MPs call for establishment of national fostering college

The House of Commons education select committee has made the recommendation in its first report from its inquiry into foster care, after hearing evidence that carers feel neglected and unsupported in the social care system.

Carers also told MPs that they are bypassed in decisions made about children they look after and that they struggle to access good quality training.

The committee's report said the government should set up a national college for foster carers to champion improvements in working conditions as well as provide access to training and support.

The committee also proposes a national register of carers, which would be coordinated by the proposed college and would contain details of carers' experience, training and qualifications. This would make it easier for carers to transfer between agencies, the committee's report said.

The college should also handle complaints and allegations about carers and be responsible for de-registering them if necessary, the report adds.

However, the committee stopped short of calling for foster care to become a recognised profession.

"Foster carers do not always receive the respect and recognition they deserve," the report states.

"They perform a remarkable and invaluable service for thousands of young people. The government must do more to support and value foster carers.

"We call upon the government to consult on the establishment of a national college for foster carers, which would work to give carers the support they need, and the recognition they deserve."

Among foster carers giving evidence to the inquiry was Pamela Menzies, who told MPs that carers feel "undermined, bypassed and treated as glorified babysitters".

Foster parents Karen and Michael Fesemeyer told MPs that "foster carers are at the bottom of the pecking order and their views, opinions, knowledge and experience are usually considered to be of very low value".

Another carer, Brian Roberts, said carers are "battered " and "abused" by the care system and feel "so incredibly unsupported, neglected and overwhelmed".

Committee chair Robert Halfon said: "Foster carers have a really important role in society and are often providing fantastic care in sometimes difficult circumstances.

"But our inquiry showed it is clear that too many are not adequately supported, neither financially nor professionally, in the vital work that they do."

The committee's report also calls for children in foster care to be given better information about their placements and have access to advocacy services.

Among other recommendtions are that siblings in care should be placed together where possible and a national recruitment and awareness campaign should be launched to increase the number and variety of carers.