Issue - meetings

Report of the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Watson

Commissioner:         Bradwell (in advisory role)

Recommendations:

1.    That approval be given to the implementation of the Children’s RAS as a tool to support social care assessments, associated financial allocation and the offer of Personal Budgets to disabled children, young people and their families from August 2017.

2.    That approval be given to a 12 month implementation period for the RAS tool based on the need to review children and young people’s current packages of care to inform their new packages of support supported by a personal budget.

3.    That approval be given to a three month notice period for packages of care assessed as lower than previously calculated, as new arrangements are being put into place.

Consideration was given to a report which proposed the introduction of a Resource Allocation System (RAS) for Children and Young People.

It was reported that the use of a RAS in Children and Young People’s Services would create a more equitable system and also provide some bench-marking and calculation of social care costs for children with SEND in Rotherham. Furthermore, the implementation of the RAS would take a year, and pilot use of the tool had demonstrated that in the majority of instances, care packages would remain unchanged by the system. However, plans for children and young people would become more clearly understood by all parties involved in a child or young person’s care and plans would be more child-centred. It was noted that where the pilot had demonstrated a lower figure for care than the family was receiving, that had been mitigated by the improved Care and Support plan which was the key feature of the proposed RAS. Families would be given sufficient time and support to find alternative packages of care, which would demonstrably meet their child or young person’s identified needs.

Commissioner Ney agreed:-

1.    That approval be given to the implementation of the Children’s RAS, as a tool to support social care assessments, associated financial allocation and the offer of Personal Budgets to disabled children, young people and their families from August 2017.

2.    That approval be given to a twelve month implementation period for the RAS tool based on the need to review children and young people’s current packages of care to inform their new packages of support supported by a personal budget.

3.    That approval be given to a three month notice period for packages of care assessed as lower than previously calculated, as new arrangements are being put into place.