Issue - meetings

Report of the Assistant Director - Economic Growth and Housing

Further to Minute No 14 (8) (2) of the meeting held on 17 September 2024 the Committee considered the report of the Assistant Director – Economic Growth and Housing that provided an update on work done with social housing providers in the borough to develop a Care Experienced Young People (CEYP) Housing Charter, and to address issues highlighted by CEYP about their own experiences of moving into tenancies of their own when they reached 18.

The report indicated that the Corporate Parenting Board had heard direct experiences from two CEYP about moving into their own tenancies aged 18; that this resulted, in June 2024, of a meeting of the Strategic Housing Partnership themed around such experiences of CEYP; that senior representatives from five of our main Registered Housing Providers attended the meeting including two Chief Executives and importantly, by 8 Care Experienced Young People; and that the housing providers who attended agreed in principle to work with the council to develop a Charter outlining a shared commitment to improving housing outcomes for care leavers and that this would be taken forward through a Task and Finish Group.

The report also provided a summary of actions in relation to allocations and a ‘House to Home’ Pilot Project.

The report concluded by detailing the Care Experienced Housing Charter, a copy of which was appended to the report, that had been developed jointly with providers through a Task and Finish Group. The Charter outlined ways that providers would support CEYP moving into tenancies of their own, and thereafter, but it was acknowledged that although the common understanding and commitment that had been shown by partner housing providers in the borough was positive, it was recognised that alone the Charter did not guarantee all the outcomes that the Council would wish for CEYP; that regular catch-up monitoring meetings would be arranged with colleagues in the Leaving Care Team to understand if the commitments made in the Charter were being followed through, and if not these would be addressed on a case by case basis;  and that the work undertaken to date to improve outcomes for CEYP in Sefton had been made significantly easier through the example shown by One Vision Housing and thanks were extended to OVH for their commitment to this work.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       the work detailed in the report was praised 

·       the positive experiences of young people who had engaged with Property Pool and Sefton Council Children’s Services

·       what additional support was offered alongside housing for long term stability

RESOLVED:

That the report updating on work done with social housing providers in the borough to develop a Care Experienced Young People Housing Charter be noted.