Inspectors want fostering emphasis

Social services need to work more closely with
other professions to ensure privately fostered children are
protected, according to a new Social Services Inspectorate
report.

The
exact number of privately fostered children remains uncertain, it
states, and arrangements to protect them are often a low priority
for social services. However, most of these children are in contact
with either the education or health services, it adds, and social
services could be more proactive in working with other
professionals.

The
report claims that some councils are not paying sufficient
attention to their responsibilities to privately fostered
children.

–
By Private Arrangement from www.doh.gov.uk/ssi/privatearrange.htm