§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much his Department has spent on remand fostering schemes in each year since 1998; [145171]
(2) how many remand fostering schemes there are. [145175]
§ Paul GogginsRemand fostering in England and Wales is funded by local social services departments and neither the Home Office nor the Youth Justice Board hold central information on them. However, some foster placements contribute to bail support and supervision schemes for young people which are sponsored by the Youth Justice Board.
The National Children's Homes (NCH) Wessex Community Remand Project is the largest example. This successful project provides remand fostering for the Wessex Youth Offending Team covering Hampshire, Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight and Southampton. Carers work with a variety of young defendants, most charged with more than two offences including violent and sexual offences and arson. The Home Office sees such schemes as important to the development of intensive community supervision for juveniles.