Revamping of foster care service following caregiver's death

Rotherham Council has outlined a significant restructuring of its fostering services following a coroner's findings that failures in child placement and risk assessment procedures played a role in the death of foster carer Marcia Grant.

Mrs. Grant, aged 60, tragically died outside her home in Greenhill, Sheffield, in April 2023, after a car driven by a 12-year-old child in her care reversed into her. The coroner's report highlighted deficiencies in how risks were communicated and assessed prior to the placement.

The council presented a report to the Improving Lives Select Commission detailing proposed changes in matching children with foster carers and improving the recording and sharing of risk information. A dedicated fostering transformation board has been established to oversee these reforms and ensure full compliance with the coroner's recommendations.

The child involved, referred to as Child X, received a two-year prison sentence in November 2023 after pleading guilty to causing Mrs. Grant's death by dangerous driving, following the dropping of a murder charge. At the earlier inquest, assistant coroner Marilyn Whittle noted that Child X had a history of going missing and had previously received a youth caution for carrying a knife. This information was omitted from the initial placement referral form, leaving Mrs. Grant without full awareness of the risks.

In her conclusion, the coroner stated that the councils failures contributed to Mrs. Grant's death. These included incomplete documentation, inadequate communication of risks, insufficient risk assessments, and shortcomings in safeguarding children under the councils care.

Nicola Curley, strategic director of children and young people's services, explained that robust measures have been implemented to improve decision-making and ensure all relevant information is available before a placement is made. These measures include the appointment of a dedicated fostering duty worker to coordinate information about children needing placements and carefully match them with carers, as well as a new delegation system requiring senior managers to approve placement decisions.

Placement referral forms have been redesigned for consistency and stored in a new format within childrens files, featuring clearer sections for risk analysis. Additional risk assessment sections are being introduced to evaluate potential hazards to carers and other children in the household before placements occur.

The council anticipates that the fostering transformation board will complete its work by May 2026, with major proposals expected to be announced by the end of the 2026-27 financial year.

Author: Sophia Brooks