FtSE Member News - TACT renews call for ban on firms in England making profits from fostering9/2/2017
TACT has renewed its call to ban profit making foster firms, following the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decision to probe a merger between two private firms that are among the largest providers of foster placement services to councils in England, Scotland and Wales. Acorn Care Education Group was bought by the National Fostering Agency Group in August last year creating a single organisation worth an estimated £400m. Children & Young People Now magazine has reported that following an initial investigation, the CMA has announced it will proceed with a more detailed “phase 2” merger investigation because of concerns that councils in some areas may now struggle to achieve value for money. The market for independent fostering placement services is worth in excess of £750m a year and the companies are two of the largest national providers to local authorities. Groups of local authorities often tender for services through framework agreements, which establish a list of independent providers with foster carers available in the local area, to ensure availability when their own in-house network of carers are unable to meet demand. The initial CMA investigation reviewed all local authority framework areas in which the companies overlap in the UK, and found concerns in three framework agreement areas: Wales, Norfolk and the framework agreement area covering Luton, central Bedfordshire and Bedford. “In each of these framework areas, the merged company’s position is strong and we found that local authorities may face challenges in ensuring value for money in framework tenders,” a statement released by the CMA said. Sheldon Mills, senior director of mergers at the CMA, said: “Many local authorities have raised concerns with us that this merger could significantly weaken their ability to ensure quality of care in their local areas, at the best possible price, when placing vulnerable children. “We closely investigated these concerns and found that in some areas local authorities may find it more difficult to obtain value for money as a result of the merger. “We think the concerns warrant an in-depth investigation unless the company can offer undertakings which address our concerns.” Income from foster care was shown in the NFA’s 2014 accounts as £94m, with the owners receiving £14.4m. Acorn Care, which was previously owned by a pension fund for Canadian teachers had revenues of £73m in 2014. In his independent review of children’s residential care, government adviser Sir Martin Narey recently highlighted that eight commercial fostering agencies made £41m in profits in 2014/15. TACT CEO Andy Elvin said ” I want to see the ban in Scotland on firms making profits from fostering extended to England. Excessive profits are being made by some agencies at a time when there is less money in the system. That clearly can’t be a good thing for vulnerable children.” Source: https://www.tactcare.org.uk FtSE Member News: Community Foster Care appoint Cally Williams as their new Placement Support Worker17/1/2017
Cally Williams has joined Community Foster Care as a Placement Support Worker at the agency’s office in Wootton Bassett. Cally was part of the looked-after children education service in Swindon for nine years until 2015. For the last year she has worked in a behavioural school in Swindon. “I gravitate towards children who find life more challenging and enjoy building up positive relationships with them,” she said. “I’m really pleased to become part of the Community Foster Care team. I’ve known some of the staff for quite a time and I like the way the organisation operates.” The not-for-profit agency has been providing carers for children in Swindon and Wiltshire for more than 16 years from its Gloucestershire HQ.
Cally, who has a son and daughter and two grandchildren, is based at the office at the Lime Kiln Business Centre, just outside Swindon, which covers Swindon, Trowbridge, Devizes, Calne, Chippenham, Corsham, Devizes, Melksham, Marlborough, Lyneham and surrounding areas. Elena Jose, Supervising Social Worker in Wootton Bassett, welcomed Cally to the team. “She has a great way with children and we love having her with us,” she said. CFC is actively looking for carers who can provide safe, nurturing homes for children for short, long-term and respite care. Foster carers come from all walks of life and can be male or female, single, married or divorced. They must be over 25 and in generally good health. Anyone who is interested in becoming a foster carer can call the Wootton Bassett team on 01793 858232. Source: http://www.communityfostercare.co.uk This year will bring some exciting and, potentially, controversial developments and innovations to children’s social work and social care. Children and Social Work Bill When the Children and Social Work Bill concludes there will be some provision for local authorities to test out new ways of working that don’t fit neatly into existing legislation. There are some perfectly reasonable fears round this. However, we need to look carefully at any innovations and proposals that could improve the experience of children and families in the child protection system, and the outcomes for children who enter the care system. It is unacceptable for professional discomfort to get in the way of improving the chances for vulnerable children. Innovation Fund The innovation fund will begin to announce the recipients of its new round of funding. It is particularly welcome that children in care and care leavers will be prioritised in this round. These are the children who we as a profession are responsible for. We must make the right decisions for them more often. We must provide permanence and stability sooner and ensure they have every chance to achieve their potential and go on to live successful and happy adult lives. Accreditation Scheme The accreditation scheme for children’s social workers