1)Please could you provide a copy of the local authority’s most recent sufficiency statement for looked after children services?
A copy of the Council’s Sufficiency Strategy has been published on the Devon Children and Families Partnership website and can be accessed Here and here
2) Please could you let me know when the local authority plans to publish the next update to its sufficiency statement for looked after children services.
The Council’s Children’s Services Team is intending to refresh the Sufficiency Strategy on an annual basis. The next refresh will be due in December 2019/ January 2020.
3) Please could you provide information on the following:-
In 2018, of all of the foster carer de-registrations which were initiated by the carer, how many were offered exit interviews? Where appropriate, all carers were offered exit interviews.
In 2018, of all of the foster carer de-registrations which were initiated by the carer, please provide a summary of the reasons for deregistering.
Reasons for foster carer de-registrations in 2018 were as follows:-
Retirement
family / work commitments
Ill health
Transfer
Carer resigned following concerns/reassessment,
Carer passed away,
carers separated (other carer continued fostering),
Issues matching with own child,
No longer have spare bedroom,
SGO granted.
In addition to these, there were also de-registrations for family and friends foster carers who were approved for specific children who resigned due to the following reasons:-
Being granted SGOs
Child returning home
Placements ending
Young person turning 18
What current estimate do you have of children who will need to be fostered as part of a sibling group both now and in future years?
We have based the below response on children who came into care from the same home postcode and are in the same placement postcode for historical data:-
As at 19 March 2019 – there are 291 children who are in a sibling group and who are fostered at the same address. This amounts to 72%.
As at 31 March 2018 – 288 children who came into care from same home postcode were placed in the same fostering placement.
As at 31 March 2017 – 177 children who came into care from same home postcode were placed in the same fostering placement.
How many foster carers are currently able to accommodate sibling groups?
There are currently 195 carer households that are approved for more than 1 placement and would be able to take siblings.