Marcia Grant: 'Lack of foster carers' contributed to death of much-loved Sheffield woman
“Significant strain” on a local council’s children’s service partly led to the death of a “much loved“ Sheffield foster carer who was run over a by a child she was looking after.
Marcia Grant was killed on April 5, 2023, when a 12-year-old boy in her care attempted to take a kitchen knife and steal the 60-year-old’s car, only to fatally collide with her on her driveway at her Greenhill home as she tried to stop him.
An inquest this year heard how the Rotherham boy - who was sentenced to two years in a young offenders’ institute for causing death by dangerous driving - was only placed with Mrs Grant in a last-minute plan that social workers “did not support”.
The need to place the boy at Marcia’s that day was practically an emergency, and he was expected to stay only a single night with Mrs Grant and her husband before social workers reviewed his case.
When Rotherham Council was unable to find a place for the boy, a text was sent to all of its in-house foster carers. Mrs Grant’s family stepped forward, despite council policy directing that she should have been ruled out because another vulnerable child was already staying at hers.
A Prevention of Future Deaths report by assistant coroner Marilyn Whittle has found that Rotherham Council's shortage of carers contributed to Mrs Grant’s death.
Mrs Grant had also accepted the emergency request without "full knowledge of the child's risks", the report stated, and there had been "apprehension from all professionals" about the match.
The report, published on September 5, reads: “The lack of foster placements placed significant strain on the Local Authority to consider creative solutions to try and avoid an unauthorised placement.
“This led to an unsuitable placement being accepted.
“In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you and your organisations have the power to take such action.”
Ms Whittle noted that this strain is also being seen nationwide and has written to the Minister for the Department for Education.
The report also found Rotherham Council’s failure to document and assess risks posed by placing the boy - referred to only as ‘Child X’ - at Mrs Grant’s home.
Rotherham Council has been ordered to respond by October 28 about what actions it has taken.
Coroner Mrs Marilyn Whittle heard how a major factor in the “inappropriate placement” going forward was Marcia’s immense experience and ability as a foster carer, and her “incredible” desire to help others, which may have soothed worries.
Rotherham Council social worker David Wade told the inquest in June: “[Mrs Grant] just wanted to help all the time. Whenever we reached out to foster carers or when we went to visit Marcia, she was always keen to support other children.
“They were just incredibly open to helping.”