Issue - meetings

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

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Watson (in advisory role)

Commissioner:         Bradwell

Recommendations:-

1.    That Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) become part of the next phase of DfE Innovation Funded Projects to explore the feasibility of developing an alternative housing solution for Care Leavers in Rotherham.

2.    That it be acknowledged that Rotherham Care Leavers will be responsible for the design, development and delivery of the project and will be supported by a range of officers from across the Council to ensure the project is delivered within the principles and practices of RMBC as well as the vision and principles of the project. (Appendix A).

Consideration was given to a report which detailed how the House Project (HP), a Department for Education (DfE) Social Care Innovation Fund Project, looked at creating a new model of supported housing for young people leaving care which had been initiated in Stoke-on-Trent.

The project was the first of its kind for care leavers in the UK and involved young people having a lead role in developing and running the overall project, as well as choosing and refurbishing their own tenancy and identifying the support needed to sustain it. 

The key elements of the project were the offer of suitable, safe and long-term post-care housing alongside a holistic and bespoke package of training and support that focused on increasing young people’s independent living and personal skills and their participation in education, employment and training (EET).

A key aim of the project was to reduce the feelings of isolation and powerlessness that many care leavers could experience after leaving care.

The House Project (HP) was based on a tenant-managed housing co-operative model, run for, and by, young people aged 16-18 who were leaving care.  The aim was to secure 10 properties at any one time, replacing allocated properties when they reverted to the Council alongside a bespoke package of support until the young person was considered ready and able to transition out of the project, at which point they and their home reverted to a standard long-term Council tenancy.

Rotherham had been approached by the DfE to become part of the next phase of Innovation projects and attracted £370,000 of DfE funding so was at no cost to the Council.

This report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board as part of the pre-scrutiny process who were in support of the recommendations, subject to the governance arrangements being clarified to include provision for oversight by non-executive Members, the Leaving Care Team linked into the Scrutiny Review of Modular Housing Solutions to examine how care leavers could be involved in its development and how care leavers with additional needs were included in the project.

Commissioner Kenny agreed:-

(1)  That Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) become part of the next phase of DfE Innovation Funded Projects to explore the feasibility of developing an alternative housing solution for Care Leavers in Rotherham.

(2)  That it be acknowledged that Rotherham Care Leavers will be responsible for the design, development and delivery of the project and will be supported by a range of officers from across the Council to ensure the project is delivered within the principles and practices of RMBC as well as the vision and principles of the project.

(3)  That the following recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board be accepted:-

(i)        That the governance arrangements be clarified to include provision for oversight by non-executive Members.

(ii)       That the Leaving Care Team links to the Scrutiny Review of Modular Housing Solutions to examine how care leavers can be involved in its development.

(iii)      That consideration be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 154

Consideration was given to a report which recommended participation in a project with funding from the Department for Education (DfE) which would aim to co-produce with care leavers an approach to finding alternative housing solutions for securing a permanent home for young people leaving care.

The proposed project was a DfE Innovation Funded project which sought to further test the idea of the House Project and to explore the possibilities of its application in other local authority areas. It was noted that a number of elements would need to be tested as part of the project. This would include:

·         Bringing young people together to develop and manage the project. More specifically RMBC will need to consider how young people become part of the management board and how they make an application to gain accommodation via the House Project as part of the first phase of the feasibility study.

·         Working with housing colleagues to determine the most appropriate accommodation strategy for the project. This will explore the feasibility of utilising council homes in the project, whilst recognising it must not disadvantage those already on the housing register or be detrimental to the Housing Revenue Account in terms of maintaining income collection rates and asset values.

·         Developing a personalised housing plan for each young person as soon as practicable to enable the property allocation process to work effectively and ensuring waiting times for properties to become available are not too long.

·         Working with young people to identify the right accommodation that meets their needs and be responsible for the accommodation.

·         Exploring what will be the best temporary tenancy/licensing arrangements and how the young people can transfer into a permanent home.

·         Working together to consider the scope of decision making for young people and what elements of housing management can be handed over to young people in a way that supports RMBC to manage the expectations of young people while at the same time shows commitment to the principles and values of the project.

The report recommended that the Cabinet progress the offer so that the Council could become one of the five areas taking forward an exploration of the feasibility of becoming involved in the development of a House Project.

Resolved:-

1.    That Commissioner Bradwell be advised that the recommendations be supported.

2.    That the governance arrangements be clarified to include provision for oversight by non-executive Members.

3.    That the Leaving Care Service link to the Scrutiny Review of Modular Housing Solutions to examine how care leavers can be involved in its development

4.    That consideration be given to how care leavers with additional needs are included in the project.

5.    That the Project Board for young people be established at the earliest opportunity.

6.    That consideration be given to how care leavers with additional needs are included in the project.