Surrey County Council launches Surrey Skills Plan at Skills Summit November 10. A landmark event in Surrey next month will bring together education providers and businesses in a bid to turbo charge Surrey’s local economy.
The Surrey Skills Summit at Sandown Racecourse on 10 November will give leading local businesses the opportunity to outline what skills they need in the years to come. Education providers including colleges and universities will be on hand to discuss tailoring vocational offers and training, with a view to developing Surrey’s workforce of the future.
The event will also launch the Surrey Skills Plan, including recommendations and actions to help deliver the skills, jobs and opportunities for Surrey’s economy to thrive.
The Summit will also include: Presentations from experts on the national skills landscape, including developments and their implications for Surrey businesses and training providers. Case studies from Surrey businesses who have taken creative approaches to meeting their recruitment, retention and skills needs The chance for businesses to have their voice heard to help build a world class skills system in Surrey that meets the needs of all businesses and residents.
Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Growth, said: “Surrey has the UK’s second largest GDP after London and for decades has been a natural home for companies from across the world. As competition for talent becomes tougher and skills shortages become more pronounced, it’s essential for Surrey to become more proactive in planning for the future. The Skills Plan and events like the Skills Summit are essential for growing a sustainable economy for Surrey. We need to come together to provide the right conditions for business to thrive, delivering skills, jobs and opportunity for all.”
Surrey County Council News
Safer nights in Epsom in sights
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s (EEBC) Environment and Safe Communities Committee approved the allocation of a grant for plans to improve safety in the area. – Tuesday 18 October -. In a bid that resulted in a £271,712 grant from the Home Office Safer Streets programme, the council put forward a range of initiatives to promote safety within Epsom’s night time economy.
In conjunction with the Safer Streets bid, a ‘Night Time Safety’ survey, specific to Epsom town centre, was created. Only 30% of those who responded said they felt safe in the town centre at night, and only 18% of respondents said they felt safe within Epsom’s nightclubs. The bid also cited a rise in spiking in the borough, with two anecdotal reports of spiking in 2019 and 2020, and nine reported crimes involving spiking in 2021.
Councillors at the committee meeting approved a decision to spend £172,512 of the grant on replacing sixteen CCTV cameras in Epsom, which, according to the bid, were outdated and expensive to run. The monitoring costs of the sixteen cameras will be funded by the Epsom BID (known as “Go Epsom“). The cameras are currently monitored by Surrey Police, but EEBC has said that they will now be monitored locally.
The bid states that ‘The CCTV will be monitored during busy weekend periods via 24-hour security based in the shopping centre. Security will be able to speak directly to the police to prevent late night incidents occurring or escalating, feedback live information and protect those who appear vulnerable. The CCTV will also be available for investigation purposes.’
Councillors also approved the decommissioning of four CCTV cameras in Ewell and Stoneleigh, after officers found that it was ‘unlikely’ that the cameras were being used enough to meet an identified pressing need, as set out under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.
The funding of accredited training for staff at Epsom’s licensed premises was deemed an ‘essential part’ of the Safer Streets bid, which cites ‘a lack of training and awareness with licenced premises and their staff around VAWG [Violence Against Women and Girls], including drink spiking and identifying vulnerabilities.’ The bid also states that there is a lack of nonauthoritarian guardians available at night time, and that police are often unable to assist vulnerable people while also addressing offences.
One respondent to the Night Time Safety survey said: ‘There’s not always someone nearby or a close location I can trust’. Part of the funding will go towards training and uniform for Street Pastors, an existing group of volunteers from local congregations who offer support to those who are out in the evening. However, they do not feel comfortable being out in the early hours of the morning, and incidents of violence peak between 3am and 4am. Therefore, the bid also suggests supplementing the Street Pastors scheme with a ‘Night Angels’ initiative, which, being open to a wider demographic of volunteers, might increase the number of people available to offer support during the night.
Councillors also approved plans to provide drink testing and anti-spiking kits at licensed premises.
A communications package will be used to disseminate information about the improvements through advertising and social media.
Surrey’s challenges with social care
Surrey County Council must work closely with independent care providers to meet the challenges facing social care and continue to improve choice for residents, Surrey’s new director of adult social care has said.
In her first keynote speech to Surrey’s care sector, Liz Bruce embraced the need for a new working relationship between the council and providers of residential, nursing and home-based care to help build for the future of social care including planning for the biggest care reforms in decades.
