Agenda item

(To receive a report by Amy Allcock, Commissioning Manager – Commercial, which annual update to the Action Plan of the Looked After Children Placement Sufficiency Strategy – 'Commissioning Excellence: Meeting the Sufficiency Duty 2018-2022' and an indicative development timeline for the Children in Care Commissioning Strategy 2023-2027)

Consideration was given to a report by the Commissioning Manager – Commercial, which presented an annual update to the Action Plan of the Looked After Children Placement Sufficiency Strategy – 'Commissioning Excellence: Meeting the Sufficiency Duty 2018-2022' as well as an indicative development timeline for the Children in Care Commissioning Strategy 2023-2027, which were set out at Appendix A and B to the report.

The Panel were advised that the Council had been operating within their new youth housing contract, NEST, for a year which had been successful. NEST offered three sites across Lincolnshire with 72 beds in total. Officer commended the innovation and tenacity of the provider of the contract, NACRO, and highlighted their willingness to engage with social care and leaving care colleagues. The contract had provided intensive support units and successfully provided young people with complex behaviours further support prior to their transition into larger accommodation hubs.

An expansion of the digital offer to service users and young individuals within certain services had been welcomed, particularly operating virtual sessions and within children’s centres, Voices4Choices and Big Conversation groups. It was important to note that the virtual offer did not detract or replace long term face to face engagement, but it could deliver positive outcomes when used appropriately.

The Lincolnshire Leaving Care Service (Barnardo’s)_ was a highly effective service in supporting the county’s care leavers and was also presenting high KPI performance.

From a commissioning perspective there was service review of both the open select list (OSL) procurement methodology and the closed ordered list (COL) procurement, pertinent to all supported accommodation for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. What was looked at in the first instance (OSL) was Independent Non-Maintained Special Schools (INMS) providers, residential providers, foster care and intense needs supported accommodation which was unregulated. Any replacement procurement practice and system was aimed to be in place by Sep-Oct 2022. In terms of COL it was added that unaccompanied asylum seekers that arrived out of hours were party of the National Transfer Scheme.

Consideration was given to the report and during the discussion the following points were noted:

• There was a balance to be made in ensuring that all 72 beds for (2 spare beds) were filled whilst also ensuring that there was some capacity to support young people who may need accommodation urgently. It was noted that the Council had a statutory obligation to accommodate any under 18-year-olds who had become homeless. Members were reassured that NACRO and NEST operated a well-managed and responsive service which provided low level supported accommodations as well provided a responsive service in terms of youth homelessness. The Council operated a spot purchase agreement via the OSL in which they could spot purchase accommodation to ensure that no child was left homeless at any time.
• The Panel were encouraged to see the County working together with District Councils and other partners to provide an excellent Care Leaver offer.
• The Panel was pleased that from April North Kesteven, West Lindsey and South Kesteven District Councils would be offering free leisure activity access to Looked After Children and care leavers.
• There had been further progress made on the Care Leaver offer over recent years, that included Council tax relief for some young people and some District Councils identified  themselves as fostering friendly organisations.
• Officers were working to progress the healthcare offer within the Care Leaver Service as well as working on ways to communicate the offer to Care Leavers in a young person friendly way.
• Officers also hoped to develop more employment and training opportunities for young people.
• It was acknowledged that there was a shortage of affordable, accessible, one bedroom accommodation available nationally which could be an issue for care leavers. However, Officers continued to support care leavers to obtain suitable accommodation.
• The 65% target for care leavers accessing education, employment or training was an aspirational target and the 62% that had been achieved was a fantastic achievement for care leavers and was higher than the national average.  Despite challenges, Officers continued to prioritise progressing this target to support young people into education, employment or training. The Council had obtained funding to recruit to a post which would support young people through the barriers to education, employment or training, which were often related to mental health issues.

RESOLVED:

That the updated action plan for the Sufficiency Strategy 2018 - 2022 and the indicative timetable for the development of the Children in Care Sufficiency Strategy 2023-27 be endorsed.