic patterns and will be very closely monitored to evaluate the impact of service changes.

5. Conclusions

5.1 Hampshire has a rate of children in care favourably comparable to other similar Local authorities and has a strong record in supporting over 84% in foster care. The development of arrangements for paying allowances to support various forms of kinship care has been important and whilst this has the effect of reducing the overall number of children in care and is cost effective there remains a pressure on budgets.

5.2 Implementation of the commissioning strategy for children in care and for those on the edge of care will begin to impact during 2007/8 and the following summarises the intended position.

· To reduce the level of purchased foster care by, in the order of, 20 placements by March 2008. This end of year position reflects the increasing underlying trend offset by fewer purchases from the 3rd quarter of 2007 as the LPSA project begins to increase the capacity of in house foster carers.

· To keep stable the number of purchased residential care placements by managed use of in house residential care and by focusing, in South East Hampshire, the intensive support services to support those on the edge of care and those in existing placements that need additional support.

· To maintain as stable the purchase of foster care and residential care for children with a disability

· To support existing in house foster carers and seek overall increases in capacity and skill

· To continue to support the use of the range of kinship carers and allowances paid for guardianship, residence orders and adoption placements recognising that this overall reduces the level of children in care and provides cost effective care as an alternative.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

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