FOI Request - Looked After Children
Request 101003514011
1. How many individual children (not placements) were placed into mainstream foster care by the local authority over the past 12 months (or the most recent 12-month period that you're able to process)?
2. Of those, please confirm how many individual children (not placements) were placed with foster carers of independent fostering agencies.
3. What is the minimum, maximum and average weekly agency fee you have given to IFAs for individual children (not placements) placed as 'standard' placements?
4. Of the independent fostering agencies used by the local authority, which company provides the most placements for individual children?
5. What is the average weekly cost for in-house local authority provision for individual children placed as ‘standard’ placements?
6. For the financial years 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 (so far):
6a. How many individual children were placed with foster carers of independent fostering agencies
6b. How many individual children were placed with in-house/council-registered foster carers
6c. What is your annual spend on: in-house fostering, independent fostering agencies, residential children’s homes?
7. What is the current average cost of a residential placement for an individual child with an IFA and what is the cost for a residential placement for an individual child with a council-registered provider?
Response 26-03-2024
1. 14 children were placed into foster care during period March 23 - 14 March 24
2. The number of children who were placed in foster care that was purchased by Local Authority during period March 23 - 14 March 24 was between 1 and 5. The low numbers associated with this response may result in the identification of individuals. Therefore the exact information is exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - personal information.
3. £890.66
£915.31
£939.96
4. The National Fostering Agency (Scotland) Ltd through the Scotland Excel Fostering and Continuing Care Framework (1020)
5. £ 4,331
6.
| 1 Apr - 31 Mar | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
| 6a) | <5* | 0 | 0 | <5* | 0 | <5* |
| 6b) | 32 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 7 |
*The low numbers associated with this response may result in the identification of individuals. Therefore numbers between 1 and 5 have
been redacted and marked with <5 instead. This response is exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - personal
information.
6c)
| 2023/24 to Period 11 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | 2018/19 | |
| Fostering in-house | £1,535,851 | £1,575,994 | £1,595,470 | £1,613,375 | £1,814,975 | £1,367,381 |
| Independent Fostering | £304,656 | £420,376 | £488,641 | £591,908 | £851,362 | £926,125 |
| AFC | £910,869 | £1,175,029 | £1,148,947 | £1,690,202 | £1,683,671 | £1,478,017 |
| Cala | £1,222,840 | £1,333,453 | £1,227,888 | £1,111,775 | £1,074,628 | £990,780 |
| OOA Residential | £3,255,795 | £3,141,148 | £2,748,671 | £3,428,749 | £4,789,972 | £6,006,327 |
7. Average cost of independent Fostering agency £54,818