7. Statement by the Minister for Housing and Regeneration: Investing in Early Intervention and Cross Government Approaches to Tackle Youth Homelessness

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:23 pm on 20 November 2018.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 5:23, 20 November 2018

Thank you very much for those comments. I'm particularly interested in the Grassroots project in Cardiff, so I'll be sure to try and have a visit there to find out more about what's happening and again will look to the example that you've given of St Basils in Birmingham, because I think it's important that we do look to best practice wherever we can find it.

You mentioned the young man with autism who was being supported into independent living. I'm pleased to see that that individual now has the support that he needs. I've been keen within this portfolio to reflect on previous responsibilities I've had, and one of the things that we have introduced is some new guidance on housing specifically related to how best to offer support to people with autism, and that is as a result of the work that we've been doing more widely through the ASD strategic action plan—again, a piece of work that we work on right across Government.

You also referred to a young person just not being ready to move on to independent living, and that very much does reflect the kind of discussions we've had within the ministerial task and finish group, where we heard of young people who thought they were ready but weren't. And again that's the kind of example I gave to David Melding where an individual needs that second chance, a third chance or however many chances it takes to get support in order to be able to move on to independence and adulthood.

One of the pieces of work that is going on across Government, again, is some wider work regarding the 'When I am Ready' policy, but not looking at it just in terms of young people within the foster care environment, but actually residential care more widely. So, I think that that will be an important piece of work moving forward as well. The Llamau example that you gave, I'm very familiar with that. I've been to visit them in Cardiff and had the opportunity, again, to speak to some of the young people who've been very positively impacted by the services that they've been able to have.

I will say, the innovation fund that we've announced today, I'm keen to see how we can link that up with Welsh Government's capital funding, so there could be potential for further services of that foyer type that you described potentially coming forward as projects under that. The foyer model very much does inform some of the Supporting People work that already goes on at the moment, and it certainly does bring forward those Geelong principles that I referred to earlier on in my statement.