Minister for Children and Families says children in care should have choice of where and with whom they live

Josh MacAlister, Minister for children and families has made a call for children in care to be given a choice over where and with whom they live comes after years of concern about the lack of suitable placements, which has seen young people being sent far from home or housed in unsuitable settings.

In a speech at the Labour Party conference MacAlister said the idea “Sounds so alien to the care system, but I want there to be choice for every child who comes into care over who they live with and where they live – not, there’s one available placement that we’re rushing around to find you on a Friday night.”

He suggested this would mean having “lots of excess foster carers in the care system” some of whom might never look after a child, or just looking after one child during their fostering career and then potentially supporting the family should they be reunified.

MacAlister also called for a significant increase in the use of family network support plans, providing extended families with the resources to help them look after children safely, as an alternative to them going into care.