Italiangreyhound you asked why I said that the chances of children like Scott and Daniel and Connor being permanent fostered are extremely remote. I'll try to explain.
When a child has been removed from parents and care proceedings have been initiated in the Family Courts (which means that the LA are asking the Court to make a specific Order on a child to remove Parental Responsibility from the parents) the social worker with case responsibility has to make a care plan for the child for his/her future care. This is so that the Judge knows how the LA intend to secure the child's future before he grants an Order.
In some cases the plan will be for the child to be cared for by a member of the extended family, a grandparent or other lose relative, and they will usually be asking for a special Order called a Special Guardianship Order (which is just one step away from adoption)
In cases where there is no suitable person in the extended family then the care plan will depend to a great extent on the age of the child and whether it is a large sibling group, whether the child has disabilities etc. LAs vary in what they believe is feasible for a child's future dependent on the circumstances. I think most LAs would have a care plan of adoption for a child under 10, and if there were just 2 siblings. In large sibling groups consideration would be given to splitting the siblings to give the younger ones the opportunity of adoption (as was the case with Scott's younger sister who had been adopted)
Most adopters want a child as young as possible but others will consider a child up to the age of around 7 or 8 or even older. I have been retired for 9 years so things might have changed but I don't think so. Certainly before I retired there were difficulties getting children over 5 adopted (especially if they were boys) although I think it was Lilka who gave stats to show that just as many boys as girls were adopted. Children with disabilities were another group of children deemed hard to place. Other factors to be taken into account was the child's background and how he/she had been affected, children who had learning disabilities, ADHD, AS, Autism etc or physical disabilities.
SO a care plan will be made that is thought to be realistic. For children under 5 in sib groups of 2 and where there were no other complications, the care plan would definitely be adoption and this might be the case for older children say children under 10, though most social workers would know that it would be unlikely that a child of this age would be adopted. The fact is that the older the child is the chances of adoption become more remote.
Children awaiting adoption would try to be matched with approved adopters and many of them were, but for those that weren't (usually older boys or where there were large sib groups, or children with disabilities) they would be featured in the BAAF "Be My Parent" publication and "Adoption UK" and there will be pictures and a brief account. I think these publications are now available to view online.
IF no adopters were forthcoming, then the next best thing would be to think of permanent fostering. You ask if there is a shortage of permanent foster carers and the answer is decidedly YES. It isn't a question of finance because all foster carers (short term or permanent) are paid fostering allowances and these payments are mandatory.
Most people wanting to add to their family on a permanent basis will be thinking in terms of adoption and people wanting to help care for children but not add to their family will be thinking in terms of short term foster carers. SO there are few people coming along to foster a child who has not been able to be adopted, on a permanent basis, because they don't fit into either category and of course these will be children who have been waiting to be adopted and might have moved between foster homes and their behaviours may be difficult as a result. I hate to say this, but it isn't a very attractive proposition is it?
The most successful way of getting a permanent foster home for a child was if he/she was placed with short term carers and they decided that they wanted to keep the child on a permanent basis but needed to know that fostering allowances would be paid, and that the LA were "behind them" if they needed support. I can recall several of these cases and they were highly successful for obvious reasons.
I think you mentioned finance and is fostering a Job as such? Years ago it was thought that foster carers needed to be altruistic and that payments would attract the wrong people. Thank goodness we have moved on from such nonsense! It is recognised now that foster carers actually need to be paid allowances for the up keep of the child on a day to day basis, but also a "reward element" for the task or job that they are doing in caring for these children. Foster carers have mortgages/rents/bills etc like everyone else. The trouble is that payments cannot be guaranteed for 52 weeks of the year as there is no guarantee that children will be placed on a continuous basis, so foster carers have to have a contingency plan for such times. I have known foster carers who childmind so that they can afford to foster!
I'm sure you know that adoption allowances are now paid but it is important to note that these payments are discretionary and are reviewed on an annual basis and can be decreased or even stopped, though I don't know if that has ever happened.
You asked about post adoption support and I think the reason that it is often not provided is because of staff shortages. All LAs on a national basis are as I think you said "cash strapped" because of the immense cuts that are being made by this govt. At the same time they are wanting improved services with fewer resources. It can't be done. I don't think it takes much working out does it!
Hope I haven't confused you too much.