As well as preparing for the reforms – which are set to usher in a lifetime limit on care costs of £86,000 – the care sector in Surrey is operating in an “unprecedented” economic environment and dealing with recruitment pressures and the impact of Covid-19, Mrs Bruce said.
Liz Bruce new Director of Adult Social Care
Addressing the Surrey Care Association’s autumn conference in Dorking, Mrs Bruce said new relationships and “new thinking” would enable the council and providers, along with their NHS partners, to move “together ahead”.
Forging a closer relationship would enable the partners to better shape services around the needs of residents and communities and enhance the choice of care and support options available.
Earlier this year, Mrs Bruce became Joint Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Integrated Commissioning working across Surrey County Council and Surrey Heartlands integrated care system.
She told the conference: “We need each other more now than ever. We’re stronger together and we’ve got more in common together – we mustn’t let people divide us. We’re far more powerful and influential to central government if we’re saying the same things.
“How we work together going forward is all based on relationships. We need to innovate together and to do that we’ve got to have a good relationship and have dialogue. None of us can do what we’re trying to do on our own so we need to come together and work in partnership. I’m optimistic we can do that.”
Areas where there are opportunities to work together include on shared issues such as workforce and training. A key focus for adult social care is supporting providers and residents with better information, advice and guidance to help the make informed life choices, especially when considering or requiring care.
The county council’s commissioning strategy for older people, covering the period until 2030 and drawing on input from providers and the NHS as well as residents and staff, aims to champion greater choice, quality and control for residents.
As well as supporting people to lead independent and active lives in their own homes and communities for as long as possible, the blueprint spells out how the council and partners will work together on ensuring intensive and personalised care options for people with more complex needs, in line with the council’s ambition to tackle inequalities in health so that no one in Surrey is left behind.
Mrs Bruce took up her new role in Surrey in May from the London boroughs of Richmond and Wandsworth where she was Director of Adult Social Care and Public Health. She has previously held senior positions at London’s tri-borough partnership – Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea – and at Manchester City Council and Warwickshire County Council.
Surrey County Council News
Benches mark the victims of Co-Vid across the Borough
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is installing 14 memorial benches across the Borough to commemorate all the lives lost in the Covid-19 pandemic. Metal benches have been placed at Alexandra Recreations Ground, Long Grove Park, Nonsuch Park, Shadbolt Park, Stoneleigh Broadway and The Grove in Ewell Village.
Mayor Clive Woodbridge, College Ward Councillors Julie Morris and Nigel Colin, Cllr Hannah Dalton and Elena Ciesco. Acting Borough Chief Executive Jackie King also attended.
More metal benches have been or are in the process of being installed at Auriol Park, Ewell Court Park, Mounthill Gardens and The Wells Centre. Wooden benches will also be placed at Epsom Common, Grandstand Road, Horton Country Park and Hogsmill by the steppingstones at a later date. Flowers will also be planted around the benches where appropriate.
Funding for the benches was provided via the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
Councillor Hannah Dalton, who put forward the CIL bid, said, “The past two years have been extremely hard for everyone in the Borough, but more so for those who have lost loved ones. These benches are our permanent memorial to all those affected by the pandemic. “I hope they will bring comfort to grieving families, ensuring that their loved one will always have a place in and be remembered by our community.”
Councillor John Beckett, Chair of Environment and Safe Communities Committee, added, “While these benches memorialise the pandemic, they also represent a time for reflection within the Borough. I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to those we have lost, than to have something to remind us of and generations to come.”
A Robin is a feature of the Co-Vid victims memorial bench
One of the benches, for each of the Borough’s Wards, was the place of a moving speech by Mayor Clive Woodbridge on Saturday morning 22nd October. In Alexandria Park The Mayor spoke of the loss so many across the Borough have suffered during the pandemic. As of the week ending 7th October 2022 the UK Government funded LG Inform states that 474 persons have died of Co-Vid in Epsom and Ewell.
Mayor Woodbridge recognised how deep the bereavement is felt by relatives who came to the bench this day especially as he had this year suffered the loss of a son. As an example of the reality of loss he read a tribute to one Epsomian who succumbed to the virus.
