Decision details

Purpose of Report: To seek agreement to develop a Welcome Centre approach for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children who are aged 16 and 17 and can be supported in ‘other arrangements’ under the care planning regulations.

The report also seeks permission to delegate the decision to re profile capital which was previously allocated in 2019 to develop placement sufficiency.

The Executive will be asked to approve and support the approach of a welcome centre and delegate decision making for capital, should it be required, to the Corporate Director of Children Services in consultation with the council’s Chief Finance Officer.

The Corporate Director of Children, Families and Education introduced the report which proposed to develop a welcome centre approach to providing accommodation and support to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, aged 16 and 17 years old, referred to the City of York by Migration Yorkshire and Home Office under the National Transfer Scheme (NTS). The proposal sets out our plans to repurpose capital funding, which was agreed in 2019 to address placement sufficiency for children and young people in care.

Resolved:

                   i.        Approved the delivery model of developing a welcome centre approach for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children aged 16 and 17 years by a) committing a total spend of £275,000 from the existing capital budget for the development of a bespoke supported accommodation provision to accommodate 4 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (aged 16/17) and b) developing a second such provision in 2024/25 within available capital budget;

                  ii.        That delegated authority be granted to the Corporate Director of Children services and Education, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Place and the Director of Governance, to approve and effect any necessary appropriations of Council-owned properties from general housing stock (or from other existing use(s)) or any properties necessary to deliver the plans outlined in this Report;

                 iii.        That delegated authority be granted to the Corporate Director of Children’s and Education, in consultation with the Director of Governance, to negotiate and conclude/enter into any legal documentation required for the freehold purchase and/or lease by the Council of any properties necessary to deliver the plans outlined in this Report for supported accommodation;

                iv.        That delegated authority be granted to the Corporate Director of Children's and Education, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Place and the Director of Governance, to apply for and obtain any necessary planning permission(s) and/or building regulations approvals in respect of any change of use of and/or adaptations to said properties necessary to deliver the plans outlined in this Report for supported accommodation.

Reason:     To continue to develop the City of York’s provision for children in care and ensure the Council meets its statutory sufficiency duty and its duty under Section 72(3) of the Immigration Act 2016 in respect of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.