will come into effect, and a long overdue focus on a proper framework of continual professional development for them will be enacted. The characteristics of a vibrant and effective profession are that it continues to change, learn and grow, and responds to new evidence and approaches for creating better outcomes for children and families. Family Support The healthy debate about whether too many children are removed from their families will continue. New services such as Pause, and the family group conference approach in Leeds, and the continuing rise in special guardianship orders to extended family members will all feature. I hope to see a renewed focus on the support offered to birth parents when children are returned to them after a short period in care or a child protection investigation. This is a very weak area of practice and we as a profession need to do much better in supporting birth parents when children are returned to them to make sure that these placements are stable and secure and are able to meet the needs of the children fully and sustainably. It is vital that families are offered ongoing support and that their cases are not closed and then reopened as child protection or child in need cases if the birth parents put their hands up to request assistance. We would not do this for foster carers or adopters, so why must we do it with birth parents? What Works Centre We will see the launch of the What Works Centre, which will be very welcome. One of the great failings of children’s social care provision over the years has been the difficulty in rolling out successful work from one local authority to others. It would be good to see the What Works Centre begin to establish common models of service across both child protection and children in care social work. It is neither acceptable nor sustainable for us to continue to have such variations in systems and approaches; we must settle on a small number of evidence-based systems and make sure they are rolled out across the UK. Finally, 2017 will see the first local authority fully contract out permanence services to a charity. TACT is very much looking forward to working in partnership with Peterborough City Council to demonstrate how this can make a profound and lasting difference to all children in residential care and in foster, adoptive and special guardianship/kinship families Andy Elvin – TACT CE Source: https://www.google.com FtSE Member News: Daniel Jones joins Community Foster Care team in business development role5/1/2017
Daniel Jones, 31, joins the independent foster care agency after 13 years working with young people. The new role will encompass Community Foster Care’s work in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, as well as the development of its sister agency, Community Family Care, based in Staunton. Brought up in Tuffley, Dan left St Peter’s School in Gloucester to take a gap year teaching outdoor education – and stayed for six years. “I had great fun with kids doing mountain biking, archery, rock climbing and survival skills for the Birmingham Diocese. At the same time, I did a degree in Youth and Community Work at the University of Derby,” said Dan, who now lives in Sandhurst. For the last two years Dan was the Deputy CEO of Open House in Stroud which offers support and accommodation to young homeless people and those with complex needs. For five years before that, he was a youth work manager for Young Gloucestershire. His links with fostering were strengthened in 2010 when he joined the Community Foster Care Panel.
“I like the culture of CFC and the way it works with young people – it’s totally child-centred and that’s what sets it apart from other agencies. There is a lot of potential and opportunity to grow,” he said. Chief Executive of Community Foster Care, Hugh Pelham, welcomed Dan. “He has been a real asset on our Foster Care Panel and is just the person we need to help take the organisation forward. His experience and enthusiasm are first class.” The agency, based in Staunton, is a registered charity and not-for-profit company operating in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Lancashire and Cumbria. Established in 1999, it has nine staff based in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, five in Lancashire and Cumbria, and three in Community Family Care. Source: http://www.communityfostercare.co.uk Her Majesty The Queen will be handing over the role of Barnardo’s Patron to HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. It was announced today that Her Majesty is stepping down as Patron from a number of national organisations. This decision follows the example set by The Duke of Edinburgh who resigned from a number of Patronages on the occasion of his 90th birthday in 2011. Javed Khan, the Chief Executive of Barnardo’s, said: "We are extremely grateful for Her Majesty The Queen’s generous time and Patronage, together with her dedication to the work of Barnardo’s since 1983. The Royal Family has given us tremendous support throughout our history, and there has been a royal Patron since 1902 and Royal Presidents from 1923. I am delighted that HRH The Duchess of Cornwall - our current President, has graciously accepted the role of our new Patron." The Duchess of Cornwall was appointed Barnardo’s president in 2007. She wasted no time, embarking on a series of visits to see the vital work of Barnardo’s first hand. Her first visit was in November 2007 to High Close School in Wokingham where she met with staff and young people, as she visited the school’s many facilities and dropped in on science, maths and drama lessons. In 2014, in a speech at Clarence House during an event for Barnardo’s, she praised the achievements of what she described as a “unique charity”. She added: "Over the past few years I have visited several inspirational projects which are not only very impressive but very humbling too, and I believe that it is thanks to the dedication of Barnardo's highly skilled staff and volunteers that these places exist at all without their care and counselling these young people would still be floundering alone in a frightening world." In the past year HRH The Duchess of Cornwall has been very supportive of the charity, visiting a range of services and hosting a Buckingham Palace Garden Party to mark our 150th anniversary. Source: http://www.barnardos.org.uk FtSE Member News: TACT - The highlight of Christmas? It’s knowing I’m helping to make a difference15/12/2016
