Strategy must raise foster carers’ status

A national fostering strategy being prepared by the Scottish executive must help professionalise foster carers, the conference heard.

Bryan Ritchie, director of Fostering Network Scotland, said it should draw on the Care Matters green paper– for England published last month, which included plans to register and introduce a national training framework for foster carers.

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 from staying in the job.”

He also said there could be a national system of minimum fostering allowances in Scotland within the next two to three years.