A new contract to standardise the provision of care for children placed with independent fostering providers (IFPs) in England is being developed on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
The contract, which will be finished by autumn this year, will be made available for use by local authority commissioners and IFPs. It is being developed by a reference group representing interested parties, including local authority commissioners, IFPs, the DCSF and the Fostering Network. The group will be consulting with all stakeholders, including children and young people and foster carers.
Phillip Sutton, the Fostering Network’s IFP development worker, said:
“We welcome the development of this national fostering contract, which will standardise provision of care for those children looked after by IFPs across England. The aim is to ensure the best possible outcomes for all fostered children, no matter who their foster carer works for.”
This contract will be the third in a suite of contracts developed by the DCSF. The contracts for placements in independent special schools and residential children’s homes are already in use.
National consultation events for local authority commissioners and IFPs will take place on 23 April at Haydock Park Racecourse, Merseyside, 24 April at Birmingham City Football Club, 30 April at Cedar Court Hotel, Wakefield and 1 May at Royal College of Surgeons, London. For a booking form contact sue@effectivetraining.co.uk or visit the Every Child Matters website at www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/resources-and-practice/IG00316
A discussion forum is available for debating the development of the draft contract and for asking questions and making comments. To join the forum group, contact nasmin.begum@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
The development of the contract is being project managed by Effective Training and Consultancy Limited (etc), an independent company providing training and consultancy services to social care, health and criminal justice organisations in the public, voluntary and independent sectors.
View the media release