§ 2. Mr. Andrew Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the wide variations in boarding-out allowances paid by local authorities to foster-parents in respect of children boarded out with them, whether she will consider compiling a set of national advisory scales.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr. David Owen)The Working Party on Fostering Practice is looking into the factors which are taken into account in determining rates of boarding-out allowance, which vary considerably. I should have its guidance by the spring and will consider its findings.
§ Mr. BennettMay I first declare a minor interest as a foster-parent? Does my hon. Friend agree that there are still many children in the care of local authorities who would benefit from being boarded out with good foster-parents and that if all local authorities adopted realistic scales this would encourage many more people to become foster-parents? It is not realistic for local authority scales to range from as much as £10 per five-year-old in the North-East of England to as little as £4.70 in the North-West.
§ Dr. OwenI agree that there are many children presently receiving institutional care who could go into families if there were more foster-parents. I shall do everything possible to encourage that. Inasmuch as rates of boarding-out allowances have a bearing on this matter, I shall be prepared to look at them.
Mr. R. C. MitchellIs my hon. Friend aware of the very wide variation among local authorities in the percentage of 221 children who are boarded with foster-parents and that there is some correlation between those wide variations and the variations in the boarding-out allowances paid by local authorities?
§ Dr. OwenI agree that this is a factor. Rates vary, sometimes for understandable reasons such as paying a higher amount for a handicapped or disturbed child. These are factors that the House understands. Despite that, however, there is considerable variation between local authorities.