The Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel, meeting in common with the Adults and Health Scrutiny Panel, discussed proposals for a new Haringey Integrated Transition Service. The panel provided feedback and recommendations on the programme's development, requesting further detail on various aspects including baselines, KPIs, cost breakdowns, and communication strategies.

Transitions Programme

The joint scrutiny panels received an update on the development of a new Transitions Programme in Haringey, aimed at supporting vulnerable young people aged 14-25 as they transition into adulthood. The programme, which will adopt a strengths-based approach to maximise independence and resilience, is designed to be a cross-agency service with co-dependencies across housing, health, adults' services, education, and community sectors.

During the discussion, officers explained that the programme would work holistically to improve outcomes for each young person, with bespoke support for those with specific needs. They emphasised that the new approach aimed to address past issues of a lack of joined-up thinking by establishing a dedicated group to understand the psycho-social needs of young people and to build flexibility into the system.

Regarding housing, officers noted that while there isn't a specific budget allocated to the Transitions Programme, the council has a corporate capital programme for new housing, and representations would be made to this to support dedicated housing for young people with specific needs. The St. Ann's site was mentioned as an example that would include supported housing provision.

The panel sought clarification on differing thresholds for intervention for children versus adults. Officers explained that the Care Act 2014 sets clear thresholds for adult social care, and not all young people transitioning at 18 will meet these. However, a locality model for early intervention and prevention activities would provide additional support.

Assurances were sought regarding support for the existing cohort of 14-25 year olds who might miss out on the new service. Officers stated that the locality model is accessible to everyone across the borough, reinforcing a 'No Wrong Front Door' approach.

Concerns were raised about the governance structure of the Transitions Board, with officers clarifying that the Director of Children's Services chairs the Board, which holds overall decision-making power. The Board will be supported by specialists and a Strategic Operational Group that makes recommendations.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Schools, and Families acknowledged concerns about central government funding and the need for local authorities to lobby for additional resources. They highlighted the programme as a crucial area of focus for the council.

The panel requested further details on the programme's implementation, including baselines and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), the core membership of Task and Finish groups with a focus on co-design and service user involvement, and a breakdown of costs, particularly distinguishing between housing and specific care needs. They also suggested a mapping exercise to identify suitable accommodation and requested a future update in approximately one year's time. This update should include information on the engagement strategy, communication with parents and carers, improvements in information sharing between services, staff training, and how service users will be signposted to the correct services. The panel also requested that colleagues from Housing, Health, and Education be invited to the follow-up session, along with further details on cost savings, 'cost avoidance', and the financing of staffing posts.

Officers agreed to provide a note from Housing colleagues regarding the regulatory framework and new proposed legislation, and to include more information on community housing design in future updates. The Cabinet Member also discussed the national challenge of increasing costs for private residential care and the need to bring provision back into the public sector. The Director of Children's Services emphasised that the absence of a dedicated transitions service currently prevents improvements in key areas and that the new programme aims to reduce demand pressures and costs. The Service Director for Adults highlighted the importance of early intervention and prevention.

The panel also commented on the importance of accessible housing, suggesting that the current provision of one in twenty new build council homes being accessible might need to be increased. While acknowledging the programme's potential to positively impact mental health and wellbeing, officers cautioned against expecting it to directly reduce suicide rates, noting that the council operates within a wider system. They highlighted existing work with schools on mental health and the emphasis on community and locality-based services.

The Chair thanked officers for presenting the proposals while they were still in their early stages. The panel provided the following points of feedback and recommendations:

• Members would like to see baselines and KPIs for the overarching outcomes.
• Members would like more information on the core membership of the Task and Finish groups, including senior officers and how service users will be incorporated (co-design).
• Members requested more information on a breakdown of costs, particularly in terms of breaking down housing costs versus specific care needs.
• Members suggested a mapping exercise to identify suitable accommodation and asked about the strategy for identifying and developing suitable property.
• Members requested a further update at a future date, suggested to be in one year's time.
• Members requested that the future update include reference to the engagement strategy for the programme and details of how communication with parents and carers will be managed.
• Members requested that the future update refers to how information sharing between different services will be improved.
• The future update should refer to staff training and how staff will be supported to direct service users down the correct pathways.
• Colleagues from Housing, Health, and Education should be invited to the follow-up session.
• Members requested further details at the next joint meeting around the savings that are going to be made, how these will be identified, and what is meant by 'cost avoidance'.
• The next update should provide assurances around the financing of staffing posts, with further explanation of how housing staff will be part of the programme, along with the locality teams in Adults.
• In relation to the 'No Wrong Door' approach, members requested further information at a future meeting about how service users will be signposted to the correct services.
• Members commented on the importance of effective communication with residents about the new service and requested that the future update mention how communication with residents is progressing, how it is being measured, and how services will be learning and improving as a result.