The ‘Sufficiency Duty’ is from Section 22G of the Children’s Act 1989. The duty requires local authorities to take steps to secure, so far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation within the authority’s area which meets the needs of children that the local authority are looking after, and whose circumstances are such that it would be consistent with their welfare for them to be provided with accommodation that is in the local authority’s area. Good practice guidance is 20 miles which is what we aspire too.
This strategy sets out how we will fulfil these duties and meet the needs of our cared for, care experienced and separated young people. It includes the Council’s commissioning intentions and supports our vision for children and young people. This is articulated in the Cared for, Care Experienced and Separated Young Peoples Strategy, where we aim to ensure all cared for, care experienced and separated young people live in the right home to meet their need at the right time and whereby our plans ensure they move on in a planned way at the right time, as they develop into adulthood with the skills and support to continue to achieve and grow.
Securing sufficient homes to meet the needs of cared for, care experienced and separated young people is a vital step in delivering improved outcomes. It can be best achieved through a step change in commissioning practice across all services which contribute to improving outcomes for cared for or care experienced young people who are in need, who are at risk of care or custody. This is inclusive of internal growth and development. Securing sufficient accommodation requires a whole system approach which delivers early intervention and preventative services to support children in their families as, well as better services for children if they need to be cared for outside of their birth family.
Where commissioning and sufficiency for cared for, care experienced and separated young people is already working well, we see examples of:
- choice in relation to the different homes children and young people live in
- reduced unplanned moves from one home to another
- better links with universal and specialist services based in local community areas or whereby they are easily accessible
- lower numbers of children being cared for outside of their birth families and, long-term, significantly reduced costs in providing services which supported children and young people
By working with our partners both within the local authority, such as housing and planning and those external to the local authority, such private, voluntary and independent providers, we must be able to secure, where reasonably practicable, sufficient homes where there is a range of different direct care or support or indirect community based services which ensure our cared for, care experienced and separated young people remain, where it is safe to do so, in their local authority area flourishing in their communities.