To receive an update on Mark Ridell (National Implementation Advisor for Care Leavers at the Department for Education) visit and implementation of action plan for care experienced young people and how we deliver housing to care experienced young people.

Members considered the submitted report which provided an update on support to care experienced young people including housing which remained an urgent need to help provide a foundation of stability to enable them to achieve their full potential and achieve a sense of safety.  The report highlighted that at the end of 2023/2024 there was evidence that 81% of Torbay’s care experienced young people were assessed as living in suitable accommodation.  As of June 2024, this was now 94% which was above the national figure of 88%.

It was highlighted that in May the Department for Local Government and Communities and Department for Education looked to increase joint working in housing and children with joint governance arrangements and joint decision making.  This aligned with the updated Youth Homeless Protocol and the recommendations from Mark Rydell had been included in the new Corporate Parenting Plan which was endorsed by the Corporate Parenting Board in April 2024 to ensure that the placement was safe and meets the needs of the care experience young person.  This also links to the Corporate Parenting Strand which had achieved 38% of its action plan. 

Members asked a number of questions in relation to why the report did not include a more detailed update on the action plan around housing; what progress had been made around prioritising new properties for care experienced through the planning system; what was the likelihood of care experienced people being included in the YMCA housing proposal; when the bid for YMCA housing proposal was put in it was for a house with units for care experienced young people, they had previously said that they did not want to be identified in that way what has changed; and if a care experienced young person was offered a placement in the YMCA project and they turn it down what would happen.

It was noted that work was ongoing with the Planning department around Section 106 Agreements and also conversations with Procurement around social value and TOMS (Themes, Outcomes and Measures) for contracts to help provide support to care experienced people.  This was part of the ambition for a corporate approach to Corporate Parenting.  The Council’s Business Plan had also been amended for care experienced young people to be given a priority in all references to housing.

Members were advised that the YMCA proposal was looking at two sites and that they would also provide transitional placements for care experienced young people.  They would be part of the options offered, with a young person being able to refuse an option and then revisit other viable options including friends, family and other block contracts.  Some groups, particularly asylum seeking young people wanted to see a sense of community being with other similar people.

Resolved (unanimously):

1.       that the Sub-Board endorses a joint update to the Youth Homelessness Joint Protocol by Children’s and Housing, to incorporate the proposals to amend governance processes outlined in the submitted report. This will include an agreed process for senior leader sign off of intentional homeless decisions from both Housing and Children’s; and

2.       that all further updates regarding care experienced and housing/accommodation should be jointly authored and presented to the Sub-Board by Children’s and Housing, to further enhance joint working and responsibility.