Agenda item

34.1     The Panel considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services which provided an update on the progress of the Local Offer for Care Leavers and options for the next steps in developing this offer.

34.2     Sally Carnie, Head of Looked After Children Services introduced the report and delivered a presentation to the Panel. The Panel were informed that Department for Education (DfE) guidance from 2018 required all local authorities to develop and publish a Local Offer, which ESCC subsequently published in 2019. Since then ESCC has undertaken the Coram Brightspots survey of care leavers regarding their views and experiences and have also used an audit tool developed by the charity Catch 22 and the National Care Leaver Benchmarking Forum to explore this area further. It is now proposed that ESCC use this information to review options for strengthening the Local Offer.

34.3     The Panel heard that in developing the Local Offer the Department are planning on holding a series of meetings with all departments of the Council and partner agencies to explore where further support could be provided to care leavers. The Corporate Parenting Panel will also be consulted and given opportunity to consider development options as the new Local Offer is developed.

34.4     The Panel welcomed the development of the Local Offer and discussed a number of points, including:

• Involvement from the Care Leavers Council: The Panel discussed the importance of ensuring that care leavers themselves play an active role in the development of the Local Offer and sought assurance that the Care Leavers Council would be involved. The Department confirmed that the views and ideas of the Care Leavers Council will form a key part of the engagement process when developing the new offer. The Panel further heard that one positive outcome of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has been the increased use of technology to convene meetings of the Care Leavers Council.  This has allowed the Department to have more regular conversations with the group to discuss elements of the new offer.
  
  
• Budget implications for the proposals: The Panel asked the Department whether ESCC is able to fund proposals which might be included in the strengthened Local Offer. In response the Panel were informed that the Department will, where possible, seek to ensure new proposals have ‘no cost or low cost’.  The Department may also have to moderate its aspirations if the budget for the service comes under pressure.  Members were also assured that the financial implications and any budget constraints will be carefully considered as the proposals evolve.
  
  
• Education and employment for care leavers: The Panel asked the Department for more detail regarding the steps being taken to ensure suitable education and employment opportunities are provided for care leavers within the new offer. Jill Nwokedi, Practice Manager for the Care Leavers Service, assured the Panel that these were key areas of focus and highlighted the important role that the Virtual School has had in ensuring that education is at the forefront of the support for care leavers. The Panel also heard that the role of apprenticeships and work experience for care leavers is already embedded within the offer, but that the role of mentoring, in particular for young men, is a new area which the Department will be taking forward alongside local employment groups.

34.5     The Panel highlighted the importance that they feel Members can play in supporting all LAC and Care Leavers.

34.6     RESOLVED – to note the report.