Agenda item

Cabinet considered the future Provision of Overnight Unit-based Short Breaks for Children with Disabilities.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Children and Families introduced the report. He thanked Tracey Rochelle and Tina Southall for their contribution and promised a written response to their submissions. He particularly welcomed the news that Tina had been offered transport for her daughter to Osborne Court, Malvern with a hydro pool available for her use. He appreciated the stress caused by the uncertainty about future respite care provision over a long period of time. Lessons had been learned from the review process particularly about improvements to the client/provider relationship (the Council and the Health and Care Trust).

The Council did not own Ludlow Road, Kidderminster and therefore was never in a position to close the facility. Ofsted had indicated that the facility was only suitable for 4 children which meant that it was no longer a viable option. There was now a commitment to update provision at Providence Road, Bromsgrove and in liaison with the Health and Care Trust, a commitment to improve accommodation and facilities at Osbourne Court, Malvern.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills indicated that there was a balance to be struck between the need for haste and ensuring that plans were robust and complied with the Council’s statutory and equality duties. It was clear that parents/carers had a high level of personal attachment to the Ludlow Road facility and it was important to replicate this relationship at Osborne Court.

The Chairman of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Panel indicated that the Scrutiny Panel supported the proposals on the basis that the provision at Osborne Court and Providence Road had been upgraded. The Panel would wish to receive a further report after the delivery model had been running for 6 months. This update report should include feedback on levels of parent/carer satisfaction. The Panel would also wish to receive six monthly or annual reviews so that any issues could be identified as early as possible. The Leader thanked the Chairman and members of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Panel for their work and recognised the important future monitoring role of the Scrutiny Panel.

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Adult Social Care commented that the facilities at Osborne Court would be an improvement on the existing arrangements for the transition of children with learning and other disabilities into adulthood. Osborne Court was seen as a training and facilitating establishment to allow young people to eventually move onto other more appropriate facilities or into independent living. He welcomed the investment made by the Health and Care Trust to upgrade these facilities.

A Member from outside the Cabinet commented that it was important that parents/carers previously using Ludlow Road received assurance that transport would be provided to Osborne Court. There was no mention in the report about the future of the Ludlow Road staff. The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Children and Families responded that the staff were employed by the Health and Care Trust. However, he understood that the Trust had provided opportunities for staff to transfer to Osborne Court and Providence Road. In general, parents/carers would be travelling shorter distances to Osborne Court although he recognised it did not always lessen the difficulty experienced by parents/carers.

The Leader of the Council acknowledged the shortcomings of the initial consultation exercise and lessons had been learned. He recognised the emotional attachment of service users to Ludlow Road but believed that Osbourne Court was the most appropriate facility for future service provision.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a)   noted the information relating to short breaks respite provision for children with disabilities contained in the report, including the results of the consultation on the proposed model for the delivery by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust (the Trust) as outlined in paragraphs 23 - 32 of the report and Appendix 1 to the report;

(b) agreed the future model for the delivery by the Trust of short breaks provision outlined in paragraphs 19 – 22 of the report; and

(c) authorised the statutory Director of Children’s Services to take all appropriate steps to implement that future model, including varying the contractual arrangements with the Trust as necessary to implement the changes, and any future variation to the commissioned provision, to ensure the Council continues to meet its sufficiency duty in relation to the provision of short breaks.