Agenda item

To receive a verbal update from the Cabinet Members for Specialist Children’s Services and Adult Social Care and Public Health, the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing and the Director of Public Health.

1.            Mr P J Oakford gave a verbal update on issues relating to unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC):-

a)    Kent had a large number of UASC, currently 731 (having increased from 368 since March 2015). However, the rate of arrivals had very recently slowed down slightly, for the first time in a very long while;

b)    there were currently two reception centres being used to accommodate UASC – Millbank and Swattenden - and one other very shortly to come into use – the former Ladesfield Care Home in Whitstable;

c)    almost all UASC were young men and these centres were all exclusively for them. There were very few girls among the numbers, and any girls arriving would be placed with foster carers until they were 18, rather than in a centre; 

d)    plans to use the Ladesfield building had been leaked by local media and had attracted hostile and unpleasant reactions on social media and from local residents.  600 complaints about its use had been received within 24 hours of the news being leaked;

e)    news of the intention to use the Swattenden centre at Appledore had been carefully managed and local reaction there had been much better. A select number of media representatives had been taken to visit the Millbank centre to see the basic but good facilities there, and the County Council had made a film about the work of the centre. No cameras had been permitted at this visit, and reporting rules had been very stringent, so the reporting of issues could be controlled. The media were able to hear at first hand from the young men housed there, to show the reality of their situation. UASC had stated their priorities as being to feel that they were safe, to know that their families were safe, and to join and contribute to Kent society; and

f)     there had been much support from local residents who wanted to work with the UASC, and sympathy for their situation, following recent media coverage.  A local teacher and a football coach had both offered their time free of charge to mentor UASC. The public had offered donations of clothes and bedding for use at the centre, but these were not needed.  Donations of games and sports equipment would be useful. Some people had offered to accommodate UASC in their homes, and these people would need to go through the process of becoming fosters carers.

2.            In response to a request for committee Members to be able to see the film about the work of the centre, Mr Oakford undertook to send a link to Members, and this was subsequently done.

3.            Mr A Ireland then gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Update on Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children – 176 new UASC had arrived over a six week period but the situation was now fairly quiet. However, the consistently high numbers of arrivals through the rest of the year had placed a great strain on the service at a time when it was under much public scrutiny. Twice-weekly monitoring reports were made to the Government.  Mr Ireland thanked Mr Segurola and staff for the excellent job they had done in ensuring that the County Council had met its statutory responsibility for every single child, despite the ongoing increase in numbers. Other local authorities around the UK had agreed to take responsibility for the accommodation and support of 33 UASC as Kent’s accommodation had reached saturation point, but such arrangements would take time to put in place.  Some increase in agency staff had been necessary to cover the increased workload, and the opening of a second reception centre had helped. Ofsted were expected to make a visit shortly.

 Update on Voluntary Adoption Agency – the tender process for this had started, and detail was being negotiated. A report would be made to the committee’s December meeting.

4.            In response to comments and questions from Members, Mr Ireland and Mr Segurola explained the following:-

a)    estimates of the costs associated with UASC, made at the start of the financial year, had assumed the usual pattern of a reduction in arrivals in the winter months.  However, if the winter of 2015/2016 were to follow the pattern of 2014/2015, a reduction may not materialise.  In addition, costs had risen, due to the need to use out- of-county foster carers, and the County Council would need to negotiate with the Home Office about how these extra costs could be covered.  There was currently no commitment from the Home Office to cover these or the costs of converting the former Ladesfield care home to use for UASC. An overspend of approximately £5.6million was currently forecast;

b)    apart from the financial costs associated with the large UASC population, there would also be pressure on school places. while children were placed around the county, according to the availability of foster carers, it was important to check also that school places were available in that area.  Mr Ireland explained that approximately 75% of UASC were aged 16 or 17, so had limited need for school places.  Those under 16 would mostly be placed with foster carers, and all girls would automatically be placed with foster carers rather than in the reception centres referred to. Mr Segurola confirmed that under-16s were well spread across the county and that no one area was overloaded in terms of the demand for school places;

c)    currently, the youngest UASC was 5 years of age but most were 16 - 17, with a few 12 - 13 year olds travelling with older children; and

d)    in some areas of Kent, courses in English as a Second Language (ESL) were hard to access, but this was being addressed. The priority for young people arriving was to learn English quickly, to be able to join mainstream schooling as soon as possible.  

5.            Mr G K Gibbens gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

23 July - Attended and spoke at the Kent Healthy Business Awards at Oakwood House, Maidstone – these awards had attracted a good level of interest from Kent businesses.

11 September – Health Visitors welcome event at Sessions House, Maidstone

6.            Mr A Scott-Clarkthen gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Update on Department of Health in-year savings from the Public Health allocation 2015/16 – this consultation had recently finished. Whatever the outcome, Kent would continue to plan for the £4m cuts expected.

Visit with Health Visitors in Swale – when commissioning of the health visiting service moved to the County Council on 1 October 2015, health visitors would continue to be employed by the Kent Community Health Trust (KCHT), as at present. By visiting health visitor services around the county, Mr Scott-Clark had been able to prepare them for how the service would look after 1 October, and ensure that expectations and requirements were clear, so the service could best meet local needs.

7.            RESOLVED that the verbal updates be noted, and Members’ sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr Oakford, Mr Ireland, Mr Segurola and the staff team for their work in exceptional circumstances be recorded.  The Chairman added that she was proud of Kent’s record in rising to the challenge of supporting and accommodating so many UASC.