Two articles this month examine the issue of the shortage of black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) foster carers: BBC analysis of Ofsted figures show that two-thirds of councils in England have a shortage of BAME foster carers. 23% of children in foster care in England at 31 March 2019 came from a BAME background. […]
Meeting the Needs of BAME Children in Foster Care
Two articles this month examine the issue of the shortage of black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) foster carers: BBC analysis of Ofsted figures show that two-thirds of councils in England have a shortage of BAME foster carers. 23% of children in foster care in England at 31 March 2019 came from a BAME background. In […]
Shortage of foster carers from BAME backgrounds
The BBC reports that analysis of Ofsted statistics for 2018/19, looking at local authorities that provide fostering services in England, shows that 99 of the 146 local authorities that provide fostering services had a shortage or undersupply of foster carers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. Further details are available here > […]
£45m announced for Adoption Support Fund in England
The Department for Education (DfE) has announced an additional £45 million for the Adoption Support Fund in England. The funding will help support new adoptive families and reduce the number of children waiting for a permanent home. More than £1 million will also go to help Regional Adoption Agencies and voluntary organisations run campaigns to find […]
Independent Visitors for children in care
Barnardo’s report that responses to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to 152 local authorities in England show an increase in children in care who are not matched with an Independent Visitor, adult volunteers who provide support to children in care. The FOI shows that: 1,202 children were waiting to be matched with […]
Looked-after children miss out on right to independent visitors
Increasing numbers of children in care are waiting to be matched with independent visitors, with some councils admitting to not providing the statutory service at all, new research shows. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by Barnardo’s revealed that 1,202 looked-after children were missing out on their legal right to be matched with a visitor, which […]