To receive a report highlighting the impact of new legislation introduced by the Children and Social Work Act 2017 on young people leaving care.

The Panel considered a report of the Executive Member for Families, Education and Children on the impact of the new legislation introduced by the Children and Social Work Act 2017 and the support provided to the young people leaving care in Central Bedfordshire.

The Director of Children’s Services explained that the wording of recommendations 2 and 3 in the report needed to amended as the recommendations were not within the remit of the Corporate Parenting Panel.  The recommendations would be referred to the Corporate Resources OSC and the Executive.

Points and comments included:

·         The Director of Children’s Services explained that the two key areas in the report were the exemption from council tax for Care Leavers in Central Bedfordshire and the duty of the local authority to assist Care Leavers in, or preparing for, adulthood and independent living up to the age of 25 in accordance with new legislation introduced by the Children and Social Work Act 2017.

·         The purpose of the report was to outline the holistic thinking around the support offered to young people leaving care in Central Bedfordshire and the need for a bespoke solution for each young person.

·         Key message from care leavers included concern about becoming 18 and not having any support available.

·         Members of the Panel were advised that the possibility of offering incentives to reward young people for their work at school or college was being explored.

·         Central Bedfordshire Council currently offered Bikeability cycle training courses to equip young people with practical skills and understanding about cycling on roads.

·         Central Bedfordshire Council’s Care Leavers offer includes educating young people about how to budget in additional to how to access support about debt management problems and to provide support for the process of applying for a passport,

·         A member of the Panel said it was important for young people to have access to Wi-Fi technology and suggested that potentially a mobile phone company could be approached for this provision. It was acknowledged that this may be difficult as everyone has their preference in terms of how thy access internet and which provider they use.

·         Members of the Panel needed be mindful of the costs outlined in the report of a yearly reduction of council’s income of between £30k and £40k resulting from introduction of the Council Tax exemption and the total cost of £57k per year to increase the Leaving Care establishment from 7 Personal Advisers to 9.

·         The Director of Social Care, Health and Housing reiterated that it was important that the implications of the implementation of the exemption from council tax for Care Leavers in Central Bedfordshire were understood and that each case should be looked at on an individual basis.

·         Members of the Panel agreed that the figures given in the report and the financial implications needed to be explored in greater detail and asked that further costings be undertaken.

RESOLVED

1.    that the impact of the new legislation be noted.

2.    that the proposed solution and financial implication in addressing the impact of the new legislation by increased the Leaving Care establishment from 7 Personal Advisers to 9 with a total cost of £57k/year be supported in principle subject to further costings being explored in greater detail and reported at the next meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel to enable the Panel to finalise the recommendations to Corporate Resources OSC and the Executive.

3.    that the implementation of Council Tax exemption (when appropriate) for Central Bedfordshire Council’s Care leavers up to the age of 25 living within Central Bedfordshire Council’s borders be explored in greater detail and further costings reported at the next meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel to enable the Panel to finalise the recommendations to Corporate Resources OSC and the Executive.