CC Live news: National fostering strategy for Scotland should draw on Care Matters

A national fostering strategy for Scotland being prepared by the Scottish Executive must lead to greater professionalisation of the foster care workforce, the conference New Assetheard today.

Bryan Ritchie (pictured), director of charity Fostering Network Scotland, said the strategy, which is due out for consultation, should draw on the Care Matters green paper for England published last month.

He argued that measures in the green paper to register foster carers for the first time and introduce a national training framework should be replicated in Scotland.

He also called for a national protocol in Scotland for dealing with allegations against foster carers.

“The impact of allegations on foster carers is enormous and deters some carers from staying in the job, adding to existing recruitment  difficulties,” he said.

Ritchie also said was “likely” that there could be national system of minimum fostering allowances in Scotland within the next two to three years.

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 Maria Ahmed

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