Elena Ciesco who campaigned for memorials in the Borough
“Luigi Ciesco was born in Italy in 1941 and at the age of 19 he moved to England in 1960 to start a new life. He met Vincenza his wife, at a wedding in Italy and soon after, they were married, settling first in Hook Road and then in Alexandra Road in Epsom for 45 years. They went on to have 4 children and 8 grandchildren and were married for 57 years. He was an amazing, fun loving and cheeky man, a real character and he was known and loved by so many. He loved his family, and he loved his Italian music and he loved to dance. He was an extremely hard-working man and worked in the NHS. He grew all his own vegetables and was an expert gardener and wine maker.
The Covid memorial benches mean a great deal to the bereaved families. The world seems to have moved on from Covid but they have not moved on, they are forever changed. The benches show the reality of how cruel this virus is and how it does not discriminate from young to old. We all hope that it makes people stop and think about our loved ones never to be forgotten.”
Woking up to a very big debt problem
The senior councillor responsible for Surrey County Council’s money will step down from its cabinet amid a “potential conflict” as the Government calls for a review of finances at the borough council she used to lead. Woking Borough Council’s forecasted £2.4bn debt has been called an “outlier” by government ministers. The now leader at Woking was sent a letter by local government minister MP Paul Scully on Tuesday (October 18) which said the authority had the highest level of commercial debt relative to its size for a council.
It follows a letter that was sent to the borough council in May which said there was a need to tackle risk at local government level and protect taxpayers’ interest. Mr Scully’s letter said: “As you will be aware, the Government has in recent years expressed concerns that some authorities are putting taxpayers’ money at risk through disproportionate levels of debt, over-reliance on commercial income, or pursuing novel and risky investments.” He described Woking’s debt, forecast to rise to almost £2.4bn by 2024/25, as “an outlier” even among the other local authorities government was working with.
He also said he had concerns about the authority’s lending arrangements for major developments, the risks council and taxpayers were exposed to due to the long-term high levels of debt and the “sensitivity of these investments to commercial performance”.
Ayesha Azad, leader of Woking Borough Council from Oct 2020, submitted by her. Credit to Ayesha Azad.
Surrey County Council announced Councillor Ayesha Azad (Conservative, Woking South West), who led Woking Borough Council from October 2020 to May 2022, had decided to step down from the authority’s cabinet, where she was appointed in September. The county council’s leader, Tim Oliver (Conservative, Weybridge), said: “I have discussed this matter with Cllr Azad and in light of her recent role in Woking and a potential conflict in the light of the support being provided by SCC, she has decided to step aside from her cabinet position while this review takes place.”
On Wednesday (October 19) the borough council had announced a “partnership approach” to fixing the authority’s finances, working with the county council and continuing to work alongside the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
Councillor Ann-Marie Barker (Liberal Democrat, Goldsworth Park), the borough council’s leader, said she was pleased the letter had recognised the “constructive and cooperative approach” taken by the authority in working with DLUHC and the county council. She added: “I welcome the support and additional advice from an independent review into the council’s finances, investments and related governance that has been offered on a non-statutory basis.”
She said since the Liberal Democrat group had taken control of the council in May, the administration had been assessing the debt, looking among other things at the rising cost of the Victoria Arch project, projecting a further £53 million in costs, and the funding of the Victoria Square development. Cllr Barker said: “It is however clear that difficult decisions will have to be made and significant financial challenges lay ahead. “My administration has taken decisive early action and is committed to ensuring that our financial position is resilient, affordable, responsible, and sustainable and I will ensure that that residents, businesses, and community partners are kept fully informed throughout the duration of this process.”
The authority’s portfolio holder for finance and economic development, Cllr Dale Roberts (Liberal Democrat, St Johns), said the first priority was taking “urgent preventative steps to stop the situation worsening” and said reviews would be carried out of the Thameswey and Victoria Square Woking companies.
In May’s local elections the Liberal Democrats won a majority on the council, after the Conservative group had led the council for 14 years.
The May letter, from then minister for equalities and levelling up communities, Kemi Badenoch, was received a week after the local elections, while Cllr Azad was still technically in position as leader. At the time Cllr Azad said that though the size of Woking’s debt was not disputed, the council was acting on a financial model accepted and encouraged by central government. Cllr Azad said at the time that of the money, £700m had gone into Victoria Place and £450m into Sheerwater which had provided between them new homes, retail and entertainment spaces, public spaces and space for NHS provision.
Cllr Oliver said in a statement: “Surrey County Council has agreed to work closely with Woking Borough Council on this review and to support them in the coming months to develop a sustainable and deliverable improvement plan. The residents of Surrey are our primary focus and, as we have demonstrated before, we will always do everything we can to help our fellow Surrey local authorities to protect the services our residents rely on.”
