I would like to request the following information regarding Fostering placements for Looked After Children.

1. Who, within the local authority, has commissioning responsibility for Fostering placements for Looked After Children? Please provide the following:
a) Name
b) Job title
c) Telephone no.
d) Email address

2. How many approved foster carer households are registered with the Local Authority as at 31st Mar-22, 30th Jun-22, 30th Sep-22, 31st Dec-22, 31st Mar-23, 30th Jun-23, 30th Sep-23, and 31st Dec-23 (if unavailable please provide the most recent data available - please give date)?
Note: We are referring to in-house LA foster carer households excluding kinship carer households.

3. How many Looked After Children (LAC) has the Local Authority funded in foster care placements, with in-house foster carers, with Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) carers, with Kinship (family and friends) foster carers and in IFA therapeutic fostering placements, as at 31st Mar-22, 30th Jun-22, 30th Sep-22, 31st Dec-22, 31st Mar-23, 30th Jun-23 and 30th Sep-23 and 31st Dec-23 (if unavailable please provide the most recent data available - please give date)?
Note: Therapeutic foster care is also known as therapy foster care, multidimensional treatment foster care, specialist foster care, treatment foster (family) care and family-based treatment. It is designed for young people who cannot live at home, usually due to behavioural problems including chronic delinquency.

4. What are the average weekly fees that the local authority would pay to foster care providers (in-house, IFAs and IFA therapeutic fostering placements) for the following age groups in 2021/22, 2022/23 and year to date in 2023/24?
Note: By average weekly fee we mean skill fee element only, excluding agency fee etc, and the fee paid to foster carers per week, not the fostering allowance.
a) 0 to 4
b) 5 to 10
c) 11 to 15
d) 16 to 18

5. Please provide a list of Independent Fostering Agencies used by the Council. Please provide data for the last financial year 2022/23 (if available); if not, the most recent data available – please give date.
a) Please provide the total number of placements with each agency.
b) Please provide total expenditure with each agency.

6. What is the gross total expenditure (excluding fostering staff team costs) on fostering services for Looked After Children? Please provide actual figures for financial years 2019/20 to 2022/23, as well as budgeted expenditure for 2023/24.