WARNINGS have been raised that fostering is ‘under threat’ in Essex due to declining numbers of carers reports the Local Democracy Reporter.

Essex County Council says that, as the number of children coming into care is increasing, it needs to dramatically increase the number of foster spaces in the county, which it says is proving increasingly difficult.

Essex has 492 foster carers, but with around 50 expected to retire this year, it urgently needs to recruit at least 60 more to meet the growing demand.

A £2,000 welcome bonus is being offered this year to encourage more people to become new foster carers. Fees have also increased by 16 per cent.

But Councillor John Spence, cabinet member for children’s services, has said much more needs to be done—including councils and the NHS offering fostering-friendly employment opportunities in the same way as it is done for people in the Territorial Army.

But just one council – Harlow – has completed the fostering-friendly employment registration.

Councillor Spence said: “Every leader and chief executive, I was assured by those who could see the knots, agreed that they would create a fostering-friendly employment offer.

“It is with great regret that I share with this council that only one council in Essex – Harlow – have completed the fostering friendly employment registration.

“I just say to all of you through your chairman, we do not have enough foster parents now.

“The projections are that the numbers will go down, while the demand level will increase.

“If we don’t enable a child to stay in their own home and if we can’t then enable a child to stay in a family setting, they will end up in a child’s residence centre, and we understand the risks that will inevitably go with that.”

He added: “But foster care is under threat. So many foster care parents are growing older, and so many of the challenges they face are harder.

“And across the country, the number of foster care parents is declining.”

Essex County Council says residential care is more than 10 times more expensive than placing a child with a foster family.

The council has said it will not reach the targets of 74 per cent of all children in care being placed in foster placements by 2028 and 95 per cent of all children in fostering being placed in Essex County Council’s in-house fostering provision.

At the beginning of the year, the county had 800 children being fostered in Essex, of whom 688 were at the last count through internal fostering, where they benefit from all the training and support packages that the council can offer, at a cost of around £26,000 a year. The remainder are with independent foster agencies, who charge around double that.

However, it had nearly 100 children in residential care at an average cost of £300,000 per child per annum. The council says the top 15 residential care placements collectively cost nearly £10 million alone.

Councillor Spence added: “If I don’t convince you that the right thing for the child is to be in a family setting or that the benefit for the foster parents who have had the privilege of meeting in recent weeks is enriching, I implore you.

“If we are going to have local government reorganisation, you will not be financially sustainable as a council without fully embarking on foster-friendly employment processes both in your own house and among the major businesses surrounding it.

“This is an issue we cannot lose.”

Laura, a foster carer from Heybridge, shared her positive experience of fostering, which she started doing five years ago.

Laura said: “It is amazing to see the children we foster grow in confidence and have fun like they should be.

“One little boy whom we fostered was quite vulnerable and really shy at the beginning.

“He’d had a rough start in life – as well as never sitting to eat as a family before, he’d also missed out on other significant parts of his childhood, such as learning how to ride a bike or having stories before bedtime.

“After a few months of love and support from our family, he transformed into a happy and confident little boy.”