Lack of guidance on keeping siblings in care together is ‘disturbing’

Chair of the all-party group on looked-after children David Melding hit out at admission there was no ‘specific guidance’ on issue

A lack of guidance to promote the co-placement of siblings in care or even at the same school is “disturbing” and risks damaging looked-after children, the chair of the all-party group on the issue has said.

South Wales Central Conservative AM David Melding said policy implementation was “uncertain” and delivery of shared experiences for siblings in care was “poor”.

Mr Melding, who chairs the all-party group in the National Assembly on looked-after children, said the lack of guidance was potentially part of a wider problem of siblings not being placed in care settings together.

It came as figures released by the Fostering Network revealed Wales was in need of 550 families to come forward to give homes to “record numbers” of children in care.

Deputy Minister for Social Services Gwenda Thomas confirmed in written answers to Mr Melding that there was “no specific guidance” on co-placement on siblings in either a care setting or even in the same school, but said where siblings were not placed together, “the responsible authority should ensure that plans are in place to provide ongoing sibling contact, if this is in the best interests of the child.”

But Mr Melding said: “The evidence I was receiving from people in the area was that the policy implementation was uncertain and the delivery of share experiences for siblings was poor.

“As a politician who has had an interest for 15 years in this area, I’m very concerned more emphasis isn’t given to ensuring that, where possible, siblings get time together. And obviously the best thing is in the same placement, but if they’re not to identify other ways of ensuring they can meet and develop and continue [that relationship].

“Some of these siblings could be teenagers and could be living for many years with their siblings – and those relationships are very important.”

He said the answers from Ms Thomas were “very worrying” and suggested there wasn’t a priority being placed in this area – adding there was little known about the scale of the problem of siblings not being placed together.

He said: “I suspect we don’t know the figures because the government doesn’t know either – and isn’t developing policy in this area, it seems. In terms of the answers anyway.

“I think it’s important we try to establish how big a problem this is, but I suspect it’s quite extensive. We know the number of children in care has doubled in the last 20 years or so, so I suspect this is affecting a lot of children.”

He added: “I find it really quite disturbing there isn’t a clear policy line on this and that it is possible that children not located in the same care setting and could go to the same school.

“Why isn’t that then seen as hugely important? It’s not as good as still living together, but at least there’s potential for them to see each other on a daily basis.

“I just think it demonstrates that sometimes we lose sight of the well being issues of what children need. It’s so important that people who are, for whatever reason, in destructive family situations at least they have the possibility of developing robust and potentially lifelong friendships and relationships with their siblings.”

But the Welsh branch of the Fostering Network rejected the idea new guidance was needed.

Its director, Freda Lewis, said: “In my view there is no lack of clarity about the approach local authorities should take to finding homes for children in care. It is already clear in legislation and guidance that they should always act in each child’s best interests.

“For many children in care, living with their brothers and sisters will be what is best for them, and therefore local authorities should be – and we believe, are – working hard to make this happen. More guidance isn’t the answer.

“The real problem lies in the shortage of foster families who have the space, energy and ability to care for sibling groups.

“New figures from the Fostering Network show that 550 foster families are needed across Wales in 2014, and this includes finding, and supporting, many more families to look after groups of brothers and sisters.”