Agenda item

Youth Council

(time limit 20 minutes)

 

This Council notes that from the 1st April 2018 the law changed and Local Authority Children's Services must provide care leavers with support up to the age of 25 (even if they are not in education as used to be the case). This is in recognition that young people still need help and support in these early adulthood years. For most young adults that support comes from their own parents or family members, for many care leavers this support simply isn’t there.

Council recognises that over the past few years the Children in Care Council have made health a priority issue and have undertaken much work in this area to improve the health experiences of looked after children and care leavers.  This includes:

  • Creating the passport to independence that provides a comprehensive guide and information resource for care leavers including information and advice around health
  • Working with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and GP practices to raise awareness of the issues facing children and young people accessing primary care.
  • Addressing the CCG AGM and the Devolution Difference Conference sharing the perspective of care leavers and their health experiences.

Council notes:

  • The health inequality that is facing some of the Borough’s care leavers.
  • Currently the cost of an NHS prescription £8.80 per item.
  • For care leavers aged 19 – 25 who are in receipt of DWP benefits they are able to have free prescriptions as a national exemption criteria.
  • Care leavers who are in work or in higher education are not entitled to free prescriptions.
  • The Borough has 86 care leavers currently that are having to pay for prescriptions.
  • Many of these young people are on low income employment via apprenticeships, or are in higher education. They do not earn a lot of money.
  • With the money from their employment they are having to sustain a totally independent way of living, paying the rent, the bills, transport cost and food for example.
  • Many are managing on a very tight budget, where having to make a decision about paying for the medication needed or paying for food or fuel is a real choice.

Council recognises:

The Government’s corporate parenting principles, Principle 1 is ‘To act in the best interest and promote the physical and mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.’

  • Oldham Council takes its role as a corporate parent seriously and that health and improving the health and wellbeing of Oldham citizens is a high priority for Oldham.
  • Being ill isn’t something that anyone can plan for and the unforeseen cost of prescriptions is a concern and financial worry the Children in Care Council would like to see eradicated for care leavers now and in the future.
  • The cost of prescriptions is nothing compared to the health risks faced when the appropriate medication isn’t obtainable at the right time.

Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Health asking that care leavers until the age of 25 becomes a national exemption criteria on prescription charges.

 

Minutes:

The Youth Council PROPOSED the following MOTION:

 

“This Council notes that from the 1st April 2018 the law changed and Local Authority Children’s Services must provide care leavers with support up to the age of 25 (even if they are not in education as used to be the case).  This is in recognition that young people still need help and support in these early adulthood years.  For most young adults that support comes from their own parents or family members, for many care leavers this support simply isn’t there.

Council recognises that over the past few years the Children in Care Council have made health a priority issues and have undertaken work in this area to improve the health experiences of looked after children and care leavers.  This includes:

·       Creating the passport to independence that provides a comprehensive guide and information resource for care leavers including information and advice around health

·       Work with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and GP practices to raise awareness of the issues facing children and young people accessing primary care.

·       Addressing the CCG AGM and the Devolution Difference Conference sharing the perspective of care leavers and their health experiences.

Council notes:

·       The health inequality that is facing some of the Borough’s care leavers.

·       Currently the cost of an NHS prescription £8.80 per item.

·       For care leavers aged 19 – 25 who are in receipt of DWP benefits they are able to have free prescriptions as a national exemption criteria.

·       Care leavers who are in work or in higher education are not entitled to free prescriptions.

·       The Borough has 86 care leavers currently that are having to pay for prescriptions.

·       Many of these young people are on low income employment via apprenticeships, or are in higher education.  They do not earn a lot of money.

·       With the money from their employment they are having to sustain a totally independent way of living, paying the rent, bills, transport cost and food for example.

·       Many are managing on a very tight budget, where having to make a decision about paying for the medication needed or paying for food or fuel is a real choice.

Council recognises:

The Government’s corporate parenting principles, Principle 1 is ‘To act in the best interest and promote the physical and mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.’

·       Oldham Council takes its role as a corporate parent seriously and that health and improving the health and wellbeing of Oldham citizens is a high priority for Oldham.

·       Being ill isn’t something that anyone can plan for and the unforeseen cost of prescriptions is a concern and financial worry the Children in Care Council would like to see eradicated for care leavers now and in the future.

·       The cost of prescriptions is nothing compared to the health risks faced when the appropriate medication isn’t obtainable at the right time.

Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Health asking the care leavers until the age of 25 becomes a national exemption criteria on prescription charges.”

 

Councillor Chadderton spoke in support of the motion.

Councillor Chauhan spoke in support of the motion.

Councillor Williamson spoke in support of the motion.

Councillor Harkness spoke in support of the motion.

Councillor Byrne spoke in support of the motion.

 

On being put to the vote, the MOTION was CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

RESOLVED that the Chief Executive be asked to write to the Secretary of State for Health to ask that care leavers until the age of 25 become a national exemption criteria on prescription charges.

 

NOTE:  Councillor Salamat left the meeting during this item.