I had always thought of fostering having raised my 3 sons but my husband wasn’t keen on the idea feeling that we had already done our bit. I became a widow in 2012 and remarried in 2014 but it only lasted a year. My sons were all grown up in their 30s with children of their own and then in 2015, I lost my dad and felt at a loose end with my life. It was now my time to do something in life that I had always dreamed of. I had previously worked with vulnerable teenagers and had always wanted to do more to help them so I thought fostering would be perfect for me. TACT was recommended to me and I contacted them in May 2015. The process to become a foster carer is lengthy but I can honestly say I really enjoyed it. I learnt a great deal about myself and developed a good relationship with my social worker. I went to panel in the October and actually cried during the process as it meant so much to me to be approved. In January I had my first referral, 14 year old Ellie, she was a planned move so we could get to know each other before she came to live with me in February with her two rabbits. Sadly, Ellie’s mum had died in 2012, she had no contact with her dad and I was Ellie’s 5th foster carer placement. I had my second referral in May who was a girl aged 12 on a respite placement for 3 weeks and then in November, I had a referral for a 17 year old girl who, happily, continues to live with us. During the summer Ellie and I went on holiday to Mexico and then to visit my eldest son in Canada. It was such a proud moment to see Ellie fulfilling her dream of swimming with dolphins whilst we were in Mexico. We felt like a real family unit and the rest of my family could not have been more welcoming, which is important as it does involve all of us. It’s so lovely to have teenagers in the house again. I have lost my nice tidy quiet home, but I wouldn’t swap it, I love the atmosphere. I am really looking forward to Christmas this year as last year I woke up on Christmas morning by myself and this year it’s going to be with two very excited young ladies. We have the Christmas Eve boxes ready and the Christmas bedding. We are very family orientated and the girls have been saving the pocket money to buy presents. They are both excited to be with me for Christmas, but obviously it can be sadness also as they are not with their families. We seem to blend really well together. Ellie is doing really well at school and the older girl is at college, both girls help me around the house and we cook together. Our Christmas day will start with the presents and a lovely breakfast before visiting family to give our presents out, then home for lunch and to watch a Christmas movie. The highlight for the girls will be the new phones they both have asked for; and for me it will be watching their faces as they open their presents, and knowing I’m doing my little bit to make things better for them. I love them. Pam – TACT Foster Carer Source: https://www.tactcare.org.uk Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Dame Janet Trotter, offered tons of praise and loads of thanks to carers in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Presenting the annual awards to all of our CFC carers, she chatted to many of the 55 guests and gave a heartfelt speech. “You may say you’re ordinary people doing an ordinary job, but to me you are absolute heroes,” she said. “In my teaching career, I realised how important it is for children to have a stable, caring, loving background. But for so many, that is missing. “If people ask me what I dream for, it’s that each child in this county can develop their full potential. At the moment that is not true. But you are helping cared-for children to become responsible, able and well-adjusted adults. There is nothing more that you can give.” Chair of Trustees at Community Foster Care, John McLaughlin, thanked Dame Janet and added: “I’m so proud of our carers. The quality of care you provide makes a big difference to improving children’s chances in life. Thankyou for doing so much for us.” The final hurrah came from Chief Executive Hugh Pelham who thanked the staff of Community Foster Care and Community Family Care. A particular mention went to Office Manager Helen O’Niell for organising such a good lunch party at the Corinium Hotel in Cirencester. Photo: The annual awards for CFC carers in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire were presented by Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire Dame Janet Trotter at the Corinium Hotel in Cirencester. Source: http://www.communityfostercare.co.uk FtSE Member News: Action for Children welcome progress on mental health support for children in care5/12/2016
