East Sussex Parents To Be Charged For Requesting Children Be Taken Into Care

Parents who request their children be taken into care will soon be expected to pay towards council’s costs, following a decision by a senior East Sussex councillor.

At a virtual meeting on Monday (June 1), East Sussex County Council’s lead member for children and families Cllr Sylvia Tidy approved proposals to introduce a charging policy, where the parents of some looked-after children will be asked to pay towards the costs of their child’s care.

According to the council, the charges would only apply to parents who request their children be taken into care and would not apply to parents who have had their children taken away by court order.

The charges, which council officers described as a ‘deterrent’, would also be means-tested and not apply to parents who have relinquished their child for adoption.

Head of children’s services Stuart Gallimore said:

“I think that it is reasonable for us as a local authority to expect parents to make a financial contribution where they are able and can afford to do that. And it does encourage parents not to abdicate their responsibility for their child and in a way emphasises the need for their continued involvement in their child’s life.

“In no way should this been seen as an attempt to generate significant sums of money or be a money-making ruse because we know from speaking to other authorities that it isn’t used a lot and where it is used it doesn’t generate significant sums of money.

“But it does stand as a useful deterrent and as a statement on the behalf of the local authority, that parents simply cannot give up responsibility for their child or children.”

According to council papers, the contribution expected for each child in care would be set at 50 per cent of the foster care rate for the youngest age band and be adjusted each year to reflect changes to it.

For example, in 2019/20 this would come to £63.29 per week or £274.25 per calendar month.

The papers also set the charges against the backdrop of budget pressures, but say the policy is unlikely to generate any significant income.

There would be a number of other circumstances in which the council ‘may exercise discretion’ and not seek charges. For example where a single parent has been in long term hospital care.

Following a short discussion, the proposals were approved by Cllr Tidy.

Cllr Tidy said:

“When I first saw this paper I was [thinking] we’ve not done this before. But actually this is just a safeguard for us, not something we will be regularly [doing].

“The circumstances will have to be just right before we do it, so with that I am very happy to [approve the recommendation].”

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