Agenda item

The Committee considered a joint report of the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services and Director of Local Delivery / Joint Head of Integrated Strategic Commissioning for NHS Northeast and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board and Durham County Council which provided members with an update of the Sufficiency Strategy for Children in Care and Care Leavers 2022-2024.

The Project Manager CYPS Accommodation, Lindsey Herring shared a presentation that outlined the 2 year strategy which had been published in March 2022. The strategy looked at Durham’s approach to securing sufficient accommodation that met the needs of children in care (CIC) and care leavers as stated in section 22G of the Children Act 1989, to take steps to secure, as far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation for looked after children within their local authority area.

The presentation outlined the achievements and progress made against the actions within the current strategy, and the work being carried out to help shape the new Sufficiency Strategy to be completed mid 2025. The new strategy will reflect changes to the children’s social landscape and the DfEs new policy paper published in November 2024 (Keeping children safe, helping families thrive) and new legislation outlined in the Children’s Wellbeing Bill. She went on to outline the challenges with the offer of specialist provision for an increased number of older children coming in to care, complex needs children and unaccompanied young people (USAC). The focus of key priorities included retaining and recruiting foster cares, increased adoption rates, further develop residential care home provision and broadening the offer to care leavers/UASC and short breaks for disabled children and their families.

Mrs Gunn highlighted a point made in the presentation relating to a 143% increase in CIC spend which had been driven by caseload growth (23%), placement mix (30%) and a rise in unit cost (47%). The Project Manager CYPS Accommodation responded that the impact on the budget was clear with increased spend as a result of more CIC with complex needs in placements that had increased costs. Mrs Gunn went on to ask a question regarding the short break strategy and how it supported access for all. The Project Manager CYPS Accommodation clarified that the short break strategy was deliberately called a flexible service as it was accessible to all children and young people not just those with an identified need.

The Project Manager CYPS Accommodation responded to a question regarding the challenges faced when identifying a property for housing young people. It was key to engage with Local Members in an area to keep them informed of plans and gain the support of the local community. The properties’ locations were reviewed by the Police as to the safety of the area and stability. Local Members can support with embedding new Childrens home within the community through sharing a positive perception and the impact that these facilities can have on a CIC.

The Chair added that we all had a duty of care to ensure the safety and happiness of communities and the children looked after by DCC children’s homes.  The Vice Chair commended the swift progress with broadening provision of DCC operated CIC provision.

Resolved: That the contents of the report and presentation be noted by the Committee.