Agenda item - Introduction of a Charging Policy for Children who are Accommodated at the request of their parents under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989

Report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning (copy to follow)

RESOLVED: That the Committee approved the introduction of the Charging Policy, pending ratification at Policy and Resource Committee, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report to seek to recoup partial costs in defined circumstances when a child becomes Looked After at the request of parents.

63.1  The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning regarding the introduction of a Charging Policy for children who were accommodated at the request of their parents under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989. The report was introduced by the the Head of Safeguarding & Performance.

63.2  Councillor Grimshaw was pleased to note that the Head of Service may apply discretion on the payments made.

63.3  Councillor Hills said that this would always be a difficult decision for parents/carers to make and asked if officers worked with families to avoid the children going into care and asked why the number of children in this situation had increased. The Head of Safeguarding & Performance said that significant support was given to families. The increase in number was due to a number of reasons but was sometimes due to a parental breakup and the child could not then be accommodated by either parent. Often the time children were in care was short.

63.4 The Chair noted that in the draft policy there was reference to ‘County     Council’ and confirmed that that wording would be amended.  

63.5    RESOLVED: That the Committee approved the introduction of the Charging Policy, pending ratification at Policy and Resource Committee, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report to seek to recoup partial costs in defined circumstances when a child becomes Looked After at the request of parents.