Decision

1/ That the Leader writes to the Secretary of State for Education, and MHCLG, to express our support for the new legal duty on councils to ensure they notify schools, GPs and health visitors when a child’s family is made homeless and placed in Temporary Accommodation and that this is not watered down as the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill progresses through both Houses. 

2/ That Canterbury City Council develops a child-centred policy for Temporary Accommodation and reviews procedures to ensure that the rights of children are always treated equally with those of adults, which includes:

·         That there is recognition of postnatal support following hospital discharge

·         That there is better data collection and sharing to improve the educational, health and development outcomes for all children in temporary accommodation and so that families are not “lost in the system” when placed in out of area accommodation. 

·         That all children under 18 months of age have a cot to sleep in when in Temporary Accommodation.