Will Council strikes spread to Epsom and Ewell?
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council staff are using food banks and claiming Universal Credit, according to union officials, as workers go out on strike. Council employees have been offered a 1.3 per cent pay rise, labelled “insulting” by the Unison union. The strike will take place over Tuesday and Wednesday (18 and 19 October) with organisers calling for a greater increase in the face of rising inflation and the cost of living crisis.
Reigate and Banstead council staff on strike. Image credit: Darren Pepe/Surrey Live
Maggie Judd, principal local land charges officer at the council, is the union’s branch manager and said it’s the first industrial action in her 20 years at the authority. She said the council should be using some of its reserves to help staff with a better pay offer and the number of staff out on strike today showed the “strength of feeling” on the issue.
Claiming some staff were having to use food banks and topping up their wages with Universal Credit, she said: “It’s just so upsetting in this day and age, in full time employment, having to use food banks. People are having to make difficult choices.”
Unison said planning officers, parking attendants, administrators, refuse workers, cleaners, and security officers were on strike, and staff on the lower pay grades at the council would receive an additional £200. Unison south east regional organiser Jenny Mason said: “This pay offer is nowhere near enough. Staff feel insulted. Many employees are using food banks and their wages have to be topped up with benefits. They’ve been forced to stretch their pay to make ends meet even at the best of times.”
She called on the council to make a better offer, and on the government to provide money to protect local services, saying residents would also suffer because staff would “vote with their feet and join other local councils offering better pay”.
A council spokesperson said around seven per cent of its workforce, 40 employees, were believed to be on strike, and all services continued to operate. They said the 2022/23 pay rise was in addition to cumulative increases in the previous five years from 2017/18 to 2020/21 totalling 10.13 per cent, and additional one-off payments, such as £250 paid to all staff during the covid pandemic in August 2020 and £200 paid in April during National Insurance increases and rising living costs.
Council leader Councillor Mark Brunt (Conservative, Hooley, Merstham and Netherne) said the council had been making plans to minimise disruption to services since strike plans were announced. He said: “I am pleased to report that services, including our bin collections, are running as normal. We are disappointed that Unison has chosen to take this course of action. We are grateful to our dedicated staff for their ongoing hard work in challenging circumstances, and at the same time very conscious of the increased cost of living that they and their families are experiencing. However, the reality is that the council only has a finite budget from which we can offer a pay award. This is a national cost of living crisis, and increased costs and inflation are impacting the council’s budgets as well as those of households.”
Emily Coady-Stemp LDRS
Epsom and Ewell Times adds:
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council does not have a formal recognition agreement with a trade union due to the small number of union members in relation to the whole organisation. UNISON has a seat on the staff consultative group (made up of locally elected staff representatives) which is the recognised body for consultation purposes for the Council. As there is no formal recognition agreement with any union there is no formally recognised “facility time” [paid time to undertake union duties] within the Council. EEBC website statement on transparency.
A pay award for 2022/2023 of a 3% increase for staff was approved by the Council on 15th February 2022.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council has 8 union representatives on its payroll and therefore do have “facility” time provided.
It seems unlikely that Epsom and Ewell Borough Council will be affected by strike action despite current inflation outstripping the pay award.
Downs payment from EU for Epsom
The Mayor of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Councillor Clive Woodbridge, has officially unveiled the first phase of an exciting programme of improvements on Epsom & Walton Downs.
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council (EEBC) secured a grant of £132,000 from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to support the rural economy by encouraging visitors. The EAFRD grant was boosted by a further £18,000 from The Jockey Club and £20,000 from the Epsom & Walton Downs Conservators.
Image: Simon Durrant Jockey Club, Cllr Liz Frost (RA Woocote and Chair Epsom and Walton Downs Conservators and Mayor Clive Woodbridge unveiling.
The improvements, which includes new benches, bins, picnic tables, waymarkers, information boards and counting posts, have been three years in the planning and began earlier this year after funding was secured.
Councillor Liz Frost, Chair of the Epsom & Walton Downs Conservators, stated “I am delighted to see the improvements being made to this much-loved part of our Borough. We had three aims at the start of this project; to increase rural tourism; to improve safety for visitors and for both the horses and staff involved in racehorse training on the Downs; and to educate people about the area. I think this initiative will help us to achieve those goals. I love the nods to our equestrian history on the benches and bins. The information boards will be a great asset in sharing the unique history and ecosystem of the area with visitors, andthe counting posts will be able to tell the difference between walkers, cyclists and riders, so we can tailor facilities in the future. We hope that visitors to the Downs will enjoy these new resources.”
