Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director for People and Neighbourhoods.

The report provides a refresh of our Children’s sufficiency strategy 2020-2023 setting out our refreshed sufficiency needs and approach to ensuring that we have sufficient homes for our children and young people in care for the period 2024 until 2027.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to review and comment upon the refreshed Children in Care Sufficiency Strategy.

Officer contact: Jeanette Warburton | jeanette.warburton@stockport.gov.uk

The Director for People and Neighbourhoods submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing details relating to a refresh of the Children’s Sufficiency Strategy 2020-2023 setting out the refreshed sufficiency needs and approach to ensuring that there were sufficient homes for the children and young people in care for the period 2024 until 2027.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education (Councillor Wendy Meikle) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·       Members welcomed the report and enquired about the funding support that was available. In response, it was noted that there were three routes for children to come to Stockport including the national transfer scheme, children arriving as adults into the borough and be resident and then their ages being challenged and finally spontaneous arrival which can be funded through the home office which can be claimed through the home office and also there are incentive markers to move children which was dealt with through the placements team.

·       Clarification was sought regarding the children in care data and the year on year increase. In response, it was noted that as children get older there were more complexities with their behaviour and relating to their needs.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.