Issue - meetings

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

Consideration was given to a report informing the Committee of the recent discussions that have taken place between the Scottish Government, Social Work Scotland (SWS), the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish local authorities following the legal intervention of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in support of financial parity between foster and kinship carers through the threat of Judicial Review.

Decision

The Committee agreed that:-

1.    the Local Parity Model is adopted for the payment of allowances to foster and kinship carers of Looked After Children as an interim solution to the issue of parity;

2.    provision is made to backdate any unpaid allowances to 1 October 2015 in accordance with the letter from Scottish Government dated 5 October 2015; and

3.    Officers continue to work with Scottish Government, Social Work Scotland, COSLA and the 32 Scottish local authorities in developing a longer term solution to the issue of parity.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 1 November 2015, submitted)