Agenda item

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Children and Family Services which set out the implications of participating in the Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) voluntary National Transfer Scheme and of proposals to disengage from the Scheme.  A copy of the report, marked ‘item 5’, is filed with these minutes.

Members noted the comments received from Mr S. J. Galton CC, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, a copy of which is filed with these minutes.

Mr Ould CC said that so far only two regions had signed up to the Scheme and not all authorities in the East Midlands area were party to it due to concerns over its operation and insufficient Government funding.   He explained that the needs of UASC ‘allocated’ to Leicestershire were complex and most remained living out of the County so as not to disrupt their current living arrangements.  The cost of supporting children living out of County was approximately £300,000 per child, per year.  Many UASC were, however, expected to have even greater and more complex needs given their experiences, suggesting that the costs to support them could be even higher and in any event, would be much higher than currently estimated and provided for by the Government.

Mr Ould confirmed that the Authority supported the Scheme in principle, but that it was a matter for the Government to ensure it was deliverable and to provide sufficient funding to ensure that participation in the Scheme did not result in the Authority having to cut services in other areas, particularly those for Leicestershire children, to compensate.

Mr Houseman CC said that the County Council wanted to support the Scheme but that it was up to the Government to ensure this was workable and not subsidised by local authority budgets which were already under significant pressure.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the County Council’s commitment to the overarching principle of the Scheme be reaffirmed whilst recognising its responsibilities to prioritise the needs of Leicestershire children and young people;

(b)       That the current Service difficulties in meeting the needs of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children who have already transferred to the care of the County Council under the National Transfer Scheme be noted;

(c)       That the financial, logistical and placement difficulties being experienced in relation to Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children be noted;

(d)       That, in light of the above, it be noted that the County Council will disengage from the voluntary Scheme until such time as the Government:

- meets the full costs of placements and service provision;

- makes adjustments to the operation of the Scheme to make it practical to deliver; or

- makes participation in the Scheme mandatory;

(e)       That the support of Leicestershire MPs be sought for the County Council’s position.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

A grant is paid to local authorities by the Home Office in relation to the age of the unaccompanied asylum seeking child for the period in which he or she is in care.  At its highest rate the grant is sufficient to meet the costs of placements (i.e. with a foster carer) but not the additional support required.  At its lowest for older children the grant is insufficient to meet placement costs. The current estimated full year gross cost for supporting 70 unaccompanied asylum seeking children in Leicestershire is £4.64 million which at the present level of Government grant aid would require the County Council to contribute £2.05 million from its own resources.

The County Council’s estimated costs include additional annual staffing for social workers, independent reviewing officer functions, and the support of the virtual school (a statutory requirement to promote educational achievement and positive outcomes for all children in the care of Leicestershire) all of which are legitimate costs. There has been no allowance made for any other specialist costs that may be incurred such as educational psychology and special educational needs which will be bespoke to the needs of individual children and are difficult to quantify at this time.

It is also exceptionally difficult to estimate precisely the full cost as the age and needs of the children and young people are not known and without this information, it is impossible to predict the type of care or type of placement they will require.

For children and young people transferred from the care of another authority Leicestershire will be expected to retain placements where children are settled and it is in their best interests to do. This will mean supporting placements outside Leicestershire and potentially at some distance away. At present the County Council is supporting placements in Kettering and Coventry. This creates significant and additional logistical and financial pressures and is at odds with good practice standards which require wherever possible placements to be maintained within County.