The Committee will receive a report on the Brighter Futures for Children, Children in Care Sufficiency Strategy 2024-2026.

The Committee received a report providing details of the Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC) Sufficiency Strategy for 2024-2026.  The Strategy was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that the BFfC Sufficiency Strategy set out how the Company intended to meet sufficiency duty on behalf of Reading Borough Council and was a statutory requirement set out in Section 22G of the Children’s Act 1989. This duty required “local authorities to take steps that secure, so far as reasonably practicable, sufficient accommodation within the authority’s area which meets the needs of children that the local authority are looked after, and whose circumstances are such that it would be consistent with their welfare for them to be provided with accommodation that is in the local authority’s area (‘the Sufficiency Duty’)”.

The purpose of the Strategy was to set out the vision and approach to providing sufficient, safe, secure and appropriate homes to meet the diverse needs of the children in care and care leavers over the next two years. The aim was for children and young people to have access to homes which were of the highest quality; child and family centred; personalised and responsive to support our children to achieve the best possible outcomes. The emphasis was on providing local homes in Reading or as close to Reading as possible so children and young people could remain in contact with family, friends, and local services.

Resolved –

(1)          That the report and the steps being taken by Brighter Futures for Children Ltd to improve the sufficiency of placements for children and young people be noted.

(2)          That the strategy be published as per the sufficiency duty.

(3)          That the strategy be reviewed in 12 months.