London Forum of FCAs Meeting
15 January 2010
10.30-1pm
The Conference Room, the Fostering Network
87 Blackfriars Road, LondonSE1 8HA
Present
Barbara Collins, Haringey FCA
Martin Williams, Croydon FCA
Angie Gayle, Croydon FCA
Pearl Howard, Wandsworth FCA
Afia Choudhury, Tower Hamlets FCA
Naszera Manom, Tower Hamlets FCA
Mary Kitto, Harrow FCA
Edward Burnett, Greenwich FCA
Heather Hamilton-Watson, London forum coordinator, FACE - Enfield
Jamie Roome, FCA Development Worker, the Fostering Network
Jade Barton, FCA Project Administrator, the Fostering Network
The following attendees were present for specific parts of the regional forum meeting
Ali Hossain, Participation worker, Young Peoples Project, the Fostering Network
Pippa Bow, Fosterline Adviser, the Fostering Network
Apologies
Tricia Connolly, Kingston FCA
Nick Batchelor, Bexley FCA
Akiva Solemani, Westminster FCA
1.Introductions and apologies
All attendees introduced themselves.
2. Previous minutes and action points
The following amendments to the previous meetings minutes were requested:
- Croydon requested amendment to holiday allowances and stated that Croydon foster carers can request holiday allowances for themselves and the children from June each year. It is not paid automatically. A set amount is then paid. Foster carers are now being asked to evidence what the children's holiday allowance has been spent on.
- Haringey requested amendment to the times of their support groups. These are actually held once a month on the second Tuesday of the month.
3. Information sharing with foster carers and placement checklist
A discussion took place on the creation of a checklist that would be used to gather information on potential placements and a list was drawn up with questions put into categories. This document will be sent round to all London FCAs for consultation with the view of creating a central document that all foster carers could use when contemplating a new placement to ensure they have all the relevant information to make an informed decision.
Action: Checklist to be sent to all attendees.
4. Foster Care Finance
A discussion took place on foster care finance. Pippa Bow came in to briefly talk about the tax system and registering with HMRC. The advice was that you do not have to register with the tax office unless your income from fostering is likely to go above your personal allowance as a foster carer. If you do register you will be sent a self assessment form annually.
Attendees then went on to discuss their boroughs individual fees and allowances and any further fees they receive as a foster carer. A list of fees and allowances for each borough was then compiled.
5. Feedback from Individual FCAs
Enfield FCA
Enfield FCA have held a children’s Winter Party in December and also a foster carers dinner which were both well attended. The attendance at the Children’s party was an increase of about 50% on last year and the feeling in the FCA is that they need to keep chipping away to keep a high level of attendance to events.
Croydon FCA
Croydon FCA held a Christmas children'spartyin December and over 200children attended.
Croydon FCA have been challenging the fostering service on whythere is no Personal Education Allowance ( PEA) money being used and have been told it is not ringedfenced and is being used to support existing projects.
Croydon FCA reported that they had started a monthlydaytimesupport groupin October last year, this includes a crechefacility. The FCA have been very pleasedwith attendance.
Tower Hamlets FCA
Tower Hamlets FCA have just had their 'End of year Event' in December which was another huge success with nearly 250 carers and children attending. All children that attended received a present.
Tower Hamlets local authority has seen major changes within the department with a newteam manager who started in November and also a new Training officer who also started around the same time.
Tower Hamlets FCA still meet with the team manager every second month to discuss anyarising issues, and the FCA also facilitate support groups every second month.
The CWDC Training, Support and Development standards training is progressing well and the outlook is that there should be another 50 foster carers finishing off their portfolios in the next few months with more experienced foster carers who have also finished their folders helping other carers to evidence their work.
Tower Hamlets FCA mentoring scheme is going well, and association members are still helping the recruitment and assessment team with the preparation groups for new foster carers.
Haringey FCA
Haringey FCA spoke aboutthe Children’s Winter Partyheld in November for the under 11's which was well attended with over 60 children responding. Each child received a present. The Over 11's received gift vouchers and we were also able to give our Sons and Daughters the same.
Haringey FCA held their first Sons and Daughters Workshop in October this was attended by over 30 people.
Haringey’s fostering service also held an event for Sons and Daughters which was a trip to a bowling alley and lunch was provided.
Haringey had their AGM in November and Barbara Collins was re-elected as Chair of the FCA.
Haringey are looking into office space as a base for their foster carers.
Haringey FCA spoke briefly about issues relating to contact and agreed that this subject would be carried forward to the next London regional forum.
Greenwich FCA
To be added by FCA
Wandsworth FCA
To be added by FCA
Harrow FCA
Harrow FCA hold meetings every month and all foster carers are welcome to attend to discuss any problems and ask for advice.
The FCA are in regular contact with the Fostering Team Manager, and meet with him,approx every 2-3 months.Certain issues are ongoing, but generally, the FCA get satisfactory answers to queries.
The FCA also hold an end of year celebratory meal that all foster carers are invited to.
Harrow foster carers receive a bonus payment each year, made up of 2 weeks allowance money per approved placement. This has been in place for the last two years.
6. Update from the FCA Development worker
Jamie explained that we are waiting for confirmation of future funding and that we should know more information by the end of January. We will keep FCAs updated on funding news.
Jamie talked about providing training for FCAs and that this was one of our objectives for the project. Training areas may include chair training and other training in relation to running an FCA. There has also been media training arranged for 12th February here at the London office of which there are four places remaining. If you are interested in attending media training then please contact Jamie.
Jamie explained that we had done some consultation on the FCA area of the website and the A Stronger Voice Network newsletter at the National forum and had asked attendees to complete a questionnaire. Jamie gave out further copies to the London forum attendees and asked them to complete the questionnaire and send back to us.
7. AOB
Ali Hossain came in to briefly talk about forming a working group to help with consultation on Sons and daughters of foster carers. Ali is still looking for participants and anyone that would like to join or who would like further information can contact Ali directly on 0207 620 6400 or .
8. Date of next meeting
It was agreed that it would be a good idea to plan in advance and decide the dates of the next three meetings at the regional forum.
The dates of the next three London regional forum meetings are as follows:
- Friday 23 April 2010, 10.30-1.30pm
- Friday 16 July 2010, 10.30-1.30pm
- Friday 15 October 2010, 10.30-1.30pm
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