Agenda item

1.     To allow a reduction of 50% (25% for a short break Foster Carers) in Council Tax bills of the main residence of foster carers who are registered with the Council, before considering any discounts, exemptions and/or Council Tax Reductions they are
already eligible for.

2.     To offer a free annual parking permit.

3.     Unlimited use of leisure centres.

4.     Adopt a Fostering Friendly policy for Maethu Cymru Gwynedd foster carers who
are employed by the Council.

The report was presented by Cllr Menna Trenholme

DECISION

1.     To allow a reduction of 50% (25% for short-break Foster Carers) in the Council Tax bills of the main residence of foster carers who are registered with the Council, before considering any discounts, exemptions and/or Council Tax Reductions they are already eligible for.

2.     To offer a free annual parking permit.

3.     Unlimited use of leisure centres.

4.     To adopt a Fostering Friendly policy for Maethu Cymru Gwynedd foster carers who are employed by the Council.

DISCUSSION

It was reported that the support provided by foster parents was key for the Council as they also eased the burden on other services. It was hoped that offering the benefits discussed within the Report will attract new foster carers and provide support and show appreciation to the Council's current foster parents.

It was stated that 190 children were currently placed in foster care provision in Gwynedd. It was explained that 30 of those children were in a foster placement provided by the independent sector and all the other children were looked after by Maethu Cymru Gwynedd foster carers. She explained that this meant that 85% of children receiving foster care received that support through Maethu Cymru Gwynedd foster carers.

It was noted that some of the benefits proposed for foster carers within the support package presented in the report, led to financial implications for the Council. However, these implications were considered to be significantly less than the foster placement costs of the independent sector, which could cost up to £989 per week, for one child. The need to provide a competitive support package to attract new foster carers was noted, due to the benefits offered through the independent sector.

It was confirmed that the proposed Fostering Offer for Maethu Cymru Gwynedd foster carers included:

·       A Council Tax Reduction

·       Annual Parking Permit

·       Unlimited use of leisure centres

·       Fostering Support Policy

She pointed out that research carried out by the Association of Directors of Social Services in January 2022 highlighted that children living with Foster Carers in their own area were more likely to thrive and maintain important connections. She emphasised that it was essential that local authorities made every effort to secure local fostering placements for children, confirming that foster parents were a key part of that provision.

It was recognised that it was a challenge to attract individuals to become foster carers, and she elaborated that there were not enough foster carers in Gwynedd to match the demand for support, as was confirmed within the Gwynedd Placement Commissioning Strategy (2024 update). It was noted that Fostering Network figures estimated that 550 more foster care households need to be attracted annually in Wales to meet the demand for support.

It was explained that the Council intended to offer the benefits introduced in the support package from 1 April 2025, ensuring that revised Council Tax invoices will be sent to the relevant individuals.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       Support was expressed for the support package, highlighting how important it was to attract new foster carers as well as show appreciation and support to the existing foster carers of Maethu Cymru Gwynedd, as the Welsh Government campaigned to ensure that no profit can be made from the provision of support for looked after children by 2030.

·       It was noted that the Children and Supporting Families Department would be supportive of any prospective foster carers receiving support to find a suitable home, and that they were working with the Housing and Property Department and external partners when appropriate. However, it was recognised that this could lead to additional challenges within the housing field, therefore it was noted that this was not currently being given consideration. Similarly, it was noted that it was not possible to consider applying for grants for extensions to housing, similar to the current disability support scheme, due to the need to ensure that a foster child was looked after to be able to meet the requirements of those grants.

·       The adoption of a Cyngor Gwynedd Fostering Support Policy was supported to provide support to paid staff who were foster carers. It was elaborated that this provided an opportunity for the Council to encourage other organisations to adopt a similar policy, for the benefit of their staff and the foster children being looked after by them.