Issue - meetings

[To present an options appraisal and recommended option for Children's Residential Provision in Wolverhampton as part of the Council's overall Sufficiency Strategy]

1.      That the recommended option to progress the development of a full feasibility business case to create a new restorative practice, multi-agency Children’s Home(s) within the city be approved.

2.      That the allocation of £35,000 from the Transformation reserve for further development of the project’s overall business case to be presented to Cabinet (Resources) Panel in June 2022 be approved.

3.      That a strategic change in commissioning of spot purchasing local placements over out of city or national, in order to build successful stronger working relationships with our Wolverhampton providers and to ensure quality oversight improvements be noted.

Councillor Stephen Simkins moved the recommendations contained in the report Children’s Residential Provision Review.

Councillor Beverley Momenabadi reported on the proposal setting out the case for change in regard to options to meet the Council’s statutory duties for sufficiency of residential provision and the wider needs of the city’s children and young people in care. The preferred option was to create a new restorative practice, multi-agency Children’s Home(s) within the city.  Approval was requested to progress the development of a full feasibility business case for this option, and to the allocation of funding to develop that business case.

Resolved:

1.    That the recommended option to progress the development of a full feasibility business case to create a new restorative practice, multi-agency Children’s Home(s) within the city be approved.

2.    That the allocation of £35,000 from the Transformation reserve for further development of the project’s overall business case to be presented to Cabinet (Resources) Panel in June 2022 be approved.

3.    That a strategic change in commissioning of spot purchasing local placements over out of city or national, in order to build successful stronger working relationships with our Wolverhampton providers and to ensure quality oversight improvements be noted.