Agenda item

[To receive an update on the progress of the New Belongings Action Plan and impact on care leavers within Wolverhampton]

Alison Hinds, Head of Service, Looked After Children, presented a report which updated the Board on the progress being made in relation to the implementation of “New Belongings” and the impact of this on Care Leavers of the City of Wolverhampton Council. She explained that in order to meet the “New Belongings” criteria it had been necessary for the Council to:

·       Sign up to the Government’s Care Leavers Charter;

·       Have the personal support of the Managing Director who would ensure co-operation across the Local Authority and its partners to achieve the priorities of the project;

·       Have a commitment to meeting the “New Belongings” team at the mid-point of the project to review progress;

·       Have the personal support of the Leader who would engage with local groups and businesses that could offer opportunities and personal support to Care Leavers;

·       Have a commitment to create a Care Leaver Forum which had real voice and influence;

·       Have a commitment to develop a basic plan for the project, reflecting the Care Leavers’ survey and the Governments Care Leavers’ strategy; this would be delivered by a designated project lead and supported by sufficient resources including the Young Persons Advisors. The project plan needed to be approved and support given to the action plan for embedding into the Transition Service. The project was time-limited for 12 months and would be reported back to the Department for Education (DfE) and the Care Leavers’ Foundation.

She advised that it was anticipated that by participating the Council would be able to set the foundation for an effective relationship between the local authority and Care Leavers so that trust between the two could be developed further.

She referred to the improved communication between the Council and Care Leavers’ and the introduction of “Outcome Star” where all the Transition Team had been trained on its implementation, which was the tool that would be used with young people to measure progress and the impact of the support offered to Care Leavers. She reported also on the training available for internal and external foster carers’, the availability of a “training flat” which afforded young people an opportunity to try living independently and the increase in the housing offer. The project had also lead to a reduction in the number of Care Leavers’ not in Education, Employment or Training. She explained that the project presented an opportunity to increase the amount of work undertaken with partners to increase the offer to Care Leavers’. A further survey amongst Care Leavers’ was to be commenced shortly.

The Chair reported that the Cabinet had signed up formally to the Care Leavers Charter the previous evening and this decision would be ratified by the Council in due course.

Cllr Peter O’Neill welcomed the comments now made but expressed concern with regard to the mixed response received to the weekly Education Employment Training (EET) drop-in sessions which had begun in September 2015. He also took the opportunity to commend the Youth Zone and its success in engaging with Care Leavers’ from the outset. He commented that this particular initiative appeared to have been more successful in engaging with young people than the Youth Service had previously. The Head of Service, Looked After Children explained the reasons behind the mixed response and outlined the range of services available at the sessions. The Service Director for Children and Young People reported that approximately 75% of Care Leavers’ who were available for work were engaged in Education Employment or Training and undertook to circulate a breakdown of this information to the Board.

Cllr Martin Waite enquired as to whether use was made of external mentors to assist Care Leavers’ to find a pathway into work and to retain a position. He also questioned whether any work was carried out with larger employers in the city with regard to the corporate responsibility to Care Leavers’. Alice Vickers, Corporate Parenting Officers explained the initiatives which had been worked on with the Council’s Procurement Team to include opportunities for Care Leavers’ under social responsibility grounds in all contracts let by the Council. Furthermore, through the Care Leavers’ Charter work was on-going with Spellor Metcalfe, one of the Council’s contractors with a view to training being provided to increase the financial responsibility of Care Leavers’ in order to build confidence and obtain appropriate qualifications. This work would be used as a template for roll out to other Council contractors and large employers in the city. With regard to the use of external mentors, this was being examined but was already in place through the “Aspire to University” initiative. It was also used in the “Talent Match” initiative.

Cllr Jasbinder Dehar welcomed the introduction of the regular Care Leavers’ newsletter and the increased usage of Facebook to contact Care Leavers’. The Service Director,Children and Young People explained that the Facebook contact was through a closed group, that messages were checked each day and offered an opportunity to participate in employment interviews of appropriate employee positions. It had also been used recently to recruit Care Leavers’ as Counting Assistants on the forthcoming Police and Crime Commissioner election.

Cllr Peter O’Neill commented that given that the Minister of State had been involved in the launch of the “New Belongings” project he was surprised that no funding from Central Government was available. He suggested that recognition be sought in terms of a financial contribution. The Head of Service, Looked After Children advised that the Minister of State would receive feedback on the success of the project. The Service Director,Children and Young People reported that the Council enjoyed benefits wider than financial recognition through the project.

Resolved:

That the report be received and noted.