Debate contribution: Foster Carers

Debate contribution by Mr Colin McGrath on 23 April 2024.

MLA

Mr Colin McGrath

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

23 April 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Foster Carers

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4485625

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I welcome the opportunity to participate in the debate and support the motion as presented. There are many reasons why children may be taken into foster care. Most children come into care as a result of some form of neglect. They may have experienced a family breakdown, including domestic violence. They may have been the victim of physical or sexual abuse. In exceptional cases, it may be because of the death of a parent. Every child is unique. Every child is an individual. Every child has an inalienable and fundamental set of rights. Children who enter care will have experienced much in their young lives. They may have experienced deep-seated trauma or have complex needs. The history of this place often adds to much of that complexity. A child may have a disability that requires a particular level of care. Children who are asylum seekers may need a foster family. Some foster parents may even host a mother and her child. Therefore, the foster care that is afforded to children is often bespoke, and the families providing that care do so because they have a particular gift or a vocation to foster a child. While a child may only be in a family's care for a set period, long or short, those families provide essential care and compassion for that child during that time. It is nothing short of remarkable. I, too, pay tribute to our Lagan Valley colleague Robbie Butler, who has spoken so passionately of his experiences of fostering children. The most important thing that we can do is to ensure that we have a structure in place to match the right family with the right child. We may be in the position where we have fewer people who are willing to foster, but, hopefully, the Minister will be able to address that. I ask him whether we can get an update on what work is being done to address that gap. Towards the end of the previous mandate, the Minister allocated an additional £1 million to those who foster. Hearing whether such funding could be replicated in the incoming year would be welcome. I appreciate that there were two years in which this place did not sit. Work went on to complete the independent review of children's social care services by Professor Ray Jones. That review is now complete, and there are 53 recommendations. While I agree with the specific text of the motion, it is also a timely reminder for the Executive to consider the outcomes of Professor Jones's report. I ask the Minister whether consideration is being given to how the outcomes of that report will be implemented. I look forward to hearing the answer to all those questions and getting an update from the Minister on them, but the SDLP is happy to support the motion.

472 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:09 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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