KCC Care Leavers Housing Update 5th February 2018 Caroline Smith Interim Assistant Director for Corporate Parenting

Kent Care Leavers There are currently 1431 Care Leavers in Kent that Kent County Council and the District Councils have responsibility for as corporate parents and our statutory requirement is to :- To allocate a Personal Advisor to support them To assess and review their needs through a Pathway Plan To stay in touch with them To ensure that they have access to suitable housing To support them in accessing Education, Employment or Training

Legislation and Guidance Law - Children Act 1989 and the Leaving Care Act 2000 National Guidance - The “Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations volume 3: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers” https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/upl oads/attachment_data/file/397649/CA1989_Transiti ons_guidance.pdf Local Policy - KCC has a policy for young people Leaving Care which can be found at: http://kentchildcare.proceduresonline.com/pdfs/leavi ng_care_policy.pdf

Care Leavers Charter To find you a home We will work alongside you to prepare you for your move towards independent living when you are ready. We will help you think about the choices available and to find accommodation that is right for you. We will do everything we can to ensure you are happy and feel safe when you move to independent living. We recognise that at different times you may need to take a step back and start over again. We will do our best to support you until you are settled in your independent life; we will not judge you for your mistakes or refuse to advise you because you did not listen before. We will work proactively with other agencies to help you sustain your home. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_da ta/file/264694/Care_leavers__charter.pdf

Transitions into Accommodation Foster Care Reaching 18 years of age University leaving to live at University Staying Put staying with Foster-Carer in a staying put arrangement Catch 22 supported Lodgings Placement Shared Accommodation living in the community with other Care Leavers in a shared house Foyer or YMCA Offer personal Development and support for young people Pathway Plan Other Accommodation Options with support, some have specialist support for teenage parents and vulnerable young people. All are for Young People, checked and supported by KCC (District Panels). Safety Pod Emergency temporary accommodation Independence moving to live in your own accommodation. The accommodation team work closely with the District Councils in Kent to find permanent move-on accommodation for Care Leavers.

Kent Care Leavers Numbers and Housing Arrangements Total Care leavers - 1431 (UASC – 847 / UK – 584) Current range of housing With parents or relatives/ Connected Person 197 Supported Lodgings (Not Former Foster Carer) 58 Independent Housing - KCC 497 Independent Housing - Social Housing 111 Independent Housing - Private Rental 149 University Housing 21 Semi-independent, transitional accommodation 119 Bed and Breakfast 4 Homeless/Sofa Surfing/Unknown 131 NHS/Community Home/Residential Care 9 Foyers 20 Emergency accommodation In custody 27 Supported Lodgings (Staying Put) 73 Ordinary Lodgings without formal support 10 Locked account - unable to view 1 Total (taken from Liberi Current Care Leavers Report) 1431

KCC 18+ Service Accommodation Team Andrew McDonald  Team Manager 07714487827 Dean Lawrence East Kent 07850715852 Jean Hargrave South Kent 07920154291 Emma Hookey North Kent & Medway 07740184730 Sam Norman North and West Kent 07595091243 Sarah Kilvington South Kent and Sheerness 07887915641 Office Numbers North and West Kent 18+ 03000 421124 South and East Kent 18+ 03000 410701

Children and Social Work Act 2017 The Children and Social Work Act 2017 (the Act) is intended to improve support for Looked After Children and Care Leavers, to promote the welfare and safeguarding of children and make provisions about the regulation of Social Workers. The offer of continued support to care leavers post 21; there needs to be a strategic plan in place in preparation for the potential impact of an open workload for Care Leavers, including Personal Advisors, should all Young People age 21 – 25 were to ask for a service. The act sets out Corporate Parenting Principles for the council as a whole to be the best parent for it’s children in care. These are largely a collation of existing duties local authorities have towards looked after children and those leaving care Local authorities will be required to publish their support offer to care leavers and to promote the educational attainment of children who have been adopted or placed in other long-term arrangements The legislation extends the current considerations of the court when making decisions about the long-term placement of children to include an assessment of current and future needs and of any relationship with the prospective adopter