Issue - meetings

Forward Plan Ref: 2015/021

Contact: Nancy Kurisa, Complaints & Information Manager Tel: (01865) 323572

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CMDCEF5).

Volunteer Independent Visiting and Advocacy Service (VIVA) is a Council run service providing Independent Visiting and Advocacy to young people who are either Looked After by Oxfordshire County Council or have been in receipt of Council services. VIVA has been approached by a Private Residential Home to provide up to four Independent Visiting Sessions per year to support privately placed young people who are not Looked After by the Council but who may benefit from advocacy to ensure that their voice is heard in matters relating to their care and support.

The Care Act 2014 has put a much bigger emphasis on the importance of ensuring that advocacy is available to strengthen the voice of people who use services and we anticipate that VIVA will be approached by other private residential homes to provide a similar service. To provide this service VIVA would have to charge a fee to cover staffing costs, travel expenses and administration costs.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families is RECOMMENDED to agree that VIVA can charge costs including overheads of providing independent advocacy services to Private Residential Homes.  The Cabinet Member is also asked to agree in principle to the provision of the service as outlined in this paper.

Agreed.