Issue - meetings

Rachel Blundell and Dave Carr, Policy, Information and Commissioning (Start Well)

To receive an update on what work is being done around Block Purchasing and Supported Accommodation for Care Leavers.

Rachel Blundell and Dave Carr from Policy, Information and Commissioning Team (Start Well), Lancashire County Council, presented a report on supported accommodation for care leavers.  The County Council currently supported a range of accommodation for homeless young people and care leavers and recognised that there was more that was needed to be done to improve the quality and range of accommodation available and to ensure that the support on offer helped to improve outcomes.

An overview was given on 16 years and above Supported Accommodation Services and the presentation given is attached.  An audit of 11 cases had taken place and the results were presented.  It was not a great picture however, some of the decisions could well be through choice of that young person.  There were concerns around mental health, missing from home and child sexual exploitation.

There were some very good supported accommodation providers in Lancashire, but services were not regulated by Ofsted.

The County Council under its' Sufficiency Duty must ensure that there was sufficient suitable and appropriate accommodation to meet the needs of our Children Looked After and Care Leavers.

The Board noted the key objectives for the Council when placing our young people in supported accommodation and also detailed block contracts which were staffed 24 hours and the highest priority access was given to 16 and 17 year olds and other current supported accommodation services.

As part of the commission, a consultation took place online and in addition, met with young people in different settings to get feedback on supported accommodation.  Key findings were detailed in the presentation and young people will continue to be involved in the planning of service provision.

The Board were updated on the new arrangements and what would be different and under the new arrangements it would give a better oversight and ability to look at the quality and provision of housing.

Resolved:  That the Board noted the current plans to recommission provision and to comment on and to inform plans for a wider strategic view.