Simon Durrant, General Manager at Epsom Downs Racecourse, said, “The contribution to improving the Epsom & Walton Downs is something The Jockey Club is very passionate about. The work being carried out contributes to preserving the history of the area, along with improving the experience of all visitors, be that walkers, riders or cyclists. We look forward to the continued development throughout the next phase of improvements.”
While open to the public, the Downs is privately owned by The Jockey Club and managed by the Epsom & Walton Downs Conservators. Membership of the Conservators is prescribed by the Epsom & Walton Downs Regulation Act 1984, and is made up of Borough councillors, The Jockey Club and the Betting Levy Board.
The Council is committed to supporting the Conservators in maintaining the Downs.
The Council was able to secure the EAFRD funding before the UK becomes ineligible for such grants following Brexit.
Epsom Councillor challenges County “community” funding
Questions have been raised about a community cash project and whether it is reaching those in Surrey who are most in need. Surrey County Council plans to allocate £100million over five years, with residents and community groups pitching for money for their areas. At its last cabinet meeting on September 22, £586,000 was allocated from the council’s Your Fund Surrey community fund for the rebuilding of Ripley Village Hall and £982,000 was given to the Old Woking and District Community Centre.
Image: More than £500K was awarded for a community shop and cafe in Normandy from Your Fund Surrey. Credit Surrey County Council.
But a motion put forward at the authority’s full council meeting on Tuesday (October 11) called for the fund to be paused in next year’s budget, in a financial climate that is “very different” from when it was established. Epsom Councillor Jan Mason (Residents Association, West Ewell) said in her area she had two of the county’s most deprived estates, and among the lowest car ownership, meaning people couldn’t necessarily travel to community facilities elsewhere. She claimed the money had been “wasted”, saying she was sure some councillors had “lovely clubs” for people in middle-income areas.
Cllr Mason added: “You’ve taken the money from the people in my area that are on low income, and they are paying their rates, they’re not getting out of that. But they’re actually paying for things that no one asked them do they want to have?” Cllr Mason took issue with councillors being told to work with their communities on getting the funding and has spoken out before on the lengthy application process to get the money. She added: “I know what it’s like, so don’t say to people like me: ‘What you’ve got to do Jan, is work with your communities.’ Yes I do, and I’ve always done for 20 years.”
Cllr Denise Turner-Stewart (Conservative, Staines South and Ashford West), cabinet member for communities and community safety, said the fund had so far given 14 projects £4.5million, with another seven applications worth more than £3.75m which could be decided by the end of the year. She added: “Many of the projects funded have focused on early intervention and prevention by promoting the health and well being of residents. “Funded projects have provided residents with a safe space to exercise, socialise and learn new skills. Bringing communities together on projects has helped reduce social isolation and there are numerous examples where projects have led to new connections being build out in our communities.”
She also announced that £50,000 would be allocated to each member for their area, aiming to simplify the fund from early 2023. Cllr George Potter (Liberal Democrat, Guildford East) called the announcement a “rabbit pulled out of the hat” and questioned if it should come in the middle of a debate and not via a leader’s statement or at a select committee. He said he welcomed the simplification of the process, hoping it might help some of areas of high deprivation in his division, though he raised concerns about rising costs of borrowing on the fund.
Cllr Nick Darby (Dittons and Weston Green Residents, The Dittons), putting forward the failed motion to pause the funding, said it was a question of “affordability, pure and simple” and not a question of not wanting to support communities. He said: “We are borrowing £100m or would be if it goes all the way through, and we cannot afford at the moment to do this.”
Council leader Cllr Tim Oliver (Conservative, Weybridge) called the “knee-jerk” move “premature at the very least”, saying the next year’s budget would be looked at over the coming weeks and a decision could be made. He said the council would continue to be prudent in budgeting, prioritising services to the most vulnerable children and families, but that the administration would not “abandon our residents and communities”.
Cllr Oliver added: “We should be optimistic in our ability to overcome these challenges. We have a track record of facing up to issues and finding solutions.”
Warnings of County bankruptcy?
