Issue - meetings

Members are asked to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education on the proposed decision to:

a)    Award short-term interim contracts to continue to deliver Housing Related Support Services for vulnerable young people from 1 April 2018 to 30 September 2018;

b)    Award a new contract for a Supported Accommodation Service from 1 October 2018 to September 2023; and

c)    Delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education, or other nominated officer to undertake the necessary actions to implement the decision.

1.    Karen Mills (Commissioning Manager) introduced the report which set out the new contract for the delivery of supported accommodation for older children in care, care leavers and homeless 16 and 17 year olds.

2.    Naintara Khosla (Assistant Director, Corporate Parenting) registered her thanks to Kent’s district council partners who had delivered the 16 and 17 year old homeless pathway and were welcoming of the new framework in terms of supported accommodation.

a)    In response to a question, Naintara confirmed that all district councils were on board and had signed the revised protocol.

b)    In response to a question, Karen Mills said that an officer met with Swale district regularly to support joint panels.

c)    In response to a question, Karen Mills said that the efficiencies that needed to be made next year had already been identified or delivered. She said that Kent had been working very closely with existing providers to either reduce the hours of support or to reduce the hourly rate. She added that Kent were also hoping the make efficiencies through smarter procurement. She confirmed that an update would be brought back to the CYPE meeting in March 2018 to review progress. (CHECK WORK PROGRAMME)

1.    RESOLVED that the decision proposed to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, to:

i.        Award short-term interim contracts to continue to deliver Housing Related Support Services for vulnerable young people from 1 April 2018 to 30 September 2018

ii.        Award a new contract for a Supported Accommodation Service from 1 October 2018 to September 2023; and

iii.        Delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education, or other nominated officer to undertake the necessary actions to implement the decision,

be endorsed.