[noborders-brum] Capacity & BIA, bribing, vulnerable, 16 - and 17-year-olds

[Frank Corrigan]

Dear Subcribers

1) Capacity
2) vulnerable homeless 16 - and 17-year-olds

1) Capacity

I am writing to advise that it is hoped the frankslist.info service
will be re-instated later this year, after further work is done on
improving the capacity of Exile to deliver it. 
http://www.exile.org.uk

2) BIA, bribing, 16 - and 17-year-olds

BIA accused of bribing Liverpool over asylum scheme
We have currently got around 200 asylum-seeking children under 18, and
in the last six months BIA has paid out in terms of grants something
nearing the cost of looking after them," he said, suggesting the BIA was
attempting to "soften up" the council in advance of the dispersal plan.
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2008/02/14/107273/bia-accused-of-bribing-liverpool-over-asylum-scheme.html

Homeless teenagers: landmark judgment from the Law Lords
http://www.howardleague.org/index.php?id=569

Law Lords: Council should have assessed teen under Children Act
Councils must assess vulnerable homeless 16 - and 17-year-olds for their
eligibility for looked-after children's services, rather than more
limited housing support, a Law Lords ruling made clear this week.
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2008/02/29/107448/law-lords-council-should-have-assessed-teen-under-children-act.html
See:
Judgments - R (On The Application of M) (Fc) V London Borough of
Hammersmith and Fulham Appellate Committee

     What ought to have happened in this case

25.  The Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities (Office of
the Deputy Prime Minister, 2002, para 8.37) which was current at the
time was clear:
“Responsibility for providing suitable accommodation for a relevant
child or a child in need to whom a local authority owes a duty under
section 20 of the Children Act 1989 rests with the social services
authority. In all cases of uncertainty as to whether a 16 or 17 year old
applicant may be a relevant child or a child in need, the housing
authority should contact the relevant social services authority. It is
recommended that a framework for joint assessment of 16 and 17 year olds
is established by housing and social services authorities to facilitate
the seamless discharge of duties and appropriate services to this client
group.”
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldjudgmt/jd080227a/hammer-1.htm
+
Homelessness code of guidance for local authorities
http://www.asylumsupport.info/homelessnesscode.htm

Related:

...since 2004 caring for them has become a lot more expensive for local
authorities. Before then, most councils and boroughs accommodated
unaccompanied minors in their care as "children in need" under section
17 of the 1989 Children Act, which meant that, legally, they could scale
down the level of social care services when they reached 18. ?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/jan/31/asylum.guardiansocietysupplement1
See:
But in a judgment that will affect thousands of young asylum seekers,
the high court ruled last month that they should have the same after
care package and that support for 16 and 17-year-olds should be equal
with that afforded British children in care. This means they must be
assigned a social worker to regularly review their health and education
needs. 
http://society.guardian.co.uk/asylumseekers/story/0,7991,1043290,00.html 



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