Surrey County Council is calling on the government to delay social care reforms which it is claimed could “bankrupt” the authority. Plans for more generous means testing and an £86,000 cap on care costs are due to come in from October 2023, but councillors have raised serious concerns on the impact it could have on finances. Surrey County Council, which was last week called on to use its status as a “top Tory authority” in lobbying government for more funding ahead of winter pressures on the NHS, has voted to call for a delay to the social care changes.
A meeting of full council on Tuesday (October 11) approved a motion to ask for more time to prepare for the roll out of the plans, which could cost the council up to an additional £40million a year.
Cllr Bernie Muir – SCC
Calling adult social care “the key issue of our time” Councillor Bernie Muir (Conservative, Epsom West), putting forward the motion, said Surrey was an “outlier”, with nearly two thirds of residents funding their own care. Cllr Muir said many of those would qualify for funding under the new plans, therefore needing a detailed means test and said without government funding the plans “simply would not be financially viable”.
She called the numbers “staggering” and said the timescale was “not practical” because of needing to means test an additional 9,500 to 12,000 people, on top of already “extremely challenging” staffing problems. Cllr Muir said: “With the rapidly ageing population and increase in those who have complex needs, it is clear that we have to find a way to pay for social care needs and these need to change in order to help meet the challenge. Surrey County Council supports the government’s desire to tackle this long term issue. But for Surrey the current proposals would appear to be untenable.”
Seconding the motion, Riasat Khan (Conservative, Woking North) said it was estimated that the county council could face a funding gap of between £8-20m in 2023/24, rising to £25-40m in 2024/25. He also said somewhere between 85 to 300 extra trained social workers would be needed “within a very tight timescale”.
Cllr Khan said: “Given that we already have resourcing issues, this will be extremely challenging.” Cllr Will Forster (Liberal Democrat, Woking South) said the cumulative cost to the council by 2033 could be as high as £3.2billion, which he said “terrified” him. He said: “That is unsustainable. That would bankrupt this council, resulting in us abolishing all services to keep that bill going.”
The County Councils Network, which represents 36 English councils, also called for delays to the reforms, which it otherwise supports. The organisation said they could lead to longer waits for care packages, and would add to “a workforce crisis” being faced by authorities at the moment, with inflation also set to add £3.7bn in additional costs to existing services by 2023.
The motion, carried by members, said the council would continue to work with central government to get money to “fully fund reforms across the decade” and push for a delayed and phased introduction of the reforms. As well as this, the council will continue to develop the new Integrated Care Systems for a more joined up approach to health and social care and continue its commitment of tackling health inequalities across the county.
Fostering new parents
Surrey County Council and 56 Local Authorities across England have worked together to share ideas and jointly fund the creation of a short film to raise awareness of fostering. It is aimed at finding more people who may be interested in becoming foster carers and providing nurturing, positive homes for children and young people across the country who need them.
The new film, simply called ‘Childhood’, highlights the impact of neglect on children, particularly brothers and sisters who may be left at times to try and care for each other. It shows the journey of ‘Sophie’ and ‘Charlie’ who are in a very difficult home situation where their needs are not being met, to being nurtured and supported through foster care to attend school and be able to enjoy their hobbies and interests. In other words, have a childhood.
Sinead Mooney, Cabinet Member for Children and Families at Surrey County Council said: “We have a critical need for more foster carers in Surrey, and we are calling on people to open their hearts and homes, to make sure that Surrey’s children can be cared for in their local community. Fostering really can make a huge difference to children and young people, and we offer a strong carer network as a local authority, so I encourage people to find out more.”
‘Childhood’ will be officially launched with a premiere at the Everyman cinema, Birmingham on 13th October, with an introduction from Kevin Williams, the Chief Executive of The Fostering Network, and Rachel Brown, project manager working with Council Advertising Network.
Kevin Williams said “We continue to value and support foster carers but we urgently need more foster carers to come forward to care for children within their local communities. Foster carers are the bedrock of children’s social care; they are vital in our society and our young people rely on their care, dedication, passion and skills to support them when they need it most. Across the UK, around 9,265 more fostering families are needed, to make sure every child that can’t live with their own family gets the care they need.
“Currently, there are over 70,000 children living with almost 56,000 foster families in the UK, and the number of children coming into care keeps rising. The reasons children become looked after vary widely. We need more people to come forward to foster, to stand by their side and to be there for them no matter what.”
The film will then be published on all 56 participating council’s social media platforms.
The film will be available to watch and share from all participating local authority platforms from noon on 13th October 2022 to help the message spread across the UK using the hashtags #FosterForYourCouncil and #Childhood
