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Investment to
reduce number of children in care
A Rradical investment programme to reduce the
number of children in care in Liverpool is being proposed.
Liverpool currently has 968 looked after children in foster care or
other placements, either as a result of court proceedings because
they are at risk of harm, or with parental agreement.
In common with other local authorities, the figure has been rising
steadily since the tragic death of Baby Peter in Haringey in 2007,
and is up 11% compared to 2008. It currently costs more
than £25 million per year to care for looked after children in
Liverpool. Unless action is taken, this figure is projected to
rise to over £28 million by 2016/17, with the number of young people
in care reaching 1,052.
Now, the Mayor’s Cabinet is to consider a plan which would see
around £9 million invested over the next 5 years to increase the
amount of early intervention and prevention work, to tackle the
increasing demand for services. It will be used to reduce the
number of ‘looked after’ young people already in care and also cut
the numbers coming into care, with a target of getting the number
down to 922 by 2016/17.
The key proposals are:-
► Recruiting up to an additional 225 foster carers through the city’s
26 Children’s Centres
► Investing £500,000 per year for each Children’s Centre to offer an
outreach service with staff supporting complex families with their
parenting
► Putting more staff within the family court teams to reduce delays
for children
► Speeding up the application and approval process for new foster
carers so that young people don’t spend time in high cost placements
with other agencies
► Creating a specialist team of experts from different agencies
located together and working directly with vulnerable families with
complex needs
Councillor Jane Corbett, Cabinet member for children’s services,
said:- “We know that by getting to some of our families
earlier and offering them the right support we can prevent children
coming into care.
If we can get in early it pays dividends further down the line as we
stop problems becoming crises. All the evidence shows that this is
far more effective in tackling complex problems than putting in
place reactive support.
Our fantastic Children’s Centres are well placed to help us identify
the families most in need of being supported, and that is why we are
putting in staff to specifically help the most vulnerable mums and
dads with issues at home.
We are also investing in recruiting additional foster carers and
reducing delay for children as they go through the courts process so
that we offer a better level of support to those young people who do
come into our care.”
The plan uses empirical evidence from other local authorities who
have reduced the number of young people in care.
It is estimated that it will cut social care costs by a total of
£14.6 million over the next 5 years; meaning a net benefit of
£5.5 million over and above the extra money that is invested.
The report will be considered by the Mayor’s Cabinet on Friday, 6
July 2012.
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Liverpool
students are sailing on Tall Ship Voyage of Achievement
THEY are among a crew of 45 students, aged from 16 to 17
who are from 20
schools across the UK taking part in the 12th Anniversary Tall Ships
Youth Trust Voyage of Achievement funded by HSBC. Charlotte
Oluonye, Francesca Aryeetey Brown, Paige Bowden and Elle
Battle-Kennedy (above), are all sailing
the 200 foot long brig up along the East Coast of the UK, before sailing into
Portsmouth, Historic Dockyard on the afternoon of Tuesday, 10 July
2012.
The voyages develop life skills, confidence and team work while on a
practical level, they help the students learn first-hand about
sailing, geography and weather systems. Over the past 12 years more
than 550 young people have taken part in the voyages and a number
have returned to work as volunteers for the Tall Ships Youth Trust
charity while some have gone on to develop a career within the
marine Industry or taken up sailing as a lifelong interest.
Lorraine Thomas, Senior Manager for HSBC Education/Community
Investment, said:- “HSBC is delighted to support the Tall
Ships Voyage of Achievement for the 12th year. Developing life
skills in young people both within and outside traditional education
is so important”
On joining the ship in Hartlepool, the students were assigned to 1
of 3 teams called:- “watches”. Having just met for the first
time, each watch will spend the whole of the 10 night voyage working
together, living 8 to a cabin and even rising at 4am for night watch
duties. While onboard, students will take part in every aspect of
sailing the Tall Ship, including helming, scaling the 45 metre masts
to set and stow sails and navigating.
Tim Law, Operations Director of the Trust, said:- “For the
next week, the students will be living in close quarters with each
other in a new and challenging environment. They will forge
friendships, faced challenges and taken part in new experiences; at
the same time developing skills that will stand them in good stead
for their future lives.”
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