§ Mr. DawsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review foster care, with special reference to the views of young people in care and foster carers. [8484]
§ Mr. BoatengThere have been a number of departmental initiatives to review the foster care service. The Social Services Inspectorate recently carried out a national inspection to review foster care services. This included interviewing children in foster care and their carers. Their report, "Inspection of Local Authority Fostering 1995–96, National Summary Report", was published in December 1996. In addition, the Department has funded three other research reports. They were: a study undertaken by the National Foster Care Association into "The Organisation of Fostering Services," published in March 1997; "Foster Care, A Research Review", published in March 1997; and "Private Fostering: Development of Policy and Practice", published in March 1997 by the Save the Children Fund. Copies of all these reports were placed in the Library.
The review of safeguards for children living away from home, currently being conducted by Sir William Utting, has also looked at children in foster care. Consultation with young people formed part of the review process.
In 1995, the Department launched the "Looking After Children: Good Parenting, Good Outcomes" materials. They provide the opportunity to engage children, wherever they are placed, in their own care plans and encourage communications between all those involved in the care of the child. In the light of this, we do not consider a further review is necessary.