Agenda item

 

This report addresses the need to review the current Fostering Programme in the light of changing sufficiency needs for children and young people in care in Rotherham. This will incorporate the response of the Council to the tragic death of Marcia Grant and the formal Prevention of Future Deaths report following the inquest in July 2025.

Consideration was given to the report which sought to address the need to review the current Fostering Programme in the light of changing sufficiency needs for children and young people in care in Rotherham. This incorporated the response of the Council to the tragic death of Marcia Grant and the formal Prevention of Future Deaths’ report following the inquest in July 2025.

 

Councillor Cusworth, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services, introduced the report highlighting how foster carers played a vital role in keeping children safe and helping them thrive.  Their contribution was deeply valued by all, but sadly a foster carer, Marcia Grant, tragically died in the spring of 2023. Heartfelt condolences were again expressed to Marcia’s family and to acknowledge the incredible work she did for the service and for Rotherham’s children.

 

An inquest into her death took place in July this year, during which the Council was asked to address three key issues:-

 

1.           How the Council could ensure there were enough placements available.

2.           How the Council could manage the forms within the placement process.

3.           How the Council could improve overall risk assessment in relation to placement decisions.

 

Nicola Curley, Strategic Director, outlined how the Council had responded to the Preventing Future Deaths report and how the Council had provided a detailed response. The Fostering Transformation Board would take the points forward to ensure lessons were learned and improvements continued.

 

By way of a presentation (included within the agenda documentation) the Strategic Director highlighted:-

 

·              Fostering Overview.

·              Fostering Transformation Board.

·              Incident of Concerns.

·              Findings and Prevention of Future Deaths Report.

·              Action Taken in 2023.

·              Action Taken from 3^rd September, 2025.

·              Next Steps.

 

Details were shared of the Learning Academy, serving the whole of Children’s Services which was currently reviewing the training offer related to risk assessments. This included how risk assessments were managed, documented, and recorded. The updated training would be made available to all staff, as it was relevant not only to fostering but also to children’s social work.

 

A discussion and a question-and-answer session ensued and the following were raised and clarified:-

 

·              Reassurance that lessons have been learned.

 

·              Action to increase foster carers against balancing those retiring and whilst none were lost to other fostering providers, recruitment efforts meant numbers were being maintained rather than losing ground.

 

·              The service had a dedicated team that actively monitored and projected numbers, looked at where improvements could be made with encouragement initiatives in place for anyone interested.

 

·              Rotherham was successful compared to many other areas, but what is needed is a strong middle-age group of carers. This is being addressed and will hopefully improve over time.

 

·              Need for reassurance that processes around seeking emergency placements were not compromised by end of day requests and the challenges facing placement capacity.

 

·              Unregulated provision required senior sign off and a clear hierarchy for decision-making with robust mechanisms in place. The fostering service push back if there were placement concerns. This means that foster carers say they feel valued and respected in these processes.

 

·              Balancing the needs of children and carers and involvement in matching decisions.

 

·              The need for clear supervision and checks to ensure there were no outstanding tasks or gaps and for inclusion of supervision to be included in the action plan.

 

·              Specific details shared that contributed to the unfortunate death of Marcia Grant which were picked up by the Assistant Coroner and whether had these been known earlier would this have led to a different decision around placement.

 

·              Clarification provided on where collaboration and co-production started and finished in terms of the Fostering Transformation Board, the membership and the mechanisms of reporting into this overarching meeting.

 

·              Request for an update to be brought back to Improving Lives following evaluation of the Fostering Transformation Plan and how this was going to be taken forward.

 

·              Demographic changes in the population and how this could be adapted for the Fostering Service and any barriers removed.

 

·              High level of promotion and activity for the approaches used to attract potential foster carers.

 

·              Monitoring of the progress of the Fostering Transformation Plan and embracing best practice.

 

·              Value of foster carers and the high regard from the service.

 

·              Quality of handovers to foster carers and the ongoing work looking at detailed planning to support best possible matching in future

 

·              System changes and the actions now being taken to embed individualised referral forms and processes.

 

·              Assurance auditing and oversight by the Cabinet Member to shape practice.

 

·              Sharing of best practice and liaison with other Local Authorities.  Suggestion of a further seminar highlighting the importance of the role of Members as Corporate Parents.

 

The Chair advised of the need to consider the confidential Fostering Transformation Plan. In private session a discussion ensued on the contents and a number of points were made around:-

 

·              Methodical communication and record keeping thus reducing risk.

·              Confidence in improved oversight and reporting lines.

·              Support for staff

·              Review of areas of practice following Assistant Coroner’s decision.

·              Defined broader learning easily disseminated.

 

The Chair formally thanked officers for their attendance, the frank and instructive questioning by the Improving Lives Select Commission Members and to the other Members of the Council that took time to attend.

 

Resolved:-  (1) That the Preventing Futures Deaths’ response sent to the Assistant Coroner be noted.

 

(2)  That the Fostering Transformation Action Plan created in response to the wider issues in relation to fostering sufficiency and actions required from the Preventing Future Deaths’ report be supported.

 

(3)  That an update report on the progress of the Transformation Action Plan be brought back to a future meeting in due course.

 

(4)  That a Members’ Seminar be arranged highlighting the role of Elected Members as Corporate Parents.