New 'transition programme' to help save £4.5m on adult social services

It will support children and young adults in Haringey between the ages of 14 and 25, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

George Meehan House and (inset) committee chair Pippa Connor (credit Haringey Lib Dems)

Haringey Council has announced a new transition programme that will help save £4.5million on adult service spending and support vulnerable young people transition to adulthood.

The programme, which was initiated in March, will support children and young adults between the ages of 14 and 25.

The target individuals for the programme need to meet either one or more of the following criteria; either they have special educational needs and disabilities (Send), have learning difficulties, are neurodivergent, have mental health support needs, are in care or are care leavers, or are vulnerable but don’t meet statutory thresholds.

A breakdown of the programme’s aims include a reduction of suicide rates, homelessness, criminal activity, as well as the reduction of a dependence on adult services and whole life costs.

A gross cost avoidance of £4.5m is projected over five years as a consequence of the project.

A cohort of 170 young adults aged 18 to 24, who have transitioned into adult services, have a current cost of £7.68m per year and, of that amount, £6.23m is spent on learning disability support, with £868,000 going to physical support and £562,000 going to mental health support.

Current projections highlight that over £13m is expected to be spent between 2024 and 2029 as an additional 226 vulnerable young adults transition into adults.

Councillors discussed the programme’s plans during a children and young people’s scrutiny panel yesterday (Tuesday 28th) at George Meehan House in Wood Green.

Ann Graham, director of children’s services, mentioned how “crucially dependent” the programme was on collaboration, particularly between children’s and adult social services, to ensure long-term success.

Haringey uses a multi-agency approach calling on education and health professionals during the transition process for each child.

Ann said: “We might need to speak to health to ask them, what is it that you’re doing and what more can we do, if we can see a theme that’s arising.

“In terms of mental health we work with young people who are in schools, with families, and my view is, yes, we can help people today, but the stresses of life mean that in 18 months or five years time things might arise again.

“We need to have systems in place so that when they leave the therapy system, the adult services and the community support services are there to hold people.”

According to the presentation, there was a lack of evidence of preparation for adulthood in education, health and care plans (EHCPs) and the provision and process for transitions in education needed developing along with community housing.

These areas, the programme hopes to address.

Committee chair Pippa Connor said: “I do want to recognise this is the start of this transition programme, so I am grateful for officers for coming in at the outset, to really see what the top level thoughts are.”

Cllr Connor acknowledged the difficulties in financing, and the savings planned, and added more data would help the scrutiny process, as well as having colleagues from housing, health and education in the room at the next committee meeting to underscore the “unified service”.

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