Issue - meetings

A report that seeks agreement for Oldham Council to agree the Staying Close Delivery Plan and receive the grant from the Department for Education.

The Scrutiny Board considered a report of the Executive Director for Children and Young People which was seeking agreement for the Council to approve the Staying Close Delivery Plan and to receive the associated grant from the Department for Education (DfE).

The Department for Education (DfE) had invited Local Authorities to participate in the national Staying Close programme, which sought to improve outcomes for care leavers through enhanced accommodation options, relationship-based support and improved emotional wellbeing provision. Oldham Council has submitted a delivery plan setting out proposals to create a Staying Close offer incorporating Supported Lodgings accommodation, dedicated coordination and mental wellbeing support for care leavers aged 18 – 25 years.

The report presented two Options:

Option 1 (preferred Option) – To approve the grant and implement the Staying Close Delivery Plan, which would secureup to £411,701 of DfE funding to improve outcomes for care leavers, create new Supported Lodgings accommodation capacity and expands accommodation choice, improve support for care leavers through dedicated Staying Close coordination and mental wellbeing provision, support statutory responsibilities towards care leavers and contributes to prevention of homelessness and strengthen the Council's corporate parenting offer and supports improved long-term outcomes.

Option 2 – to decline participation in the Staying Close programme, which would result in a loss of access to DfE grant funding, reduced opportunities to improve accommodation options and support available to care leavers and an increased risk that care leavers do not benefit from enhanced support designed to reduce homelessness and improve independence outcomes.

Resolved:

That the Governance, Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board endorses the recommendations detailed in the submitted report of the Executive Director for Children and Young People to approve the proposed grant from the Department for Education, to deliver the Staying Close project, as per the Delivery Plan at Appendix 1 of the report.