Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Looked After Children Service Manager concerning the LA duty to support vulnerable 16 and 17 year olds.

The previous report had detailed information about potential demand for this provision but it was still unclear what the overall level of demand would be.  However since the beginning of November 2009, 6 young people aged 16 and 17 had presented to Key Choices as homeless and were deemed to require a joint assessment.  Of these, 3 were fleeing alleged physical or emotional abuse or domestic violence; 2 had been evicted by parents and one had been living with friends and could no longer stay there.  Immediate accommodation had been provided for 5 of the girls, one found her own accommodation with a friend.  Three girls were placed in crisis accommodation with support form the tenancy support staff; one placed in a refuge and one in a hostel.  Since then two had returned home and one had moved into hostel accommodation.

During the same period 4 young people aged 16-17 had been accommodated under S20 by the Local Authority and the Leaving Care Service was supporting 8 people who were seeking asylum.

A multi agency task and finish group were established in November 2009 to ensure all agencies worked together to develop a clear strategy and they had met on 3 occasions. A sub group was currently meeting to refine the process map and develop a joint assessment framework.

Information on the implications of this ruling had been shared with all teams within Children’s Social Care and Housing Services and interim guidance stated that the team approached by the child would provide immediate direct support to the child and liaise with other teams as relevant. This would ensure that Children aged 16 and 17 were not passed from one service to another. An immediate assessment would be undertaken and the young person would either be accommodated under S20 or supported accommodation would be sought. Where the child was accommodated under S20, primary responsibility would be held by Children’s Social Care and where the immediate assessment identified that the young person was able to live in supported accommodation, Key choices would liaise with housing partners to ensure appropriate supported accommodation was provided. A child in need assessment must then be completed by the Children’s Social Care locality team responsible for the locality in which the child’s parents or person with parental responsibility lives.

A number of other working groups also contributed to this agenda and to the work of the 16 and 17 year old Homelessness task and finish group.

A full needs assessment and strategic review of Care Placements was also in progress, which aimed to ensure sufficiency of accommodation for Looked after Children and to develop appropriate preventative strategies, including work with children on the edge of care and young people at risk of homelessness through family breakdown.

Neighbourhoods and Adult Services were also reviewing the feasibility of the development of differing accommodation options for 16 and 17 year old homeless young people.

Discussion took place around the accommodation available to 16 and 17 year olds and concerns were raised that they were generally in undesirable areas and therefore their safety was in question.  It was confirmed that there was a range of accommodation available to young people, some was good and some not so good.  Work was ongoing between colleagues in Children and Young Peoples Services and Neighbourhoods and Adult Services to improve this.

A further discussion took place around how effective the children in need assessments were, what the demand was for them, and how they were monitored.  It was confirmed that recently there had been an increase in demand, with more children presenting themselves which was placing additional pressure on the service. 

Agreed:- (1) That the content of the report be noted.

(2) That the work of the task and finish group be endorsed.

(3) That further update reports be presented to the panel.