The Group Manager, Placements and Provider Services reported on a proposal to make one-off payment to Bridgend Foster Carers and Adult Placement Carers in recognition of the hard work they had undertaken throughout the Covid Pandemic.

He reported that lockdown had resulted in schools being closed and children and young people remaining at home throughout the day, with very limited opportunity to socialise with peers and their lives being disrupted.  Care experienced children had the additional impact of not being able to meet with their family for face-to-face contact and during this period foster carers facilitated contact with these children via the phone or using Facetime, often taking on this role for the first time with little preparation, training or easy access to support.  He stated that foster carers and supported lodgings hosts demonstrated high levels of resilience, offering the highest standards of care to the children who they were looking after, many of whom displayed challenging behaviours linked to their experiences of trauma.  He informed Cabinet that another impact of the pandemic was the effect on adults with a learning disability living with adult placement families.  This group of people were no longer able to engage in their normal day time activities, because of restrictions in the operation of day services, or to have face to face contact with their friends and relatives.

He reported that two payments had been made to the social care workforce, as part of a national initiative funded by Welsh Government, to recognise and reward the hard work and commitment of staff who had provided essential care to the most vulnerable of citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Foster carers, supported lodgings hosts, and adult placement families were not rewarded in this way despite their commitment to and playing such a significant role in safeguarding vulnerable children, young people and adults with a learning disability who they look after during a period of exceptional difficulty

The Group Manager, Placements and Provider Services reported that there is a shortage of people who can provide foster care and supported lodgings placements to children and young people who cannot live at home with their birth families.  He stated that the Council does not have sufficient numbers of in-house foster carers and supported lodgings hosts and therefore, alongside the recruitment of new carers and it was essential that it demonstrates to the current carers how valuable and highly thought of they are in order to retain them.  A similar position in relation to the recruitment of adult placement families which has proved to be problematic, although there are a small number of families who are being assessed to come onto the scheme.  Another impact of the pandemic was the effect on adults with a learning disability living with adult placement families, no longer being able to engage in their normal day time activities.

The Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help in commenting the proposal to make the one-off payment to foster carers and adult placement carers thanked them for their endeavours, which she and the Leader had witnessed at first hand at a recent foster carers event.  The Leader stated that foster carers and adult placement carers would have experienced an increase in the cost of living and fuel bills and it was important to recognise the fundamental role they discharge. 

RESOLVED:            That Cabinet approved the proposal to make a one-off payment to all approved foster carers, supported lodgings hosts and adult placement families as set out within the report.