Agenda item

1.            Mr Segurola introduced the report and added that a key decision concerning the extension of the existing contract for the Supported Lodgings Service was due to be taken shortly by the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services, as the current contract would expire in June 2015. The Supported Lodgings service sought to offer an intermediate stage to young people who were leaving care and preparing to take on and manage an independent tenancy, and, as such, was and had been invaluable to many young people.  Mr Segurola and Mr Ireland responded to comments and questions from Members, including the following:-

a)    officers met regularly with colleagues at district and borough councils about the housing needs of young people leaving care. Housing was a high priority for the County Council as the corporate parent for those young people, and this priority was understood and supported by district and borough councils;   

b)    the Corporate Parenting Select Committee, which had recently finished its evidence gathering, had identified a number of areas of concern around the providers of services for young people, especially children in care, who were especially vulnerable;

c)    in response to a question about the feasibility and cost of extending the Staying Put scheme to children in care placed in children’s homes, Mr Segurola explained that this had not yet been scoped and was at a consultation stage. There were currently only 76 young people placed by the County Council in residential provision, many of whom had significant  levels of need arising from disability, which would be picked up by adults’ services; and

d)    the Chairman added that she had heard from young people recently that success in finding and affording accommodation depended much on where in the county a young person was trying to live; some areas were simply more costly than others, and some young people might have to move away from friends and contacts to be able to find affordable accommodation.  Mr Ireland added that it was not always realistic to try to insulate young people in care from the challenges that most other young people would expect to face upon reaching adulthood, eg affording a home.  

2.            Mr Segurola raised the issue of the committee being asked to support the proposed key decision to extend the existing contract for supported lodgings, which the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services would be asked to take.  The Democratic Services Officer pointed out that Members had not yet seen and read the paperwork relating to the decision (and that such papers had not yet been placed in the public domain) so was unable to comment on or agree it. She suggested that the committee be asked only to give its general support to the principle of extending the existing arrangements for supported lodgings with the current provider.  Mr Ireland added that there was to be no variation to the existing arrangements, just an extension.  He added that all Members would have the chance to comment on the proposed decision when it was published, ahead of being taken by the Cabinet Member, and undertook to ensure that the information supporting the decision would be as detailed as possible. The committee accepted this assurance. 

3.            RESOLVED that:-

a)    the Corporate Parenting   responsibilities of the County Council with regard to ensuring that Care Leavers have suitable accommodation be noted;

b)    support be given to the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services in influencing district, borough and city council Members with regard to the provision of social housing for children in care and care leavers; and

c)    general support be given to the principle of extending the existing arrangements for supported lodgings with the current provider, without variation.