Issue - meetings

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People), which set out the local offer and extension of personal advisor support to care leavers.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 (the Act) required Councils to publish a local offer for care leavers.  The local offer was a document that outlined the services and support that would be available to care leavers in the local area where they lived when they left care. It should include information about legal entitlements (rights) as well as any extra support that the Council might choose to give.  Some of these would have direct cost implications to the Council.  Section one of the Act lists the corporate parenting that local authorities must follow in supporting looked after children and care leavers.  These were:

•   To act in the best interests, and promote the physical and mental health and wellbeing, of those children and young people.

•   To encourage those children and young people to express their views, wishes and feelings.

•   To take into account the views, wishes and feelings of those children and young people.

•   To help those children and young people gain access to, and make the best use of, services provided by the local authority and its relevant partners.

•   To promote high aspirations, and seek to secure the best outcomes, for those children and young people.

•  For those children and young people to be safe, and for stability in their home lives, relationships and education or work.

•   To prepare those children and young people for adulthood and independent living.

These principles underpinned Sections two and three of the Act. Section two of the Act required local authorities to consult on and publish a Local Offer for their care leavers. Coventry City Council had carried out a range of consultation activity with care leavers to gain feedback on what they would like to see in the Local Offer. This Local Offer must be published by the end of 2018.

Section three of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 had introduced a new duty on local authorities, which required them to offer Personal Adviser support to all care leavers up to age 25. The report submitted highlighted the financial implications of this requirement.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1.  Approves the proposed Local Offer as set out in this report and attached at Appendix A to the report.

2.  Agrees to the principles which will form part of the review of the housing allocations policy and to any consultation, if required, to ensure care leavers are suitably supported.

3.  Agrees to identify additional resource £130K within the budget setting process to fund the recommended care leaver offer.