Debate contribution: Foster Carers
Debate contribution by Lord Elliott on .
- MLA
- Lord Elliott
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 23 April 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Foster Carers
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4485654
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, for calling me. As the debate went on, I thought of a few points that I wanted to make, and they are probably too long to make during an intervention. I want to put a slightly different perspective on this. I also pay tribute to all foster carers, and I declare an interest as a former registered foster carer who then went down the route of adoption. I want to make clear the difficulties that the social workers are in, as the foster carers are. They each find themselves in hugely difficult positions, and that is why I believe that there is a such a difficulty in recruiting foster carers, just as there is in recruiting social workers, for this role. One reason why I am looking at it from a slightly different perspective is because of the management and control that foster carers and social workers have of young people, particularly those who are at that slightly advanced age of between 12 and 16. If you want that young person, or it is recommended for them, to go on some type of course or training, they can absolutely refuse. There is no right for a social worker, a foster carer or even a parent to insist that they go, even if going would benefit the young person. I talk to foster carers regularly. That is the difficulty that some of them find themselves in, and our laws create the difficulty. There needs to be a review. Apologies for looking at this from a slightly different perspective, but there needs to be a review. Sometimes, when you want to help these young people, you cannot do so, because they are taking a different view, and that is due to the rights that they have. We need to have a review that is broader than simply looking at the need to pay foster carers more. The majority of foster carers are not in it for the money. They are in it to make a difference to the young people. I am asking the Minister whether there could be a broader review. When a care order is placed on a young person, even the courts do not always have the right to insist that they go for help when they need it. I am telling you that from experience. It leaves the foster carers, as it leaves social workers, in an extremely difficult position. I suggest that there needs to be a broader review than simply of money and finances. These people want to do good for the young people and steer them in the right direction.
441 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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