Minutes:
1) Mr Ridings raised the issue of suitable housing for young care leavers, a subject which the Board had been following closely for some years. Further work was needed to address the ongoing problems of providing and monitoring suitable accommodation for young people aged 17plus leaving KCC care to live independently for the first time.
2) The Chairman added that the former Kent Community Housing Trust (KCHT), now called Avanti, was keen to work with the County Council to address this issue.
3) In response to points raised by Members, Mr Brightwell set out the following:-
a) The assessment of accommodation for care leavers was part of Kent’s Pledge to young people;
b) Kent currently had 151 providers of supported accommodation, and all these premises are monitored regularly by KCC;
c) In addition to the above, some young people live in privately rented bed and breakfast accommodation, but the quality of the latter varies. 16+ have been assessing all accommodation used for young care leavers, and have found that some bed and breakfast accommodation was of excellent quality, and young people living there were quite happy with it;
d) the Southwark judgement had reinforced the responsibility of local authorities to assess the needs of 16/17 year olds, and the expectation that all young people leaving care will be accommodated under Section 7 of the Children and Young People Act. Arising from the Southwark judgement, KCC and district councils had reviewed housing provision for young people;
e) Because young people could not claim benefits until age 18, KCC had a particular responsibility to meet the needs of those leaving care at 16/17. Mr Brightwell reminded Members that the KCC’s role as Corporate Parents to young people in care extended to 25; and
f) Any future report on this to the Board would need careful timing; it was vital to that the Children in Care Council (CICC) be given a chance to express a view before the Board next considered the issue.
4) Mrs Doherty added that young people’s housing was a priority for the Children’s Trust Executive Board (CTEB), and had been mentioned at its most recent meeting. Angela Slaven, Director of Youth and Community Support Services, had been tasked to produce an issues paper for the Executive covering progress on the housing priority in the Children and Young People’s Plan. Mrs Doherty undertook to highlight the Board’s ongoing concern at the next CTEB meeting and report back to this Board on progress.
5) In discussion, Members expressed the view that Kent’s range of accommodation for young people varied greatly in quality, with some districts making excellent provision and others giving it a lower priority. A full analysis of all current provision would show the full picture.
6) RESOLVED that the Board reconsider this issue at a future meeting, taking into account the point made by Mr Brightwell at paragraph 3) f) above, and make an appropriate recommendation to the Cabinet Member and Safeguarding Board for further action.