LGBT fostering: Local authority records 'not good enough'

The number of LGBT people recruited as foster carers is not being routinely recorded, making it hard to track progress, a charity has said.

The Association for Fostering and Adoption (AFA Cymru) said anecdotally there had been a rise but not all local authorities were keeping a record.

Sarah Jones from Swansea has fostered two children and said the lack of data was "not good enough".

The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has been asked to comment.

Ms Jones said: "In order to make improvements in the diversity of your team of foster carers you have to know what the statistics are for what you have.

"A diversity of foster carers brings a wider range of experiences which can only be beneficial for the authority."

Sarah Thomas from AFA Cymru said: "We need to ensure that each local authority can report on the demographics of their fostering workforce.

"From the data we have collected over the past three years we know that recruitment numbers are improving, however, not all local authorities are measuring the numbers of LGBT foster carers coming into fostering so we do not know the impact of this work as yet."

Ms Jones and her wife Serena Jones fostered through a Swansea Council scheme after speaking to them at Swansea Pride.

"I think Foster Swansea has done a lot to reach out to the LGBT community," she said.

"We wanted to have children of our own for a long time... obviously it's more complicated but it didn't work out.

"We were still in the process of chewing over what to do next and we met [them] at Pride. It was a bit like fate...

"To see them at Pride, I can't believe how much it blew my mind. These people were once asking if lesbians should raise children and now they were at our event."

They fostered their first child in 2015 then a second a few months later. The first stayed for a few months - they are still in touch and send birthday presents - and the second, now 12, has has been with them for four years.

"She's with us long term, 18 plus," said Ms Jones, who says she is keen to encourage other potential LGBT foster parents.

"If you're LGBT you're bringing an asset, not a deficit anymore. It's something you should be proud of," she said.

"We're bringing experience of being marginalised into a world where children are being marginalised. As an adult we've learnt to cope and we can share that with a child."

Ms Jones said her child's school, peers and other parents had been very supportive.

"We have had someone question whether or not we would be suitable," she said.

"Our child is of a different faith to our own and we had someone question that... it was not someone within the fostering services, it was someone else in social services.

"She [the complainant] was pulled [up on it] immediately and we were supported."

According to the most recent figures from children's charity Barnardo's Cymru, in March 2018 there were 6,405 looked-after children in Wales, with 74% accommodated in foster care placements.

It said 64% of looked-after children had been abused or neglected.

Wales' 22 local authorities were asked how many LGBT foster carers they employed and if there had been a rise over the past five years.

Of the seven that responded, three said they currently employed LGBT foster carers but did not have figures. The remaining four employed 12 between them.

Andrew White, director of LGBT rights campaign group Stonewall Cymru, is also a trustee for Tact, the UK's largest fostering and adoption charity.

He said: "The principle of monitoring all protected characteristics, including sexual orientation, has been embedded in the Welsh equality duties for some years.

"Monitoring is important as it helps track progress which is why we [Tact] keep comprehensive records on all our foster carers, including sexual orientation."

Mr White called for more targeted and relatable advertising to attract more LGBT carers.