In response to member questions, it was clarified:

·         Foster carers: whilst Merton has been relatively successful in recruiting foster carers, a number are retiring and there have been some resignations.  Officers are therefore taking a very detailed approach to recruitment of foster carers.  Merton is working as part of a local consortium to increase carer numbers with a specific focus on increasing capacity for the foster care of young people/adolescents; and

·         Special Educational Need (SEN) school expansion: the expansion in SEN provision reflects a changing profile of needs which would have been impossible to have predicted 20 years ago as this has resulted from significant medical advances.  The Children, Schools and Families Department has worked to reduce the need for SEN residential care and is now working to do the same for day care in the independent sector which is cost prohibitive and to benefit children and young people with care closer to home.