Charity calls for foster carers to sit on parenting boards

At a fringe event at the National Children and Adult Services Conference on Thursday, the charity will call on local authorities to ensure there is a clear process for guaranteeing representation of foster carers on corporate parenting boards.

Corporate parenting boards consist of councillors and senior council officers from across departments, who work to ensure that local authorities live up to their legal responsibility for the wellbeing of looked-after children.

Foster carer Jim Bond, chair of the Fostering Network and a member of Essex County Council’s corporate parenting board, said: "Foster carers know more about the day-to-day lives of fostered children than anyone else, and are dedicated to helping them thrive.

"By sitting on a corporate parenting board, foster carers can use their experience and expertise to influence policy developments that will benefit fostered children."

He said there is currently no requirement for foster carers to be represented on the boards and called on the government to offer clear guidance.

Without foster carers there to talk about their everyday experiences and challenges, it’s difficult to see how councillors and others can grasp the realities of fostering, and make useful decisions to improve the lives of fostered children, Bond added.