Cymraeg

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Agenda item

Closer to home/development of accommodations options for children and young people in Cardiff

To receive an update on the development of accommodation options for children and young people living in Cardiff.

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Councillor Graham Hinchey (Cabinet Member for Children and Families), Sarah McGill (Corporate Director, People and Communities), Deborah Driffield (Director, Children’s Services) and Kate Hustler (Operational Manager, Substitute Family Care in Social Services) to the meeting.

 

Councillor Hinchey was invited to make a statement, during which he referred to the history of the Closer to home/development of accommodations options for children and young people and referred to the high quality accommodation provided at Falconwood.

 

Members were provided with a presentation outlining the development of accommodation options for children and young people in Cardiff.

 

Members were asked to comment or raise questions on the information received.  Those discussions are summarised as follows:

 

·         Members noted that out of county placements were increasing and were interested in the target for out of county placements over the next 2 years. Members were advised that the out of county concept is misleading because of the size and layout of Cardiff. More than 70% of out of county placements are within an hour’s travel time of Cardiff. The Closer to home concept makes more sense. What is necessary to accommodate and support young people in Cardiff is more important.

 

·         Members were advised that it was not desirable to place children and young people far from Cardiff when it is not in their best interest, but it is sometimes necessary to do so when the resources are not available locally. It is not sensible to set targets for the number of children placed locally, but the intention would always be for children to keep their links with their schools, families and communities as long as they were able, and to access local career opportunities when leaving care.

 

·         Members were further advised that a high percentage of children and young people are living with family or friends outside Cardiff or Wales, but it was in their best interest to do so. The aim is for Cardiff children to be in Cardiff homes. Once there is a preferred provider within Cardiff, children are identified who are willing and able to move back to Cardiff. It is still necessary to place some children outside Cardiff because of the risks to them in the local community. Some children placed outside do not wish to return because they are settled and doing well where they are. It is still not possible to provide sufficient accommodation internally and some reliance must still be placed on external private sector providers, although the balance is shifting.

 

·         Members were advised that significant progress had been made against what was initially very limited provision in Cardiff. Whether or not the Council directly provides the support service it is desirable that the Council owns the facility. This ensures the Council has a role in deciding placements within the facility, and allows for flexible provision should needs change. A programme board has been established and new schemes are added. Some are specifically for children. There is increasing need for the Young Persons Gateway. Tenders are awaited for The Citadel which will provide self-contained accommodation for 16-plus with complex needs. The collaborative working and alignment of service that is evident is commendable.

 

·         Members discussed community liaison. Councillors sometimes have to deal with community members who are not sympathetic to the needs and experiences of children and young people within homes. Members sought information on the process of engaging positively with the community where new accommodation is planned or underway. Members were advised that in the case of Falconwood the Council began engaging with neighbours while the development work was ongoing, and the neighbours have been supportive. Police and PCSOs have been invited to Falconwood and are familiar with the staff and residents. The children are participating in local sports teams and an effort is being made to embed the development in the community. The development has been well-received which is not the case with all developments. The Council would seek to follow the same process with future internal developments.

 

·         Members were further advised that the key was to have the right property in the right place. Spatial issues that impact on the local community need to be addressed. It was important to remember that the children were the Council’s corporate responsibility and needed the Council’s protection. Councillors had to engage positively with local communities in support of such developments. It is important that the children should not be isolated but should be embedded in the community. As community leaders and representatives Councillors need to be at the forefront of that. It is sometimes a difficult conversation but one that needs to happen.

 

·         Members were reminded that there was a distinction between Council provision and independent provision and advised that the Council was reviewing and improving processes, building links and discussing plans with preferred providers and local communities. This was still in the early stages. The Council will be relying on the independent sector for some time. The Council is concerned to ensure that when providers come into Cardiff, the places are filled with children from Cardiff and not children from elsewhere. It is also concerned to ensure independent providers and young people are involved in the community.

 

·         Members were advised that the high cost of property in Cardiff had also led to a reliance on providers outside the city. The Welsh Government was now supporting the Council to increase provision in the city.

 

·         Members sought clarification on whether the Council would have the capacity to provide permanent residential placements for children who were unable after assessment to go into foster care, return to family or go to a kinship placement. Members were advised that it would be clear after assessment that some children need to be in a small residential unit. It is hoped that the Council would be able to support them in a small local unit where they would be able to attend a school and have links with family where possible.

 

·         Members were advised that feedback indicates that many providers are reconsidering investing in Wales for fear of being unable to keep their profits. Profit is not necessarily a bad thing depending on what is done with it. The Council will continue to be reliant on the independent sector for some time because it will not be able to make sufficient in-house provision for at least 18 months.

 

·         Members commended the staff at Falconwood assessment centre on their commitment to the children in their care. Members invited Officers to return to the Committee with the success stories from the centre in 6 months.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations during the way forward.

 

Supporting documents:

 

To request a document in an accessible format please e-mail us.

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