Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services and the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, and to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member on the proposed decision to approve the proposed changes to rates payable and charges levied for Children’s Services in 2017-18, note the rates which are dictated by external agencies, i.e. Inter-agency charges and Essential Living Allowance, confirm that the charge for other Local Authorities for use of in-house respite residential beds is to be calculated on the basis of full cost recovery, and delegateauthority to the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, or other nominated officer, to undertake the necessary actions to implement the decision.

Miss M Goldsmith., Finance Business Partner, was in attendance for this item.

1.            Miss Goldsmith introduced the report and Mr Segurola responded to a question about the cost of services provided to children in care placed by other local authorities within Kent.  These costs were not extensive, relating only to in-house respite residential beds, but were recouped by the County Council.

2.            RESOLVED that the decision proposed to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services, to:

a)  approve the proposed changes to rates payable and charges levied for Children’s Services in 2017-18, as detailed below:

                      i.        The increase to:

 All Placements under 2        £148.62

All Placements 2-4               £152.92

All Placements 5-8               £170.15

All Placements 9-10             £170.15

All Placements 11-15           £192.77

All Placements 16-17           £227.23

All Placements 18+              £227.23

                    ii.        The Foster Care Reward element to increase to:

Non related placements  0-8 yrs - £110.29

Non related placements 9-18 yrs  - £209.49

                   iii.        The Foster Care Skills based payment increase to:

Level 2 - £20.43

Level 3 - £51.05

                   iv.        The Single placement supplement increase to:

Age 0-8 yr - £220.58

Age 9-18 yrs - £418.98

                    v.        To increase the Therapeutic Fostering Supplement to:£646.21

                          vi       For Local Authority Charges for Children Services

            vii        Assessment hourly rate to increase to £70.27 per hour

            viii       Administration Fee increase to £10.46

b)  note the rates which are dictated by external agencies, i.e. Inter-agency charges and Essential Living Allowance;

c)  confirm that the charge for other local authorities for use of in-house respite residential beds is to be calculated on the basis of full cost recovery; and

d)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, or other nominated officer, to undertake the necessary actions to implement the decision,

            be endorsed.