Cabinet considered the report regarding the Sufficiency Strategy for Children Looked After, 2020 To 2025.

The Chairman reported that the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Children Services, Health and Mental Health was not able to present the report due to Government commitments.

The Chairman informed Cabinet that the Sufficiency Strategy outlines how the Royal Borough will ensure that children and young people who need to be in care, can grow up in high quality homes that meet their immediate needs and provide them with permanence at the earliest opportunity.

It sets out how the Council will meet the placement and housing needs of these children and young people, including increasing opportunities for children to live in local foster families, developing local residential care provision and supported accommodation, and by commissioning specialist placements where this is required.

The Executive Director of Children’s Services informed that the report had been produced in partnership with AFC.  There had been a delay in producing the strategy due to the Pandemic.    As corporate parents, the Royal Borough was committed to ensuring children and young people in care achieve the best possible outcomes and are well prepared and supported to move confidently into adulthood with the support they need. 

There had been a focus on sharper commissioning and securing local placements and the development of Achieving for Children’s independent fostering agency and an in-house residential children’s home, Hope House in Teddington, has helped to increase in house provision but further work was required to ensure there are sufficient local housing and care placements for the Royal Borough’s children in care. 

Because of the trauma coming into care may require initial therapeutic care before a child’s placement is found.  Paragraph 2.6 of the report showed the Sufficiency Strategy outlines 11 priorities to improve the availability of housing and care placements for the children in care.

Cllr Tisi mentioned that she would encourage people to consider becoming foster parents and was pleased to see the in house fostering agency.  She mentioned that the report says that demand would outstrip supply and it costs more to place children further away.  We do not currently have a foster home within the borough and if going down the same line as Richmond it seems we will have a small home.   Children have better outcomes if in a foster care placement.  She asked if there was a conflict with the need to save money against providing the best for our young people. 

The Executive Director replied that she was absolutely right that we have to make sure that any provision is the right provision for a young person to give them the best quality care.  What we have experienced through AFC is they have been able to provide a stable group of professionals working around those young people who have not been walked away from.  The support provided was not a cheap option but what it shows is a commitment to those young people and that we can help them transfer into a stable either family-based environment or as they perhaps reach adolescence a secure and safe independent living.

Cllr Baldwin mentioned the progression of young people within the system and the importance of transition between children’s services and adult services, he asked if progress had been made.  The Executive Director replied that the aim of this report is to provide support for children within the system so they would not need support from adult services. The aim is to have successful transition into adulthood with support continuing until the age of 25.  For those who we know will need adult support transition plans were in place at the age of 13 to 25 and above the legal requirements. 

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

i)                 Approves the publication and implementation of the Sufficiency Strategy for Children Looked After 2020 to 2025.