A DAMNING review of Bradford’s foster care service has warned it could start to collapse within two years, unless urgent action is taken.

The internal review, carried out by strategic director Mike Cowlam, warns that the recruitment of new foster carers in Bradford “is declining at an excessive rate”, adding: “At current recruitment and departure levels, the fostering system will start to break down within two years.”

Foster carers also reported “a lack of respect and support by the Council for their work”, Mr Cowlam said, and he called for the authority to create a new relationship of “mutual respect, shared values and a professional approach” with its foster carers.

Mr Cowlam, who has since retired from the authority, was asked to conduct the review after a cut to foster carers’ allowances earlier this year sparked widespread anger.

Last month, a group of foster carers gatecrashed an anti-cuts rally held in Centenary Square, staging their own protest against council leader Susan Hinchcliffe.

Mr Cowlam had been Bradford Council’s strategic director of regeneration and was asked to take a fresh look at the way the Council was looking after its foster carers.

His report notes that the cuts to allowances “created much protest”, but that “it is still the case that Bradford pays significantly more in combined fees and allowances than adjacent local authorities”.

He puts forward a host of recommendations, including funding an effective foster carer recruitment campaign, doing more to prevent the need for foster care, and engaging with foster carers in “an open and transparent way”.

Tristan Chard, of the GMB union, which has been fighting the cuts to allowances on behalf of foster carers, welcomed the report.

He said: “It’s quite damning. There are a lot of things we have been saying are going to happen, particularly in relation to the cuts.

“They haven’t done anything to assist themselves in trying to retain people.”

Councillor Jackie Whiteley, opposition Conservative spokesman for children’s social care, said the report exposed “a complete shambles” within the Council.

Councillor Val Slater, executive member for health and wellbeing, said: “When we do a review, people find good things but also find things which need to be looked at, which is the point of doing a review.”

She said they did value their foster carers, adding: “They are a vital cog in making these changes and improvements in young people’s lives.”

Michael Jameson, strategic director for children’s services, said: “Supporting our young people remains a top priority for us and we are already in the process of implementing changes and responding to recommendations made in the review.

“This will help us to provide a top drawer fostering service.”