The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing presented a report informing Cabinet of the work that had been undertaken as part of the Remodelling Children’s Residential Services project and seeking approval to implement a proposed new model for Children’s Residential Services.

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing explained that Children’s Social Care Services currently provided residential placements for looked after children through two homes, Sunnybank and Newbridge House located within the County Borough. She explained that feedback from staff during engagement sessions identified a number of issues with the existing service model and the ways homes were currently structured as listed in the report. The Directorate also provided an internal supported lodgings service to young people not yet ready to live completely independently. Reference was also made to the high cost out of county residential placements with on average, 10 young people placed out of county at any one time. A number of individuals could have remained in –county if there was a more effective service model in place.

A significant amount of engagement had taken place to inform the proposed model including research into innovation and best practice across the UK and engagement with current and former residents of the residential homes. 

In November 2017 and January 2018, the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered reports and a presentation on the proposed model. The Scrutiny Committee commended the report and asked for consideration to be given to joint regional training, foster carer contracts and career development and contingency planning when it came to the implementation planning process.

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing outlined the ideal model which created a wider variety of internal placements which were flexible enough to meet the increasingly complex needs of the children and young people becoming looked after. The model also created more placement options for children and young people to be placed closer to home ensuring the option of bringing back young people placed out of county. She explained that a full implementation plan had been developed, with the aim of the model being fully implemented by the end of 2018/19.

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing outlined the key elements of the proposed new model, the increase in spending on therapeutic services, the introduction of transitional carers and the new training programme. She also explained the financial implications based on fundamental assumptions which officers forecast would result in the cost reductions set out in the report.         

The Cabinet Member for Social Services and Early Help welcomed the report and he said that he was pleased with the engagement and the comments received and he recognised that there was still a lot of work to do after a young person had left care.  

The Leader stated that he was pleased that the proposals had been scrutinised twice and that there was support from the backbench members. Young people had been consulted early in the process and he asked for confirmation that these proposals would meet their needs. The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing explained that she believed it would meet their needs and it would also give a lot more flexibility and help avoid sending young people out of county. Officers had also shared the proposals with the courts where they had been well received.

RESOLVED:           Cabinet:

•  Noted the information contained in the report.

•          Provided views on the proposed new model for residential placements

•           Approved the implementation of the proposed new model for residential placements and associated changes in allowances for carers.