Agenda item

Lesley Hagger, Director of Children’s Services, Northamptonshire County Council, and Suzanne Binley, Business Manager, Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board, advised that over the last period 60 young people, under the age of 18, were referred to the MASH, as homeless.  There are a broad number of reasons for this including family fallout,  sofa surfing stopping, not wanting to be tracked down.    It is very rare for young people to choose to be homeless.  There are limited options available to them.  Homeless young people are the statutory responsibility of Children’s Services.

The Scrutiny Panel asked questions, made comment and heard:

·         A multi-Agency Task and Finish Group was set up in the summer 2016 and is working towards embedding and updating key Protocols.  A Protocol for 16-17 year olds has been in place since November 2015.  It has been reviewed and revisited.

·         There is a lot of collaborative working and a lot of impetus to get the Protocol working well.

·         A Homeless Family Protocol is being developed, along with a Pre Eviction Protocol and Care Leavers’ Protocol.  Good progress is being made

·         Children’s Services, NCC, and Housing and Wellbeing, NBC, are working closely regarding intentionally homeless families.   There is a good working relationship.   There is a multi-Agency approach.  There is a need to look at preventative measures. 

·         Children cannot be allowed to sleep rough. If a young person is found to be sleeping rough, the appropriate action is taken.

·         The Scrutiny Panel heard of the procedure that Melton Borough Council has implemented regarding potential evictions as it had been found it was more expensive to evict that look at other options.  Therefore alternative options are investigated.

·         It is ensured that there are clear and robust procedures in place regarding families with no recourse to public funds.

·         The Scrutiny Panel was referred to the Legislation “Staying Put” where a young person can stay in care, if in full time education until the end of the academic year that they are 18.

·         New Legislation “Staying Close” means young people living in children’s homes, and have to leave the accommodation at 18, will be placed in accommodation near to the children’s home so that they can maintain links

·         The majority of 18 year olds move into independent, supported accommodation.  The accommodation has to be 100% suitable for the young person.

·         The housing process is complex. It is a legal process that has to be followed. Individuals have to explain how they became homeless.

·         The Scrutiny Panel heard that rough sleepers had increased by 20%

·         The Night Shelter will open on 6 February 2017, 60 volunteers will be recruited and trained.  A co-ordinator and an assistant for the Night Shelter have been recruited.  Both have a wealth of experience in managing volunteers.

·         The Night Shelter will be open every day until September 2018.  There are different arrangements for women.

·         In response to a question, Lesley Hagger undertook to provide statistics regarding the number of children missing education due to their housing situation.

·         The Scrutiny Panel commented that often families have a choice to either feed their children or send them to school.  There is a need to find homeless families accommodation in Northampton. It was suggested that a potential recommendation of the final report could be around this issue such as “it is recommended that it is explored that the Authority is doing all it can to ensure people who present and are assessed as homeless remain the borough.”

·         It was noted that the Homeless Families Protocol looks at early intervention to prevent families becoming homeless.

·         The Scrutiny Panel heard that people are placed in temporary accommodation outside the borough as there is genuinely no spaces within the borough.

·         Rising private sector rents is a key reason for homelessness.

Lesley Hagger and Suzanne Binley were thanked for their informative address.