Child abuse by Borders foster carers 'minimal', says council

by OUR OWN REPORTER

A detailed examination of local government minutes and reports covering an 84-year period from 1930 to 2014 has concluded that the scale and extent of abuse of children in foster care in the Scottish Borders has been 'limited' and 'minimal'.

The exercise was carried out to gather written evidence sent by Scottish Borders Council [SBC] to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry in response to a Notice requesting the local authority to provide information about the fostering service delivered by successive councils from 1930 onwards.

In its 91-page submission to the inquiry, the Borders local authority tells how the fostering service for children developed under the control of county councils (1930-1975), then Borders Regional Council (1975-1996) and finally by SBC since the last reform of local government.

All local authorities in Scotland have assembled written evidence on fostering for consideration by the long-running national investigation into child abuse.

According to the SBC report: "From 1930 onwards involvement of local authorities in the Scottish Borders in the provision of various forms of alternative care - boarding-out, residential care and foster care was largely driven by national government legislation, policy and guidance, which was then enacted on a local basis. The historic evidence reviewed also gives a strong sense of the principle of the welfare of children which is apparent throughout."

In response to questions about the funding of fostering, SBC says paying for boarding-out and fostering is recorded in all relevant governance and management meeting minutes from 1930 onwards. It is not clear from many of the historic sources how and to what extent fostering was funded overall and what budget was designated specifically for the care of children. From regionalisation in 1975 there is clarity in terms of the overall social work budgets and provision for childcare and fostering services.

From 1930 onwards there are references in county council minutes to funding other local authorities in meeting the costs for the care of children who originate from the Scottish Borders. These included residential resources and boarding-out and fostering arrangements. Placements of children in establishments such as Barnardo's Homes, the Orphan Homes of Scotland, St. Ninian's House of Falkland, etc. appear to have been paid on a spot purchase basis.

According to the Borders evidence: "Funding of those boarded-out or fostered was more generally subject to standardised, agreed funding and differentiation was made between placement of children with relatives and with 'strangers' - for example: Roxburghshire Public Health and Social Welfare Committee 15/11/1943 - the weekly allowances for boarded out children are recorded - (a) with strangers 12/6d for children up to 12 years of age and 15/- over 12, and (b) with liable relatives 10/- up to 12 years of age, and 12/6d over 12 years of age."

While the reasons for 'boarding out' children in the 1930s and 1940s were similar to decisions on fostering today, there were a number of unorthodox cases recorded in historic council papers.

An extract from Berwickshire Community Council Public Health and Public Assistance minutes for 04/02/1941 - refers to a "Juvenile delinquent,***** who, after appearing in the Sheriff Court in Duns on 27/12/1940 the Director of Education initiated arrangements for the girl to be received into the home of Mrs.*****, Bridgend, by Linlithgow at a charge of 15/- per week recoverable from the girl's father."

In terms of the number of children being fostered at any given time, the submission explains that the Roxburgh Public Health and Public Assistance Committee of 12/01/1931 lists 9 guardians receiving payment for looking after children (classed as Non-Resident Poor). The Borders Regional Council Social Work Committee Report of October 1994 - the Monitoring of Child Care Services - there were 22 Community Carers and 13 Foster Carers. The Scottish Borders Council Fostering Service currently registers foster carers in the following categories: • Short Term Foster Carers - 35 carer households (60 carers); 47 placements (and 13 Continuing Care placements in addition).

SBC also responded to a series of questions from the inquiry team specifically linked to instances of abuse of children.

Were there any changes in culture that were driven by abuse, or alleged abuse, of children in foster care?  If so, when did they occur and how did they manifest themselves? In 2011 A Scottish Borders Council foster carer was convicted of the sexual abuse of two young people in his care. Following the disclosures and review of the case, the practice of statutory visits to children in care placements was reviewed. The Children and Families Practice Standards were changed to ensure children and young people in placements are visited at least monthly. Children should also be seen on their own. 

"In 2014 a foster carer was deregistered following a series of incidents of concerning supervision of children in her care, and subsequent minimisation of the potential consequences of this lack of supervision. Following the case, guidance was issued for managing situations where there are incidents of repeated allegations of poor practice about carers."

Does the local authority accept that between 1930 and 17 December 2014 any children cared for in foster care were abused? There is knowledge of children cared for in foster care who were abused.

 If so, what is the local authority's assessment of the extent and scale of such abuse? The records available only allow identification of the incidents set out at Part D which would indicate limited extent and scale.

Does the local authority accept that its systems failed to protect children in foster care between 1930 and 17 December 2014 from abuse? The local authority do not consider that this would be a suitable inference to draw based on the information available. The Borders Regional Council Child Abuse Registrar 31/12/1976 reference to the Social Work Department's responsibility to compile a list of "children considered to be 'at risk' of non-accidental injury." Reference states the register had been established 18 months prior to the meeting and that there were 15 children on the register. There are brief case studies included in the papers, but none refer to children looked after in foster care.

What is the local authority's assessment of the scale and extent of abuse of children in foster care? Scottish Borders Council believe the scale and extent of abuse of children in foster care to be minimal. This does not detract however from the very serious nature of any incident of abuse, particularly when it has occurred within a foster care setting.

How many complaints have been made in relation to alleged abuse of children in foster care? Eight individuals but in two cases, concerns were around general care, discipline and inappropriate chastisement and are likely to have involved a number of children. Against how many foster carers have the complaints referred to above been made? 10 carer households (14 individual carers). How many foster carers have been convicted of, or admitted to, abuse of children? One foster carer has been convicted of the abuse of children 

How many foster carers have been found by the local authority to have abused children? Seven carer households (nine individual carers). This assessment is based on the small number of incidents of abuse and alleged abuse which have been reported since 1990, set against the numbers of children and young people cared for by the Scottish Borders Council Fostering Service over this period.