Payments to Foster Parents and Supported Lodging Providers

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Dear Essex County Council,

FIRST. Please can you quantify your Council's expenditure during the financial year 2010-2011 on EACH of the following items, (i.e SEPARATELY). Please include Payments made via Agencies, as well as Payments made direct, but do NOT include Agency Fees. Please do NOT just send me a breakdown of the Council's total expenditure - because each of England and Wales' 174 County, County Borough, Metropolitan Borough and Unitary Authoriities HAS ITS OWN SYSTEM - with 'categories' which can be totally meaningless to outsiders.

1. Foster Child Maintenance, Holiday, Birthday, Christmas, Initial Clothing, School Uniform, Education/Activities, Disability, Cultural, Dietary, Life Story Book, Hospital Gift, Additional Heating, Exceptional Wear and Tear, and all other Allowances paid by your particular Council

2. Foster Parent and Supported Lodging Provider Fees, (various aliases), Enhancements, Bonuses, Disturbance Allowances and all other Allowances paid by your particular Council.

3. Grants to Foster Parents and Supported Lodging Providers for Furniture, Equipment, House Extensions, Bigger Cars, etc.

4. Foster Parent and Supported Lodging Provider Expenses, eg, Mileage, Public Transport Fares, Babysitters, Education Course/Exam Fees, Telephone Costs, Computer, Software and Internet Costs, Entertaining Foster Children's Family and Friends, Prospective Adoptive Parents etc.

(Above lists based on information received during a past survey)

SECOND. How many Foster Parent and Support Lodging Provider
households were involved?

THIRD. What percentage of their Incomes does your Council expect over 16 year old Foster Children to give Foster Parents and Supported Lodging Providers towards their Board and Lodge, when -

1. They are in receipt of Job Seeker's Allowance

2. They are in paid employment.

FOURTH. At what age must Foster Children under your Council's jurisdiction take full financial responsibility for their own upkeep because the Care Order has expired and the Council no longer contributes to their Maintenance? 18? Or older?

Yours faithfully,

A Williams

Ruth Byford Research & Analysis Officer, Essex County Council

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Please find attached an acknowledgement of your Freedom of Information
request.

Ruth Byford
on behalf of ISIS
Internal Audit & Risk Management
Essex County Council | telephone: 01245 435944 | extension: 55944 | email:
[email address]
EssexWorks
For a better quality of life

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Your Right To Know, Essex County Council

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Please find attached a response to your Freedom of Information request.

Ruth Byford
on behalf of ISIS
Internal Audit & Risk Management
Essex County Council | telephone: 01245 435944 | extension: 55944 | email:
[email address]

EssexWorks
For a better quality of life

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Dear Your Right To Know,

FIRST, I want your Council's TOTAL expenditure on EACH of the 'categories' listed during the financial year 2010=2011.

SECOND, in response to past complaints from youngsters about being turfed out of 'care' at the age of 18 and left to fend for themselves, at least some Councils are paying care-leavers 'setting up home' grants, whilst all, (I presume), have intoduced the concept of Supported Lodging Providers or similar, wherein they pay providers both fees and substantial contributions towards 19-21 year old former Foster Children, (and presumably Children's Home residents), upkeep,

I'm trying to find out what each Council's policy is in respect of this.

I have a specific reason for my research. My findings in respect of the research on Fostering that I did in 2010 were included in my submission to the 2010-2011 Family Justice Review.

Yours sincerely,

A Williams, (BA)

Ruth Byford Research & Analysis Officer, Essex County Council

3 Attachments

Please find attached an acknowledgement of your Freedom of Information
request.

Ruth Byford
on behalf of ISIS
Internal Audit & Risk Management
Essex County Council | telephone: 01245 435944 | extension: 55944 | email:
[email address]
EssexWorks
For a better quality of life

show quoted sections

Your Right To Know, Essex County Council

4 Attachments

Please find attached the response to your Freedom of Information request.

Ruth Byford
on behalf of ISIS
Internal Audit & Risk Management
Essex County Council | telephone: 01245 435944 | extension: 55944 | email:
[email address]

EssexWorks
For a better quality of life

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Dear Your Right To Know,

You haven't answered the question about the NUMBER of FOSTER PARENTS and SUPPORTED LODGING PROVIDERS involved.

Please can I have the figures(s)

Yours sincerely,

A Williams

Essex County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Williams,

Please find attached response to your email above.

Many thanks,

Scott Sammons Your Right To Know

Dear Essex County Council,

My apologies. I've now found the information

Yours sincerely,

A Williams

Dear Essex County Council,

16-18 year old youngsters under your Council's jurisdiction.

If your Council DOESN'T contribute ANYTHING towards former Foster Children's Maintenance when they reach the age of 18 years WHO are Supported Lodging Providers responsible for?

I would have thought that all 16-17 year olds would be with Foster Parents.

Yours sincerely,

A Williams

Ruth Byford Research & Analysis Officer, Essex County Council

3 Attachments

Please find attached an acknowledgement of your Freedom of Information
request.

Ruth Byford
on behalf of ISIS
Internal Audit & Risk Management
Essex County Council | telephone: 01245 435944 | extension: 55944 | email:
[email address]
EssexWorks
For a better quality of life

show quoted sections

Your Right To Know, Essex County Council

2 Attachments

Please find attached the response to your Freedom of Information request.
 

Ruth Byford
on behalf of ISIS
Internal Audit & Risk Management
Essex County Council | telephone: 01245 435944 | extension: 55944 | email:
[email address]

EssexWorks
For a better quality of life

 

 

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Dear Your Right To Know,

FIRST - I'm still unclear about your policy on 18-21/24 year old former foster children who remain in full time educatio.

The other Councils who've replied to my question have some kind of systems, where they pay Supported Lodging Providers -

1. Fees
2. Lodger Mainteance Allowances that are at a similar level 16-17 year old Foster Child Maintenance Allowances.

What is your Council's policy in respect of this?

You state that if over 18 year olds choose to remain with foster parents it becomes a private arrangement, that they have a liability for rent which they can claim from employment and housing benefit, and that they should cover their personal needs from employment or a benefit claim.

It's WHO PAYS FOR THEIR GENERAL UPKEEP that I'm trying to find out. (The State expects unemployed under 25 year olds to pay for EVERYTHING. (other than rent and council tax), NOT just their 'personal needs' out of their 'Personal Allowance' of £53.45).

You state that -

'A Post 18 Planning Meeting is held with the young person, young person’s social worker, Benefits Advisor, supported lodgings provider, Supervising Social Worker to agree on post 18 financial arrangements. . . Should young people require support, a referral is sent to Supporting People funded floating support such as SWAN, In Touch or Family Mosaic.'

Who are 'Supporting People'?

Yours sincerely,

A Williams, (BA)

Your Right To Know, Essex County Council

1 Attachment

Dear Ms Williams,

 

Please find attached acknowledgement to your FOI request.

 

Many thanks,

 

Scott Sammons

On behalf of Your Right To Know

 

Essex County Council | Phone: 08457 430 430 

Email: [1][Essex County Council request email] | Internet: [2]www.essex.gov.uk

 

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Your Right To Know, Essex County Council

2 Attachments

Please find attached the response to your Freedom of Information request.
 

Ruth Byford
on behalf of ISIS
Internal Audit & Risk Management
Essex County Council | telephone: 01245 435944 | extension: 55944 | email:
[email address]

EssexWorks
For a better quality of life

 

 

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