Colin Parr, Strategic Director for Environment and Climate Change will present a verbal update on the Role of the Corporate Parent.
Contact:
Colin Parr, Strategic Director for Environment and Climate Change
Minutes:
The Board considered an update on the Directorate for Growth and Regeneration’s role as Corporate Parent, presented by David Shepherd, Strategic Director for Growth and Regeneration who highlighted that:
· The Directorate for Growth and regeneration was formed less than 2 years ago and there were 3 service areas which included, Homes and Neighbourhoods, Skills are Regeneration and Development.
· The Young People’s Pathway sat within Homes and Neighbourhoods and provided targeted support to tenants under 25 years of age including Care Leavers.
· Assessments were undertaken and individual bespoke support plans were developed with the relevant services.
· There were regular check points throughout the tenancy, so support could be provided when required to ensure a successful tenancy.
· Additional support could be added to the pathway if required, such as money advice, income management, employment support etc, with the young person’s consent.
· There was an allocations policy in place that gave young people priority (Band A), particularly Care Leavers.
· Accommodation support was available for people who were accommodating young people i.e., foster cares, who were awarded Band C to access council accommodation.
· The Pre-Apprenticeship Programme was a 26-week unpaid study programme for 16 –18 year olds, which ran annually.
· Its aim was to engage young people as they entered young adulthood to build on their skills and help them become successful in labour market engagement.
· It brought together all services to support the young person as well as those who disengaged.
· Multi Systemic Therapy Family Integration Transition (MSTFIT) was targeted at 11 to 17 year olds with behavioural difficulties. It supported unified work with families to help get them out of care.
· Joint work with Housing Solutions and Homes and Neighbourhoods had proved successful in re-housing families.
· Most children had a stay at Healds house as part of the initial transition model whilst ongoing work was undertaken with the child and family to identify a suitable property.
· An allocation’s policy review would explore how managed lets could accommodate this rather than using ‘choose and move’, to provide a better match of property and ensure a higher potential for success.
· Although there were just short of 22,000 Council properties, there was not a great supply of properties and turnover each year, therefore the more properties taken out for managed lets resulted in less properties being available to others.
· In terms of Fostering and Adoption, work was undertaken to engage with Children’s Services, support staff and families to find solutions to issues in relation to housing.
· Creative approaches were necessary to provide solutions, using the available resources.
· There was a dedicated employment support function within the Directorate which engaged all partners to develop bespoke arrangements, particularly for Care Leavers Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).
· There was an action board in place that monitored and managed the support that was provided to NEET Care Leavers.
· Kickstart was available for young people, particularly Care Leavers to actively engage them with private sector employers who were sponsored through the scheme.
· More employment opportunities were becoming available for young people as the economy bounced back following the Covid-19 pandemic.
· Lots of sectors were looking for people to move into entry level jobs which the Kickstart Programme supported in terms of employer funding and a package of support for the young person.
· Social value arrangements were always evolving, and services bought in through procurement arrangements were required to demonstrate and deliver them.
· The Cultural Heart (a large-scale regeneration programme) strategic delivery team were asked to carry out social engagement with young people, which included working with schools to provide opportunities of working with employers and to inspire young people to be part of the regeneration.
· The aim was to engage Care Leavers in the process, with a view to standardising this through the procurement process.
The Board raise concern that information in relation to the Works Better programme, Kickstart programme and social values arrangements was not shared directly with Foster Carers and questioned how this could be done better? David Shepherd noted the concern and agreed to distribute information, so everyone had access to it.
The Board highlighted the Pre-Apprenticeship Scheme and questioned the number of places available. David Shepherd responded to advise that he did not have the information but agreed to provide it. David shared that the scheme was not limited by the number of places but was about engaging young people to help them see it as something that worked for them. David also shared that the schemes were very well attended and attractive, and provided the opportunity to bring young people through into to employment with the right support packages in place for them to succeed.
The Board asked for more information about the approach to engagement with Care Leavers suggesting that it was important to communicating with Personal Advisors (PA’s) as well as Carers. Ophelia Rix, Head of Service for Children in Care, Care Leavers and Looked After Children added that Personal Advisors were now involved at the early age of 15 in relation to planning and aspirational opportunities. Links were already developed with other services.
David Shepherd responded to agree that early engagement was best, and that Phil Marks and Gillian Wallis were the people to liaise with.
RESOLVED:
The Board noted the update on the Directorate for Growth and Regeneration’s role as Corporate Parent, and agreed that:
1. Further information in relation to the Works Better programme, Kickstart programme and social values be shared with Foster Carers.
2. The number of places available on the Pre-Apprenticeship Programme be provided.