Agenda item

Accommodation Pathway for Children and Young People

(To receive a report from Jo Kavanagh, Assistant Director Children's – Lead Early Help, and Andrew Morris, Corporate Parenting Manager, which invites the Committee to consider a report on the Accommodation Pathway for Children and Young People, which is due to be considered by the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services on 30 July 2018)

Minutes:

The Committee gave consideration to a report from Jo Kavanagh, Assistant Director Children's – Lead Early Help and Andrew Morris, Corporate Parenting Manager, which invited the Committee to consider a report on the Accommodation Pathway for Children and Young People, prior to the report being considered by the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services on 30 July 2018.

 

The Executive Director for Children's Services introduced the report and advised the Committee that although the County Council was not a Housing Authority, it did have a statutory responsibility for the provision of accommodation for all Looked After Children and Care Leavers up to the age of 21 years; and for providing Care Leavers with advice and guidance to support them to be independent between the ages of 21 – 25. 

 

Mark Rainey, Children's Commissioning Manager – Commercial guided the Committee through the Executive Councillor report attached as Appendix 1; and its associated Appendix, which provided the Committee with a draft copy of the Accommodation Pathway.  The Accommodation Pathway reflected the existing and proposed accommodation and housing pathways for young people within Lincolnshire including Looked After Children and Care Leavers.

 

The Committee noted that accommodation was fundamental to the safety and stability of all Lincolnshire young people, and that there was a need to revisit and grow the housing and accommodation options in the county to offer a more localised response. 

 

The key developments around young people's accommodation were highlighted to the Committee, which included:-

 

·         'Staying Close'– this enabled young people leaving residential care to move into local accommodation in order to 'Stay Close' to their previous residential homes.  The Committee was advised that a number of options were being explored at the moment with West Lindsey District Council and with North Kesteven District Council;

·         Intensive supported accommodation – The Committee was advised that the property in Grantham was the first property to offer up to 5 semi-independent bed spaces in the south of the county.  It was noted that work was currently being done to complete staff training in readiness for the young people moving in.  It was noted further that this new offer would lead to significant savings for the Council, along with providing vastly improved, more flexible options, and better quality of service for some of the more complex and difficult young people; and

·         Youth Housing Protocol – The Committee was advised that a multi-agency Youth Housing Protocol had now been agreed by all the seven district councils, children's services, adult care and public health directorates.  The purpose of the Protocol was to define the working arrangements for all agencies involved in supporting 16 & 17 year olds, including Looked After Children; and Care Leavers aged between 18-21 years who were in need of advice and assistance due to being homeless, or at the risk of being homeless.  It was highlighted that the Protocol would also manage the young person's experience of transitioning to adult supported accommodation; and semi-independent living options.

 

It was reported that the process of reviewing the Youth Housing contract was due to start in September 2018; and that children's services would be undertaking a comprehensive review of existing in-house accommodation services.

 

In conclusion, it was highlighted that there was a need to build resilience into the available housing options to ensure that it was appropriate and proportionate to meet the needs of children and young people.  And that the Accommodation Pathway selected needed to maximise the best use of in-house options to provide increased assurance in respect of quality, longer-term outcomes and good value for money.

 

During discussion, the Committee raised the following issues:-

 

·         Page 42 – Social Care Assessment Factors 2016/17.  Confirmation was given that these were the primary issues shown and that additional ones would be recorded as other;

·         The Committee queried the level of consultation and engagement with local residents in relation to the intensive supported accommodation option in the south of the county.  Officers confirmed that engagement with local residents was critical to the success of young people feeling part of the community, and that Children's Services were committed to working in partnership with local communities to ensure its success;

·         The Committee recognised the importance of promoting the principle of supporting options for young people leaving residential care to move into local accommodation in order to 'stay close' to their previous residential homes.  In addition the Committee highlighted the need to ensure 'staying put' support was promoted through the development of continued personal connections, rather than through institutional support;

·         In relation to the INSA Local Offer, the Committee queried what costings had been done in meeting the aspirations of this pilot scheme.  Officers confirmed that there was an aspiration to consider similar schemes across the county, in order to reduce significant out of county placement costs, as well as additional cost pressures as a result of the Children and Social Work Act 2017;

·         The Committee recommended that work should continue to be undertaken to develop close working relationships with Housing Associations and District Councils in relation to the availability of youth housing.  In relation to the availability of single bed properties, officers confirmed that these were not always suitable for young people leaving residential care due to higher costs and the challenges of living alone;

·         The Committee highlighted the importance of developing a collaborative partnership approach and stressed the need to ensure all partners were aware that Children's Services only had a duty to provide housing support for care leavers up until the age of 21, whilst advice and guidance support continued until age 25; and

·         The Committee highlighted the need to ensure the Council utilised the wealth of experience and knowledge of experienced foster carers currently working with Children's Services in the recruitment and development of effective accommodation pathways.

 

In conclusion, the Committee unanimously supported the recommendations as detailed in the Executive Councillor report; and asked for the comments as detailed below to be passed onto the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.      That the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee unanimously supported the recommendations to the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services as set out in the report.

 

2.    That the following comments be passed on to the Executive Councillor for Adult Care, Health and Children's Services in relation to this item:

 

o   The Committee queried the level of consultation and engagement with local residents in relation to the intensive supported accommodation option in the south of the county.  Officers confirmed that engagement with local residents was critical to the success of young people feeling part of the community, and that Children's Services were committed to working in partnership with local communities to ensure its success;

o   The Committee recognised the importance of promoting the principle of supporting options for young people leaving residential care to move into local accommodation in order to 'stay close' to their previous residential homes.  In addition the Committee highlighted the need to ensure 'staying put' support was promoted through the development of continued personal connections, rather than through institutional support;

o   In relation to the INSA Local Offer, the Committee queried what costings had been done in meeting the aspirations of this pilot scheme.  Officers confirmed that there was an aspiration to consider similar schemes across the county, in order to reduce significant out of county placement costs, as well as additional cost pressures as a result of the Children and Social Work Act 2017;

o   The Committee recommended that work should continue to be undertaken to develop close working relationships with Housing Associations and District Councils in relation to the availability of youth housing.  In relation to the availability of single be properties, officers confirmed that these were not always suitable for young people leaving residential care due to higher costs and the challenges of living alone;

o   The Committee highlighted the importance of developing a collaborative partnership approach and stressed the need to ensure all partners were aware that Children's Services only had a duty to provide housing support for care leavers up until the age of 21, whilst advice and guidance support continued until age 25; and

o   The Committee highlighted the need to ensure the Council utilised the wealth of experience and knowledge of experienced foster carers currently working with Children's Services in the recruitment and development of effective accommodation pathways.

Supporting documents:

 

 
 
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