Agenda item
Transition Services Task Group
The Transitions Services Task Group report has been considered and agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. This report presents the task group’s work to the Executive for approval. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee established the Transitions Services Task group to look at the services in place for vulnerable young people in Brent aged 16 to 25.
Decision:
(i) that agreement be given to the Task Group recommendations as set out below and in the report from the Director of Policy and Regeneration:;
Recommendation 1 – The task group recommends that officers working with the Children in Care Council, known as Care in Action, develop a range of activities to bring elected councillors and young people in care together to discuss ways of improving council services. This should not just be restricted to services for looked after children, but the range of services provided in Brent.
Recommendation 2 – The task group recommends that steps are taken to weight the criteria for adult social care services and mental health services to better reflect the needs of young people in transition. For example, mental health assessments for 18 to 25 year olds are adapted to meet the needs of young people to recognise the difference between those in transition and older adults.
Recommendation 3 – The task group recommends that NHS Brent fully re-commissions the early intervention in psychosis service in 2010/11 and that it reports to the Health Select Committee during 2010/11 outlining the work of the service and the commissioning priorities for mental health services in Brent.
Recommendation 4 – The task group recommends that officers develop a proposal for the remodelling of services for vulnerable young people so that there is greater emphasis on early intervention and preventative services. This should build on initiatives such as implementation of the Common Assessment Framework, the development of children’s centres and introduction of the Family Intervention Project. The task group believes the development of a fully integrated preventative service is an aspiration the council and partners should be aiming to deliver and see this as a long term project. If implemented, it could ease the difficult transition from children’s to adult’s services as positive interventions will happen at an earlier stage in a young persons’ life. Initial follow up on this recommendation will take place in 12 months time (April 2011) by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to see how it has been progressed.
Recommendation 5 – The task group recommends that Brent Housing Partnership and Registered Social Landlords in Brent change their tenancy management procedures and policies to allow siblings who are leaving care the opportunity to share a tenancy if there is a desire to do so. This will affect a small number of care leavers each year that would benefit from the support provided by living with a brother or sister.
Recommendation 6 – The task group recommends that the Young People in Care Services Team and Housing Services work up a solution to allow young people in care the opportunity to go to university outside of London but maintain a tenancy in Brent so they retain a link with their home area. This will affect a small number of young people each year, but could have a significant impact on their life chances if implemented.
Recommendation 7 – The task group recommends that adult social services makes it clear who is the named contact for organisations working with vulnerable young people to improve the referral process and to assist young people when they are contacting statutory services.
Recommendation 8 – The task group recommends that a prospectus of services for young people aged 16 to 25 in Brent is developed to help sign post young people in transition to the most appropriate services. The prospectus should include contact details for services and referral routes and should be used as a one-stop guide for staff and young people. Statutory services and voluntary organisations should be included in the prospectus.
Recommendation 9 – The task group recommends that officers are instructed to work up proposals for a foyer project in Brent, bringing together a small amount of accommodation plus associated services to deliver a holistic, one stop service to meet the needs of vulnerable young people in transition from childhood to adulthood. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee should consider an update on progress in implementing this in October 2010.
Recommendation 10 – The task group recommends that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee asks officers to prepare two further task group scopes to look at services in place for young people in Brent:
(i). Transition services for young people with physical disabilities
(ii). Mental health services for young people in Brent aged 16 to 25.
(ii) that the task group members be thanked for their work.
Minutes:
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee established the Transitions Services Task group to look at the services in place for vulnerable young people in Brent aged 16 to 25. The task group’s focus was on young people who were offenders or at risk of offending, care leavers, those in contact with secondary mental health services, those who have moderate learning difficulties, teenage parents and young people who were not in full time education, training or employment.
Earlier in the meeting, the Executive heard from representatives of Care in Action who spoke in support of the task group recommendations. Councillor Jones (task group chair) drew attention to the needs of young people with physical difficulties support and the initial resource implications of switching focus to early intervention and prevention which would need to be developed with health service partners. She supported the call for a central advice point. the family intervention project and concurred with the view that life chances were hampered when siblings were split up. Councillor Jones acknowledged that some of the recommendations in the report would be challenging to implement. She thanked the other task group members for their work.
The Executive agreed the recommendations in the report.
RESOLVED:-
(i) that agreement be given to the Task Group recommendations as set below out and in the report from the Director of Policy and Regeneration:
Recommendation 1 – The task group recommends that officers working with the Children in Care Council, known as Care in Action, develop a range of activities to bring elected councillors and young people in care together to discuss ways of improving council services. This should not just be restricted to services for looked after children, but the range of services provided in Brent.
Recommendation 2 – The task group recommends that steps are taken to weight the criteria for adult social care services and mental health services to better reflect the needs of young people in transition. For example, mental health assessments for 18 to 25 year olds are adapted to meet the needs of young people to recognise the difference between those in transition and older adults.
Recommendation 3 – The task group recommends that NHS Brent fully re-commissions the early intervention in psychosis service in 2010/11 and that it reports to the Health Select Committee during 2010/11 outlining the work of the service and the commissioning priorities for mental health services in Brent.
Recommendation 4 – The task group recommends that officers develop a proposal for the remodelling of services for vulnerable young people so that there is greater emphasis on early intervention and preventative services. This should build on initiatives such as implementation of the Common Assessment Framework, the development of children’s centres and introduction of the Family Intervention Project. The task group believes the development of a fully integrated preventative service is an aspiration the council and partners should be aiming to deliver and see this as a long term project. If implemented, it could ease the difficult transition from children’s to adult’s services as positive interventions will happen at an earlier stage in a young persons’ life. Initial follow up on this recommendation will take place in 12 months time (April 2011) by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to see how it has been progressed.
Recommendation 5 – The task group recommends that Brent Housing Partnership and Registered Social Landlords in Brent change their tenancy management procedures and policies to allow siblings who are leaving care the opportunity to share a tenancy if there is a desire to do so. This will affect a small number of care leavers each year that would benefit from the support provided by living with a brother or sister.
Recommendation 6 – The task group recommends that the Young People in Care Services Team and Housing Services work up a solution to allow young people in care the opportunity to go to university outside of London but maintain a tenancy in Brent so they retain a link with their home area. This will affect a small number of young people each year, but could have a significant impact on their life chances if implemented.
Recommendation 7 – The task group recommends that adult social services makes it clear who is the named contact for organisations working with vulnerable young people to improve the referral process and to assist young people when they are contacting statutory services.
Recommendation 8 – The task group recommends that a prospectus of services for young people aged 16 to 25 in Brent is developed to help sign post young people in transition to the most appropriate services. The prospectus should include contact details for services and referral routes and should be used as a one-stop guide for staff and young people. Statutory services and voluntary organisations should be included in the prospectus.
Recommendation 9 – The task group recommends that officers are instructed to work up proposals for a foyer project in Brent, bringing together a small amount of accommodation plus associated services to deliver a holistic, one stop service to meet the needs of vulnerable young people in transition from childhood to adulthood. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee should consider an update on progress in implementing this in October 2010.
Recommendation 10 – The task group recommends that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee asks officers to prepare two further task group scopes to look at services in place for young people in Brent:
(i) Transition services for young people with physical disabilities
(ii) Mental health services for young people in Brent aged 16 to 25.
(ii) that the task group members be thanked for their work.
Supporting documents:
- 100726-transitions-services, item 6. PDF 77 KB
- 100726-transitions-services-task-group-report, item 6. PDF 620 KB
- 100726-transitions-services-app1, item 6. PDF 90 KB
- 100726-transitions-services-app2, item 6. PDF 57 KB