NEATH PORT TALBOT COUNCIL

SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING & COMMUNITY SAFETY SCRUTINY BOARD

20th April 2023

Report of the Director Social Services, Health & Housing – Andrew Jarrett

Matter for Information

Wards Affected All Wards

UNACCOMPANIED ASYLUM SEEKING CHILDREN (UASC)

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of the report is to advise members of the current situation in respect of the mandated National Transfer Scheme for UASC and how this impacts on Neath Port Talbot Council (NPT).

Executive Summary

The report sets out the current situation and details the expectations on the Council. This report also highlights the consequential challenges, as well as the services and support provided by the Council, and its partners.

Background

In December 2021, Neath Port Talbot Council was given formal notice directing it to comply with the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) under section 72(5) of the Immigration Act 2016. A UASC is defined as an individual, who is under 18 when the asylum application is submitted, is not being cared for by an adult who by law has responsibility to do so, is separated from both parents and has applied for asylum in the UK in their own right.

The aim of the NTS approach is to achieve a fair and equitable distribution of UASC across the UK.

Therefore, from the 14th December 2021, officials from the Ministry for Safe and Legal Migration began referring young people for placements across Wales. The transfer of children to their new local authorities is directed within an operational framework and rota system referred to as Tranche’s and Cycles which is managed by the UASC Coordinator at the Wales Strategic Migration Partnership on behalf of the Home Office. When a referral is received by the Local Authority the Local Authority is directed under the NTS protocol to accept the young person within 10 working days of the referral. The Home Office have an escalation process, and will issue a ‘non-compliance letter’ to the council for any referral not placed within 20 days of receipt.

Current Pressures

Initially, NPT were asked to support 2 young people under this scheme, however this has increased over the last year and we have to date supported 16 young people, 2 of whom are now care leavers. All are male and have ranged in age from 14 through to 17 on arrival. 5 young people are currently placed in foster care (4 of whom are in commissioned placements out of area) and 11 in supported accommodation. All the young people that we are supporting have different nationalities, different cultures, different languages and different life experiences.

It has been very challenging to find appropriate placements in very short timeframes. There are significant pressures currently in respect of available foster placements and supported accommodation, therefore this does put additional pressure on an already difficult situation.

There has been an impact on Education and Health also. All young

people that have been placed in NPT all wish to have access to education, there are limited resources available within college and some are not able to access full time hours. There has also been impact in respect of the Children Looked After Nurses who undertake health assessments.

The asylum process is significantly delayed at this time, there will be a delay in young people being able to move on and access housing / benefits; therefore, they are likely to be reliant on the Local Authority for a much longer period than initially anticipated.

Directors across Wales have made representation to the Home Office highlighting concerns raised by Councils in Wales on the mandated National Transfer Scheme, including that as a direct result of placement sufficiency issues, a high proportion of UASC referred to Wales are currently in out of county/country placements.

The Home Office have advised that they will be making further referrals in the coming months, which is likely to result in a further 15 placements. Commissioning have undertaken a piece of work based on the current data (Appendix 1 attached).

There are current significant pressures on placements for children and young people; therefore, it is important that we continue to develop a specific provision to meet the needs of these young people whom we are and will continue to support.

How are their needs met?

The young people who are aged under 18 are allocated a Social Worker (SW), and those who are care leavers have an allocated Young Persons Advisor (YPA). This is met from existing resources. We have recently appointed 2 support workers to work alongside the social workers and the YPA’s. Our Engagement and Participation Officer has a number of events planned to show them the culture of Wales and also to focus on what matters to them and what support they feel they need when they arrive within NPT. The support to UASC is regularly on the agenda for Corporate Parenting Panel, where the pressures and the support provided is discussed.

There continues to be a fortnightly multi-agency group in place chaired by the Principal Officer to develop Neath Port Talbot’s response to accommodating UASC’s under the mandated National Transfer Scheme (NTS). This is to ensure that there is a multi-agency response to supporting UASC. The group closely monitors the cases and care plans of the individual young people and to collate relevant information. Plans are developed in respect of transition and identified needs. We are also developing a guide and a suite of resources for the wider services in how to provide support to young people in these circumstances.

Opportunities for training, development, support and how best to address matters arising are considered.

We have continued to work closely as a Region with Swansea to develop suitable provisions to meet the identified needs.

Next Steps

The Local Authority have commenced a multi-departmental exercise to review, remodel and explore how we effectively meet the needs of both our current UASC young people and also our future need. We will be exploring different models of working which will be informed by what we have learnt in the last 12 months since we became part of the National Transfer Scheme. The outcome will be to have an outcome plan to map out and develop services to meet the future demand.

Financial Impacts

There is funding from the Home Office on an individual basis for each UASC supported by the Local Authority. This is received by way of claiming through the Home Office. The funding significantly reduces when that young person becomes a care leaver. Therefore, there is likely to be a risk of a financial impact in the coming years when more of our young people turn 18.

Some of the young people have been able to access the Basic Income Pilot Scheme (BIP) set up and implemented last year by Welsh Government for Care leavers meeting certain criteria. This scheme ends in July but those who have been accepted will be able to receive BIP for two years after their 18th birthday.

Integrated Impact Assessment

There is no requirement to undertake an Integrated Impact Assessment as this report is for information purposes.

Valleys Communities Impacts

No implications.

Workforce Impacts

We have recently appointed 2 support staff on temporary contracts, these posts will be kept under review in respect of need and funding. Each young person will be allocated a Social Worker (if under 18) or a Young Persons Advisor (YPA) (if over the age of 18) this resource comes from with the existing teams.

Legal Impacts

The mandated National Transfer Scheme (NTS) for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) under section 72(5) of the Immigration Act 2016.

Risk Management Impacts

We are managing risk by assessing the potential numbers of UASC young people arriving and endeavouring to project their needs. All safeguarding risks are considered including risk of exploitation, any missing episodes and the young person’s level of vulnerability thus each young person is assessed on an individual basis.

The risk to the local authority is the impact of increased numbers of young people arriving, and the limited resources available. We are mitigating those risks by holding regular planning meetings, identifying and acting on potential risks and evaluating these against the criteria that we have set out in the report, i.e. the need for community inclusion, accommodation, education and financial support. This list is neither mutually exhaustive nor exclusive and new risks can be identified commensurate with the needs of new young people entering the area.

Consultation

There is no requirement for external consultation on this item.

Appendices

Appendix 1 UASC ‘What the data is telling us’.

List of Background Papers

None.

Officer Contact

Keri Warren: Head of Children And Young People Services

Email: k.warren@npt.gov.uk Tel: 01639 683328

Victoria Smith: Principal Officer - Fostering And Care Experienced Children and Young People. Email: v.smith@npt.gov.uk

Tel:01639 685888