Overshadowed by revelations of historic child abuse in professional football and continued controversy over the government’s abuse enquiry, there was positive news for children in care last week. With support from across the health and social care sectors, Lib Dem peer Baroness Claire Tyler successfully persuaded government ministers to consider amending the Children and Social Work Bill to include mandatory mental health assessments for looked after children and young people in England. Current health checks for children entering foster and residential care do not routinely cover mental health or emotional wellbeing - a situation campaigners have long deemed unacceptable. "The most important thing is to feel love and feel accepted – I don’t have that. Every single day is a struggle for me because I know that I am not wanted. I try not to form attachments because people let me down. I have learned to hide my emotions but I am in a bad place at the moment." Young person in care Many looked after children entering care have endured trauma and abuse and evidence shows at least 45 per cent of children have a diagnosable mental health issue – this rises to more than 70 per cent for those children entering residential care. Continuing to struggle with experiences of loss and separation has a long-lasting impact on children’s emotional wellbeing and can lead to mental health difficulties. This often contributes to poor school performance, anti-social behaviour, running away from placements, self-harm and an increased risk of suicide. As part of its wider mental health strategy, the Government has now agreed to begin testing and piloting mental health assessments for 10,000 young people about to enter care, with around ten local authorities trialing certain age groups from April next year. “We’ve been calling for better psychological support for these young people for a long time”, explains Emma Smale, co-chair of the Alliance for Children in Care and Care Leavers, and head of policy and research at Action for Children. “We therefore welcome this announcement – it’s a promising and significant first step towards making a real and lasting improvement to the lives of our looked after children and young people.” It is hoped the pilots will also help foster carers better understand and address the emotional and mental health needs of children in their care and flag up any further training they may need themselves. Putting greater emphasis on the education of foster parents and all health and social care professionals involved in a child’s care will form the next stage of the campaign. Smale continues: “The commitment to better identify mental health and emotional needs must be tied with stronger requirements on health professionals to play a more effective and instrumental role in improving the health of looked after children. “They need to have the capacity to better understand the specific needs of these children - many have been abused or neglected and their needs simply don’t fit traditional clinical diagnoses. "Piloting mental health assessments is a great first step but unless it’s paired with the necessary expertise of how to care for them, we’ll be back to square one." Emma Smale, Head of Policy and Research at Action for children Source: https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk The Chief Executive of Community Foster Care, Hugh Pelham, has announced his retirement. Hugh joined the independent agency, based in Staunton, Gloucestershire, in 2014 and has overseen significant changes at a time when the national shortage of foster carers has shown no let-up. He thanked his team, carers and board for their support and praised their dedication. “The work that Community Foster Care and our sister organisation Community Family Care does every day is a constant inspiration,” he said. “We are a child-centred organisation which never loses sight of the children who are in care through no fault of their own, and everything our incredible foster carers do leaves me speechless with admiration.” He will leave the organisation which provides foster carers for cared-for children in May 2017. Chair of Trustees John McLaughlin thanked Hugh for his work. “Hugh has been a great Chief Executive and we wish him every happiness in his well-earned retirement.” Before joining Community Foster Care, Hugh, 69, spent three years with the Children’s Family Trust where he was both Regional Manager for the Children’s Family Trust and a Trustee. He was also Policy and Research Adviser for The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT), the largest fostering and adoption charity in the UK. He grew up in Essex and trained as a mental health nurse and a social worker. He has been working with children since the 1980s. He spent almost 20 years with local authorities before moving to the Third Sector in 2001. From 2001 to 2005 he was Chief Executive of East London Foster Carers before its merger with TACT. He then became Executive Director of Children’s Services for TACT for six years until 2011. CFC is a registered charity and not-for-profit company operating in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Lancashire and Cumbria. Established in 1999, it has nine staff based in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, five in Lancashire and Cumbria, and three in Community Family Care. Information about the post of Chief Executive can be found at http://www.communityfostercare.co.uk/about-us/job-vacancies/chief-executive-officer Source: http://www.communityfostercare.co.uk St Christopher’s work has once again been recognised with a Customer Service Excellence award for continuing to provide brilliant services to commissioners and young people. People Development Manager Jane Daniells was the lead on this year’s review, which she started by collecting examples of excellent customer service from staff across England and the Isle of Man. Our assessor, Tom Banks, visited our fostering office in Chelmsford, a children’s home and two 16+ services. He also visited the Putney office where he met with a number of staff from a mixture of our services. In the final report Tom listed our Safe Steps children’s homes, the new Wraparound therapeutic service on the Isle of Man, the changes at Cornock-Taylor to meet the needs of a new client group (UASC) and the new management systems supporting Central Services staff as examples of good practice. Receiving this award for the fifth year in a row shows that St Christopher’s continues to provide great quality services and care, and that we are continually improving. Thank you to everyone who supplied examples to Jane and the Fast Track To Management Trainees. You can view the full report here. Let’s keep up the good work! Source: http://www.stchris.org.uk |
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