Foster Care Figures

​​​​​​Request 853577554​ 

Please provide, for the period 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2026, on a monthly basis at month end (or other convenient periodic basis aligned with accounting practice): 

(1)  The number of children assessed as being in 'foster care' or otherwise under the care of the Minister for Children and Families through a care order or other mechanism; 

(2)  In respect of each foster child (identified individually, though obviously using fully anonymised identifiers), the number of different social workers appointed to that child since first coming under the care of the Minister and the departmental expense associated with the Minister's care of that child. Please separate the expenses to show totals for housing/accommodation, education/schooling, activities and other available and appropriate cost categories (aligned, as required, to the accounting system used). 

(3)  The number of existing foster caring households in Jersey (whether actively fostering or available to foster), the date that they 'passed panel' to be authorised as foster carers, the number of foster caring places within each households and the number of supervising social workers that have serve each family since they first became foster carers. 

(4)  The number of children under the Minister's care who are accommodated in off-island facilities 

(5)  The total salary spend (including benefits, pension contributions etc) for the Department of Children & Families, split to the most granular detail acceptable in terms of roles and responsibilities. 

Response 

1. The table below shows the number of children assessed as being in 'foster care' or otherwise under the care of the Minister for Children and Families through a care order or other mechanism broken down each month from 1 January 2024 to 1 June 2026 (the total is calculated as at the 1st of each month): 

2. The number of different social workers appointed to each child since first coming under the care of the Minister is not held in a recordable format. In order to provide this information, each child's file would require interrogation and a data set created. The department have determined that this would take in excess of the 12.5 hours afforded and therefore Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 is applied.

The departmental expenses associated with the Minister's care of each foster child and how those expenses are separated are not held in a recordable format. In order to provide this information, each child's file would require interrogation, expenses calculated and a data set created. The department have determined that this would take in excess of the 12.5 hours afforded and therefore Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 is applied. 

3.The table below shows the number of foster caring households in Jersey and the year that they were approved as foster carers. Where numbers are fewer than five, disclosure control is applied to avoid identification of individuals. Article 25 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied: 

The table below shows the number of foster caring beds available currently within each household. Where numbers are fewer than five, disclosure control is applied to avoid identification of individuals. Article 25 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.

The number of supervising social workers that have served each family since they first became foster carers is not held in a recordable format. In order to provide this information, each foster carer's file would require interrogation and a data set created. The department have determined that this would take in excess of the 12.5 hours afforded and therefore Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 is applied.

4. The table below shows the number of children under the Minister's care who are accommodated in off-island facilities (the total is calculated as at the 1st of each month during the period requested): 

​5. The total salary spend for the Directorate of Children and Families in 2024 and 2025 is shown below. The department have determined that to break this down into role and responsibilities would take in excess of the 12.5 hours afforded and therefore Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 is applied: 

Article Applied

Article 16 - A scheduled public authority may refuse to supply information if cost excessive

(1) A scheduled public authority that has been requested to supply information may refuse to supply the information if it estimates that the cost of doing so would exceed an amount determined in the manner prescribed by Regulations.

(2) Despite paragraph (1), a scheduled public authority may still supply the information requested on payment to it of a fee determined by the authority in the manner prescribed by Regulations for the purposes of this Article.

(3) Regulations may provide that, in such circumstances as the Regulations prescribe, if two or more requests for information are made to a scheduled public authority –

(a) by one person; or