Services for children are a large part of the overall services provided by West Sussex County Council.  During this financial year, over £200 million is being spent by the county council on children’s social care and supporting young people.  Sadly, not all children have the best start in life that we all want them to have.  For those that are in the care of the local authority, our foster carers do an amazing job of looking after children and young people.   

If you would like to make a difference to a child in West Sussex and could provide a safe, secure and loving environment, help them through a challenging time in their lives, and have a spare room, then the county council’s fostering team would love to hear from you.  If you would like to know more, including about the financial support provided, then just search online for “Fostering West Sussex” and you can easily find out more information.  More foster carers are needed, and I have been told this especially applies in the Crawley area.  

It is known that children who enter the care system, on average, have greater challenges during their adult lives.  This is why providing support in early adulthood from ages 18-25 for care leavers is also important, as well as the support given while they are children and young people.  Last month, West Sussex County Council was inspected by Ofsted, who assessed arrangements for care leavers aged 18 to 25, including support into adulthood and for care leavers with specific needs.

I’m delighted to say their finding were very positive.  West Sussex County Council was praised for its “substantially improved” services that help young people leaving care to develop and flourish.  Ofsted said the council has created “a culture of excellent support” for care leavers and that “leaders value them, their opinions matter to them, and that their work translates into meaningful change in how services are delivered.”  The success of the West Sussex House Project, which provides young people leaving care with a safe home and supports them to live independently, was also highlighted.

Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group

28th August 2024