Agenda item
Support for Care Leavers Task Group
Minutes:
Background:
This report asked Members to consider the final report of the in-depth review that had considered support for care leavers in Medway.
It was noted that the Task Group had considered the scope and complexity of the services available for care leavers, together with the potential impact on Medway Council’s children and adults services and the Council’s partners. Having reviewed existing internal and external provision of services, the Task Group brought together evidence and identified both positive practices and some gaps where improvements were already being made or could be made to close these gaps and improve the overall experiences for care leavers to smoothen their transition into young adulthood.
A copy of the Task Group’s final report was attached at Appendix A.
The Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered the Task Group report on 25 March 2015 and details of the discussion were set out in section 7 of the report. The Committee had endorsed the report, subject to reference to the recent statutory guidance on promoting the health and wellbeing of looked after children (which had been incorporated within the version attached to the Cabinet report).
A Diversity Impact Assessment was attached to the Task Group report. This identified that a wide range of evidence was gathered to support the recommendations, which sought to improve opportunities for Care Leavers 18+ across a range of outcomes e.g. access to employment, education and training, suitable accommodation.
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Decision number: |
Decision: |
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50/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that the future Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) include within its Children in Care section, information on health outcomes and needs data for Care Leavers and recommended the Medway CCG, in partnership with the Council, ensure a focus on care leavers when commissioning services using evidence about their needs by using the JSNA. |
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51/2015 |
The Cabinet recommended that the Medway CCG, in partnership with the Council, work with provider agencies to develop and implement all age pathways that help bridge the gaps caused from transition from children to adult services (e.g. CAMHS, ADHD, SEN). |
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52/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that Personal Advisors receive additional support and training to provide: - a. Promotion of healthy lifestyles advice, including emotional wellbeing (engaging with Public Health on contributing to this via workforce development) b. Information on how to access support services where necessary. |
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53/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed to note and support the changes in relation to commissioning to improve choice and availability of accommodation and support options and that the impact and success of this be reviewed in six months time. |
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54/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that Partnership Commissioning (on behalf of Children Social Care) and Housing Services: - a. Review the newly commissioned supported accommodation and floating support arrangements to ensure compliance and that care leavers are being supported appropriately. b. Monitor allocations policy to ensure adequate and appropriate priority is being awarded to care leavers. c. Review the provision of arrangements where care leavers are provided with temporary housing to ensure that it is meeting demands and conforms with relevant standards and that targeted support is provided. |
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55/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that Children’s Social Care work with Children in Care Council and Care Leavers to develop a checklist of things that carers need to support looked after children to develop skills to be able to carry out by the age of 16 to help with their transition into independence (e.g. cook 7 simple nutritious meals, register with a GP, manage a budget). |
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56/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed to request that the Director of Children and Adult Services assess the resource viability of appointing at a low level of involvement, a Personal Advisor to each looked after child when they reach 17 to co-work with the young person’s Social Worker to build a relationship with the young person to improve transition arrangements and experience of the young person. |
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57/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that Director of Children and Adults Services explore the options of setting up a multi-agency hub for Care Leavers, possibly in partnership with another agency, to provide access to a one-stop-shop of support services, as well as informal and comfortable space where the young people can meet. |
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58/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that Personal Advisors receive additional support and training to be able to effectively signpost to Medway Youth Trust (MYT) for specialist careers advice. |
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59/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that Category Management ensure that support with securing employment, education or training opportunities is built in more formally into future commissioning and contractual arrangements. |
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60/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that a Looked After Child’s last Personal Education Plan (PEP) meeting also include: - a. The Personal Advisor so that ambitions and intentions are clear for transitional purposes. b. Mid-Kent College (or any other relevant higher/further educational establishment, including the Russell Group Universities) and employers where the child is transferring on from a school, to ensure all information is shared and transition is smooth. |
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61/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that the Director of Children and Adult Services recommend the Department for Education that guaranteed bursary funding should continue for students leaving care until they finish their education. |
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62/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that officers improve the offers of traineeships and apprenticeships in Medway to Care Leavers by working across the authority corporately to provide more wrap-around support to help them to succeed in these roles. |
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63/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that the Director of Children and Adult Services review current sufficiency of mentoring for Care Leavers in Medway and explore the feasibility of commissioning a mentoring scheme like the Care Ambassador Scheme in Hampshire County Council. Part of this review of mentoring will involve scoping the development of a scheme from across Medway Council staff. |
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64/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed to support the idea around developing use of social media technologies including an app if financially viable, plus exploring other options including the use of Facebook, dedicated website or use of the existing Children in Care Council website and other models. |
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65/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that the Children’s Social Care Service work in partnership with the Participation Service to deliver a phone survey with Care Leavers to obtain full and meaningful feedback about their experiences of services to improve delivery. |
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66/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that within the existing complement and through a review of service, the Director of Children and Adult Services aim to provide dedicated administration support for the Leaving Care Team. Administration support to this team should be specialised and can act as triage, thereby helping to build the team’s capacity in dealing with its Care Leavers, particularly if a low level of support is begun at 17 years old. |
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67/2015 |
The Cabinet agreed that in addition to the update report to the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on progress in 6-12 months time, the Corporate Parenting Board should regularly monitor the implementation of this report and its recommendations. |
Reasons:
The Task Group has considered the support for care leavers in Medway. This included evidence from Care Leavers themselves, a range of relevant partners, stakeholders and provider agencies, and from a Local Authority where their care leaving service was rated ‘outstanding’. The decisions seek to provide positive outcomes for Medway’s Care Leavers through a range of actions.
Supporting documents:
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