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WQ.156/2019
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR CHILDREN AND HOUSING BY DEPUTY K.G. PAMPLIN OF ST. SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 26th MARCH 2019
Question
Will the Minister state how many local children are waiting for adoption or fostering as well as how many Islanders have applied either to foster or to adopt in the past 18 months?
Answer
Being able to recruit foster carers and adopters is part of how we keep Jersey children on island able to maintain their relationships with family members and with their local communities. We need more foster carers.
The Children's Service has regular frequent recruitment events in order to try and recruit appropriate individuals and couples to care for children in the care of the Minister. The recruitment process includes training and assessment over a period of six months. The assessment process offers an opportunity for applicants to understand the role as fully as possible so that they understand the task, challenge and role.
Applications received in the last 18 were:
• 21 fostering applications
• 14 adoption applications
Not all applicants become carers.
There are currently no children waiting for an adoptive placement in Jersey. Currently there are no children waiting for fostering placements.
It is planned to develop and implement an Intensive Fostering Service which will provide specialist placements for children with a high level of need. This will form an element of the strategy to keep Jersey children on island rather than having to place off island in specialist residential placements. As we are developing an on-island intensive fostering service some children/young people may meet the criteria for such a placement, which will be reviewed at the time.