Debate contribution: Foster Carers

Debate contribution by Mrs Deborah Erskine on 23 April 2024.

MLA

Mrs Deborah Erskine

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

23 April 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Foster Carers

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4485674

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank my colleagues who tabled the motion. It is an important motion. As we have heard in the Chamber, the value that foster carers have in society must not be underestimated. When I came to the Assembly, the Health Committee looked at the Adoption and Children Bill, which was a huge piece of legislation. As a member of the Health Committee at that time — I am looking across the Chamber at other Members who were there during that time — we had informal meetings with foster carers and young people. I have to say that the Zoom calls with those people were some of the most enriching meetings that I had during my time on the Health Committee, because what they really showed in those Zoom calls was the love, care and attention that they give to young people in our community. If nothing else comes out of the Chamber today, the value that we should place on the people who provide that in communities is certainly recognised. In the debate, Members have pointed to the inconsistencies in the social care systems and processes across trusts that lead to inequality of provision. We must ensure that there is no postcode lottery. One way in which to provide support is through the Step Up Step Down initiative. Linda Dillon mentioned it towards the end of her contribution. That initiative is being trialled by the South Eastern Trust. It could be expanded Province-wide. I understand that it is being introduced in Wales. The foster care role in the Step Up Step Down programme provides intensive work alongside birth families to build up skills, capacity and networks. A highly trained and experienced family support foster carer can step up if a family needs additional support and then step down when things improve again, and that might give holistic help to families. I want to touch briefly on some of the points that Members raised. My colleague Mrs Dodds pointed out rightly at the outset the care, love and attention that foster carers give to young people who are in the most difficult circumstances and are vulnerable. She also pointed out that Foster Care Fortnight will happen in May: I hope that Members will all try to promote that in the Chamber, as we need to encourage people in our constituencies to take up that important role of foster carer.

Mrs Dodds outrightly said that this should be a call to action today. This should be about implementation. I think that it was Miss McAllister who rightly said that we have had review after review, time and time again. It is time for implementation. People are tired of hearing about reviews and one thing and another; they just want help and support in the community. We have the documents: let us implement them. The Minister will know. I know that we are working through the budgets, but there is bound to be modelling in relation to social workers and the need that is out there.

I thank my constituency colleague Mr Elliott for pointing out the issue of social workers. Something that came out of those Zoom calls was the fact that social workers come and go quite a bit. That has an impact on stability for foster carers and their ability to support the children in their care. They feel that, sometimes, they have to go way back to the start when a new social worker comes into place. That was a huge frustration that came out in some of those conversations. Mr Baker pointed out the need to close the gap and ensure that each child reaches their full potential. That is exactly what we want to ensure that we do for the many children who need foster care. Mr Chambers pointed out the lasting impact that foster carers can have. He noted the lack of government, but this issue has been on the cards for quite some time. As the motion states, the number of children and young people in care in Northern Ireland is at its highest level since 1995. It was an issue in 1995, as it is today. There are fewer people who are willing to foster. We need to deal with it. We need to implement the strategies that are in place. I remind Mr Chambers that the Department of Health has a budget of over £7 billion, so we need to be able to invest in this area appropriately and properly. Other Members pointed to that. Mr McGrath, who was in those meetings alongside me, said that foster care is a vocation and that we need to ensure that the right children are placed with the right family. He pointed to the work of Professor Ray Jones and the implementation of his report. My party colleague Alan Robinson highlighted the fact that 2% of respondents to a Barnardo’s poll said that they would consider fostering. He questioned, very validly, why that might be. Mr Donnelly pointed out the differences in social care across the UK and, indeed, in Northern Ireland and said that more value needs to be placed on foster care. The very clear message from the Chamber today is about the value of our foster carers and the need for implementation in order to provide more for people on the ground and to ensure that we enrich the lives of children and young people.

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

Assessment

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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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