This report provides Members with feedback about the short breaks initiative at Havenbrook, more recent developments and sets out the local authority’s intention to continue this initiative.

70.1 Members received the report of The Head of Social Care and Safeguarding which provided Members with feedback regarding the short breaks initiative at Havenbrook.

70.2 The Head of Social Care and Safeguarding reminded Members that the Pilot Scheme had been developed as part of the wider Looked After Children (LAC) Strategy, and aimed to prevent young people having to come into local authority care as part of a flexible range of support that could be offered.

70.3  The Head of Social Care and Safeguarding advised Members that during the pilot the scheme had been extended to provide crisis care as well as the planned short break provision and to date 13 of the 42 young people that had used the short breaks service had been crisis admissions.

70.4  The Head of Social Care and Safeguarding advised members that of the 29 young people that had received planned short breaks only 2 had gone on to be LAC. Furthermore of the 13 that had received crisis care, 6 became LAC, 6 went home to parental care and 1 moved into 16+ supported living arrangements, and that of the 6 who had returned home 4 continued to receive planned short breaks as part of a support plan to prevent further breakdown.

70.5  In response to a question from the Chair the Havenbrook Manager confirmed that staff had adjusted well to the changes and that the new way of working enabled staff to be more “hands on”.

70.6  The Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services informed the meeting that she had attended Havenbrook as part of a Reg. 33 visit and had spoken to service users who had told her that they valued the service immensely. She added that feedback from parents and carers had also been very positive.  She also welcomed the fact that feedback from Ofsted had been helpful in the design of the provision.

70.7  A Member welcomed the support for the scheme from parents and carers and commented that it was interesting that Ofsted had been so positive. The Head of Social Care and Safeguarding commented that there was a lot of challenge to councils to do something different and that she welcomed the input from Ofsted.  She informed the meeting that a number of local authorities had shown interest in the scheme.

70.8  A Member asked what areas of the County the young people who used the service came from and what provisions were in place to get them to and from school.  The Havenbrook manager advised that where a transport plan was in place this was adhered to otherwise members of staff transported the young people to the relevant school.

70.9  The Chair congratulated Officers and Staff for their work in developing the short breaks initiative and making it a success.

70.10  Resolved: -

·         That Members note the outcomes for children that have used the short break provision and the positive feedback from young people and parents on the value of the resource.

·         That Members welcome the proposal to continue Havenbrook as a short break resource to children and young people on the “edge of care”.