Glasgow's Fostering Service to receive major investment

Fostering in Glasgow has been given a major boost following approval by the city’s Integration Joint Board to introduce a £2000 referral payment; a £100 per week increase in foster care fees and an extra week’s annual review payment.

The measures agreed today (Wednesday 24 June) aim to improve recruitment and retention of foster carers in Glasgow amid a national shortage and increase in demand for placements.

With the number of fostering households in Glasgow declining and an ageing population of current foster carers, the city is becoming increasingly reliant on external fostering agencies which comes with significantly higher costs and poorer outcomes for children.

Cllr Chris Cunningham, City Convener for Health, Care and Caring and Older People, and Chair of the IJB, is confident the measures approved today will give foster carers in Glasgow a much-needed boost and incentive for staying.

He said: “We have invaluable foster carers looking after our city’s children who, for whatever reasons, can’t be looked after by their own parents. 

“There is a worrying rise in the number of babies and young children coming through the system and we struggle to place them within our own fostering service.  This leads to the use of external agencies which is not the preferred option due to high costs and less positive outcomes for children.

“We must think ahead and factor in the financial challenges Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership face if we don’t act now. The projected cost without investment or recruitment of foster carers is set to be around £10.5m over the next few years.

“That is simply not sustainable. Anything at all we can do to help improve the situation must be done and acted upon.”

The full report on Foster Care Investment is available.

To find out more about fostering in Glasgow – including videos and testimonials from foster carers - please visit www.fosterglasgow.org