This Library briefing describes the UK Government’s policy to write-off arrears arising from the 1993 and 2003 child maintenance schemes. These schemes are now closed to new applicants and ongoing maintenance cases have been transferred to the 2012 scheme.
Documents to download
-
Key issues in fostering: capacity, working conditions, and fostering agencies (198 KB, PDF)
In terms of the capacity of the foster care system, in 2015-16 some 51,000 of the 70,440 “looked after children” were in local authority foster placements. Issues examined in this paper include the impact of “Staying Put” arrangements for those over 18 years old, increasing numbers of unaccompanied asylum seeking children, and also foster carers who become special guardians.
The working conditions of foster carers are explored, including their employment status, pay, the impact when allegations are made against a foster carer, and calls for professionalisation of foster carers.
Fostering agencies can either be local authority-run or independent, and there has been competition between agencies to attract foster carers. Some have raised concerns that independent foster agencies can be profit-making, and how such agencies are commissioned by local authorities. The introduction of new trust models for fostering services is also explored.
Documents to download
-
Key issues in fostering: capacity, working conditions, and fostering agencies (198 KB, PDF)
Related posts
-
-
This briefing describes the laying of the Statutory Instrument, its content, reaction from the sector, and the consultation on extending some its regulations.
-
This House of Commons Library briefing note sets out the rules on variations under the “2012 scheme” administered by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). From a policy standpoint, it compares the current variation rules to those for the legacy “2003 scheme”, and notes criticism of the changes and parliamentary debate of them. This Briefing was last updated in March 2019.