Future of foster care: consultation

Annex A

Consultation Questions

Our Vision

What are your views on our vision for foster care?

Flexible fostering approach

What are your views on the proposed flexible fostering approach?

What are your views on the seven different elements in the flexible fostering approach?

What implications does a flexible fostering approach have for how fostering is funded and how foster carers are remunerated?

How can the Scottish Government, working with you, support the delivery of the flexible fostering approach?

Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs)

What is the role of Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) in the future of fostering?

Should we require all IFAs to have charitable status? Please explain.

Should we limit how much local authorities can pay to IFAs? If so, why, and how would we do it?

Should IFAs be required to pay their foster carers the Scottish Recommended Allowance (SRA)?

What more could be done nationally to support local authorities when paying for placements from IFAs (including forecasting, market shaping and procurement)?

Recruitment

What are your views on the ‘offer’ described above?

What more can the Scottish Government and local authorities do to recruit foster carers? Please explain your answer. You may wish to share successes and challenges of recruitment of foster carers in your response.

Learning, development and practical support

What is your experience of the SSSC ‘Standard for Foster Care’ and do you find it helpful?

Should there be a new national learning framework for foster carers which could also be a pathway for continuous development?

What more can the Scottish Government do to nationally support the learning and development of foster carers?

What, if any, specific support might be needed to ensure that foster care in Scotland is attuned to the unique and specific needs of infants and very young children?

What other practical support would help foster carers?

What, if any, additional learning and development would be needed for the ‘flexible fostering’ approach?

Financial Support

How effective is the current financial model for foster carers? Is there an alternative? Please explain your answer.

Do you think there should be national approach to fees for foster carers? Please explain your answer.

Do you think there should be a national approach to additional payments? Please explain your answer.

Should the financial model for foster carers include a retainer fee for when a foster carer does not have a child placed with them? Please explain your answer.

Do you think there should be a national approach for Continuing Care allowances and fees? Please explain your answer.

Would an enhanced framework of transparency with a legal requirement, for example, on local authorities and independent fostering agencies to publish foster care allowances assist foster carers and wider recruitment and retention?

National Charter

What are your views on the proposal for a national charter of support for foster carers?

What else could national government do to increase the value, status and recognition of foster carers?

Day to day decisions

Is the existing framework under which foster carers can make decisions clear?

Would further guidance, for example good practice, be helpful to support decision making for foster carers (sometimes called delegated decision making) be helpful? If yes, please explain what you’d like it to include.

National Register of foster Carers

What are your views on a national register for foster carers in Scotland?

If a register is introduced where should the register be held?

What are your views on the potential to linking continuous professional development to a register?

What are your views on a national approach to foster care placement matching?

How can the Scottish Government support local authorities with resource planning of foster carers, including building an evidence base and data on placements, including those outside local areas?

Allegations

Should the Scottish Government update its guidance on managing allegations against foster carers? If yes, please explain what you’d like to see updated or added.

What more can the Scottish Government do to ensure that allegations against foster carers are dealt with quickly and fairly?

Raising Concerns

Is there is a need for the Scottish Government to take action in this area? If so, please explain why and what would be helpful, for example best practice guidance?

Wider Issues

Is there anything not covered in the consultation which impacts on fostering that you would like to tell us about, or take action on? E.g. housing, poverty etc.