Agenda item

Report of the Director of Children and Adults Services

The Director of Children and Adults Services submitted a report (previously circulated) to provide update information regarding the cost of funding to age 21 for young people in previous foster care placements.

The submitted report detailed the legal framework which provides that Local Authorities provide Staying Put arrangements and the number of current Staying Put Arrangements; and gave details of the costs from 1April 2017 to 31 March 2018 together with projected expenditure for the period 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019.

It was reported that as of 21 January 2019 there were 10 Staying Put arrangements in place and the cost of internal provision ranged from £160.00 to £350.00 per week dependent upon age and individual circumstances.   The cost of Independent Fostering Agency provision agreed as part of the Tees Valley Framework was £340.00 per week.

The submitted report also outlined the monitoring and evaluation of Staying Put arrangements via regular support meetings following the young person reaching the age of 18 years; the benefits of ‘Staying Put’ for young people and the Service; and the priorities for 2019/20 to promote the importance of Staying Put.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.