SCOTTISH Borders Council is preparing to launch a major marketing campaign in a bid to recruit more foster carers.

The drive will be aimed at adults living in the region who can offer supportive homes to children aged 12 and over.

The council hopes that if the campaign is successful, it will reduce the spiraling cost of placing children and young people in care and educational settings outwith the Borders.

SBC’s executive heard last week that, in the first quarter of this financial year, an additional eight youngsters with “complex needs” took up such placements at an extra unbudgeted annual cost to SBC of £834,000.

In addition, over the same period, another two youngsters were transferred into more expensive accommodation outside the region at an extra annual cost of £190,000.

Jeanette McDiarmid, the council’s depute chief executive (people) said that for some children, such as those with severe autism, there was no alternative to out-of-area care.

“However, in general being taken far from your community, your family and your familiar surroundings is not beneficial to children and young people,” she added.

Mrs McDiarmid said her department was currently reviewing the range of specialist services and facilities which were available in the Borders and the likely future demand.

And she confirmed that there was currently a shortage of foster carers in the region for children aged 12 and over.

Welcoming the recruitment campaign, the executive backed the call of Councillor Stuart Bell for members to receive a private and comprehensive report on the placement of children with complex needs.

“As a council we really need to talk about out-of-authority placements,” said Mr Bell.

“If this is going to be a recurring [budgetary] problem we need to know what actions are being taken.” Meanwhile, councillors heard there were also “significant budget pressures” in adult services.

“The main drivers of pressure are the continued demand for residential and home care for older people, above the levels provided for by the budget,” stated a report by financial services manager Suzy Douglas.

Taken alongside additional high cost care packages for Borderers with physical disabilities, the council was facing a £562,000 budget shortfall in its adult services budget in the current financial year.

Ms Douglas said an action plan to address this potential overspend included a review of all high cost care packages, targeted reductions in the number of home care hours being delivered each week and the control of vacancies for non-essential staff.