Issue - meetings

To seek approval for the updated Children’s Services Medium Term Financial Strategy for children. The report seeks agreement for further investment to more swiftly address particular cost drivers – spend on residential placements and spend on foster homes provided by independent fostering agencies.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1.      To approve the updated Children’s Services Medium Term Financial Strategy as attached at Appendix 4a to the Executive report, and the revised modelling attached at Appendix 4b to the Executive report.

2.      To approve the funding of a £1.2m per year for two years for a specific project to step-down from residential care via a therapeutic children’s home into specialist foster placements.

3.      To approve the funding of £460,000 including investment of £300,000 necessary to transform the Council’s fostering service as set out in Appendix 4c to the Executive report.

4.      To approve the changes in payments to foster carers at a cost of £1.1m as set in Appendix 4c to the Executive report.