1.How many (i) care experienced children in your local authority aged 16-17 (inclusive) are currently housed in unregulated accommodation
84
and (ii) how many unaccompanied asylum seeking children aged 16-17 (inclusive) are currently housed in unregulated accommodation.
36
2.How many care experienced children in your local authority aged 16-17 have gone missing between 18 February 2021 and 1 March 2023?
78
3. How many unaccompanied asylum seeking children in your local authority aged 16-17 have gone missing between 18 February 2021 and 1 March 2023?
5
4 Please can you provide information on what mechanisms are in place to ensure that children housed in independent or semi-independent accommodation are properly cared for. Information could be but is not limited to guidance for housing providers or landlords, guidance for social workers, guidance for children and young people.
We commission most of our semi-independent accommodation through a framework agreement which sets out the required standards for the providers. We undertake specific quality assurance checks through our commissioning team to ensure that those standards are being adhered to. . This generally includes a visit to the property, a review of the policies, procedures and insurance of the organisation, as well as an understanding of the training undertaken by staff supporting young people. Where young people are placed in an emergency this quality assurance work is completed as much as possible prior to placement, but will continue post placement. The placing social worker will always see where the young person will reside, their room and the communal areas at placement. Social workers visit young people and see them independently from support workers as part of their statutory work and relational working with young people.