Agenda item

To consider, in accordance with Full Council Procedure Rule 1.1-H, the Notice of Motion to be moved by Councillor Millar-Smith and seconded by Councillor Mwagale.

The Full Council considered Notice of Motion 3 – Support for Care Leavers – as set out on page 91 of the agenda. The Motion was moved and presented by Councillor Millar-Smith who in doing so gave further explanation of the reasoning behind the Motion. It was seconded and supported by Councillor Mwagale.

Councillor Jones moved and presented Amendment 3 – Support for Care Leavers (as detailed on page 15 of the Supplementary Agenda Order Paper). The amendment was seconded by Councillor S Mullins. Councillors Crow, Irvine and Burgess also spoke on the item.

Councillor Millar-Smith, using her right to reply, commented that she would accept Councillor Jones’ amendment and include it as part of the substantive recommendation. The Mayor then called for a vote on the substantive recommendation as amended which was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED

This Council notes that the Care Leavers Service in West Sussex supports young people to exit care successfully as they move towards independence, operating under a clear legislative framework provided by the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and the Children and Social Work Act 2017. The Children and Social Work Act 2017 introduces corporate parenting principles which comprise seven needs that local authorities in England must have regard to.

This Council further notes that the West Sussex Care Leavers Service and increasingly it’s partners, operate in line with these principles which centre around the promotion of physical and mental health and wellbeing of those children and young people to encourage them to express their views and to take those views into account to:

•        Help gain access to and make the best use of services provided by the local authority and its relevant partners.

•        Promote high aspirations and seek to secure the best outcomes.

•        Ensure they are safe, and have stability in their home lives, relationships and in education or work, and ultimately to prepare them for adulthood and independent living.

This Council welcomes the existing support given by Crawley Borough Council to local care leavers, including the provision of free leisure centre access to K2 Crawley to support their health and wellbeing.

In seeking to provide further support for care leavers, this Council resolves to work in partnership with West Sussex County Council to assist it in fulfilling its statutory duties, by:

Engaging directly with the West Sussex Care Leavers Service, to proactively help the service move towards Good and onto Outstanding status through the exploration.

and implementation of additional initiatives, including potentially:

•        Providing a shopfront facing community base for our care leavers - a communal space to meet with facilities such as laundry, life skills coaching, WiFi and a place to meet Leaving Care Personal Advisors

•        Linking to the above objective, a space for the County Council’s Youth Emotional Support Service for meeting with children from across the county.

And also requesting officers of Crawley Borough Council to review the council’s recruitment policy and procedure to incorporate potential opportunities for any care leaver who wanted to explore this as an alternative Employment Education and Training option.