Decision details

The County Council currently largely relies on the private rental sector to provide accommodation for young care leavers.  Due to the high level of competition for available properties within the private rental sector it can be challenging to secure cost effective accommodation for  care leavers.

The National House Project is a Charity that aims to work with local authorities to support the provision of sustainable homes and a community of support for young people leaving care.  Developing a local house project in West Sussex would enable care leavers to be provided with affordable social housing locally, delivering improved outcomes for these young people at lower costs and so reduce demand on wider local authority and partner agency budgets.  Once embedded the project would run yearly schemes with a new cohort of older children looked after, in preparation for them leaving care, joining the project each year.

Cabinet will be asked to approve the creation of a local house project in West Sussex.

Following consideration of the report, Cabinet resolved to:

Approve the implementation of a Local House Project in West Sussex

in order to deliver the savings outlined in the report.

The call-in deadline is 2 February 2021.