Agenda item

To update Surrey County Council’s Special Leave Policy with provision for time off for County Council employees who are prospective adopters, special guardians, foster carers, friends and family carers, former foster carers under a “Staying Put” arrangement and supported lodgings providers. Also to support those already providing these types of care by providing time off where necessary.

Declarations of interest:

None

Witnesses:

Hana Alipour-Mehraban, Commissioning Project Officer, Children’s and Safeguarding Service

Linda Johnson, Fostering and Adoption Recruitment Officer, Children’s Safeguarding Service

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Committee commended the report and the changes that it proposed to the Council’s Special Leave Policy. Members agreed that a report should be considered by PPDC in 2016 to consider the impact of these changes to the Special Leave Policy and the extent to which it had encouraged more SCC staff to become foster carers or adopters.

Actions/ further information to be provided:

A report to be considered by the People, Performance and Development Committee at its meeting in October 2016 outlining the impact of changes to the Council’s Special Leave Policy. (Action Review Ref: A26/15).

RESOLVED:

That PPDC;

         i.        Agrees to the introduction of an additional leave category in the Council’s Special Leave Policy for Council employees who are prospective and approved foster carers, prospective and approved friends and family carers, prospective special guardians, prospective adopters, former foster carers under a “Staying Put” arrangement and supported lodgings providers, to support looked after children and those young people previously in foster care who may be transitioning into adult services or in becoming independent.

        ii.        Recognises foster children and young people under a “Staying Put” arrangement or in supported lodgings as dependents for the purposes of emergency leave.