Jane Collins

The most popular feedback posts will receive a Lap of Lights experience. You can read about it here 👇👇

www.silverstone.co.uk/events/lap-o...

Yes you really do get to drive your car around the F1 track.

To enter please email liam.wright@fostersupport.co.uk and tell us how we've made a difference to you and your fostering family.

🎉Members birthday giveaway time🥳

Would you like to win a fabulous Christmas treat for your fostering family?

We're offering the chance for you to drive around the Silverstone Lap of Lights.

London Councils Face Losing Half Their Share Of Children's Services Funding Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved under Labour’s plans to reform local government gran...

Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of the children’s services funding formula halved under Labour’s plans to reform local government grants.

By me, for Politics Home: www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Going back a few years IFAs seemed better in terms of support and fair treatment and I was quoted in media articles saying as much. I'm not sure what's made them change but to be blunt some of the recent behaviour has been disgusting.

Be careful who you foster for.

It may be possible to claim that they're fulfilling a public sector duty but that's an extra hurdle to try and establish. However it is still possible to report IFA social workers to their professional bodies.

We've seen cases of IFAs falsifying records and shocking levels of bullying and dishonesty. The new Public Office Accountability Bill will not hold IFA staff accountable for this as they're not public sector employees.

Local authorities as public bodies are bound by ECHR and can be scrutinised by the Local Government Ombudsman and other regulatory bodies.

I've said this before.

When things go wrong IFAs can and do behave far worse than local authorities.

Why?

Because it's far easier for them to get away with awful conduct.

I've been doing some work with an investigative journalist who contacted me.

They're looking at private equity in fostering.

I've put them in touch with some foster carers who have been treated appallingly by various IFAs.

Leaving the ECHR won’t “Take Back Control” – it will hand your rights to politicians The myths are seductive, the reality is very different – without the ECHR your freedoms rest on whichever Home Secretary wakes up grumpy

“The ECHR isn’t Brussels meddling. It’s the foundation that protects you from your own government.” 👏👏👏

'She doesn't get another childhood': The lives on hold waiting for wheelchairs More than a thousand disabled children are waiting for wheelchairs and equipment that could transform their lives, Whizz Kidz say

'She doesn't get another childhood': More than a thousand disabled children across the UK are waiting for specialist wheelchairs and mobility equipment that could transform their lives, charity Whizz Kidz says. www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm...

Thank you to all of the fostering services who are listening and rising to the call for change.

It can only help retention and stability with improved outcomes for children.

Personally I am finding a shift around the country where support and fairness is far more prevalent in local authority settings than others.

a non accusatory manner with the service also taking responsibility for any learning on their part. This is making a difficult process easier to move on from for our members

I've actually been really impressed with the way the service manager has opened these meetings and put the foster carers at ease. The meetings have been positive and supportive and even when areas for learning and development have been identified it has been approached in

I've attended a few Bradford fostering service allegations and standards of care meetings recently.

We are really busy with allegations, standards of care, panels, early reviews and investigations. This means that it's all hands on deck when there are multiple meetings to attend around the country each day.

This is really sad news. RIP Angi x

In other news, rain is wet.

Article 11 was used for the right for foster carers to unionise.

We frequently quote Article 6 to ensure that investigations are fair and balanced. There have been a number of Article 8 cases stopping foster children from being moved or compensating them for moves some cases can be found but several that we've been involved with in the family court cannot. 1/2

Fostering families use ECHR all the time to prevent state over reach.

Thanks I'll pass this on to the team to look at 😊

A huge thank you to the foster carers who attended the first run of our Internet Safety workshop in Shrewsbury yesterday.

Your ideas and feedback were invaluable.

Maybe they're throwing in a "ride your own digger to free your trapped wheelchair" experience in 2026....

Well in 2025 you paid £170 to dig electric wheelchairs out of thick gravel because they'd decided that the tarmac car park was no longer needed so who knows? Free quicksand? A muddy field?

Disabled parking cost for 3 day weekend at Silverstone for the F1.
2024 £90
2025 £170
2026 £360

It seems like you're being a tad disingenuous here. It was apparently one of many not very popular books not chosen.

Shouldn't that be mental health a big factor in school absence....