York Labour set to ditch another homeless persons contractor.

Comes in the wake of the Salvation Army controversy

Only 6 months after ditching its deal with the Salvation Army to look after people found sleeping rough in the City, the Council is set to terminate its contract with the charity (The Cyrenians) which runs homeless accommodation in the city

Th service provides emergency/temporary accommodation and support, using residential placements, for everyone who is homeless over the age of 16. The service supports people to develop the skills to live independently and prevent homelessness.

The Councils existing external contract was commissioned on 1st February 2017 from The Cyrenians Ltd. (trading as  “Changing Lives”) to reduce homelessness. The Contract will expire on 31st July 2024 (the term having previously been extended beyond the original expiry date of 31st January 2022 by a further 2.5 years).

The current annual cost is £1,098,375.

The scope of this contract covers: –

• 24/7 hostel provision at Union Terrace (39 male units)
• 24/7 hostel provision at Robinson Court (14 female units and 4 young people’s units)
• floating tenancy support to shared housing and people living in the community (74 units across 14 houses, including Scarcroft Rd, and 12 training flats).
• Making Every Adult Matter services (“MEAM”) which provide intensive support and multi-agency coordination to up to 28 adults with complex needs.
• Mental Health Housing First service (“MHHF”) which supports up to 21 individuals with a long history of mental ill health and challenging lives to live independently.

This is also supplemented by charitable provision by Restore who provide a further 41 beds of uncontracted, shared accommodation in 10 properties, at zero cost to the council. The service provided has proven highly effective at supporting individuals and getting them to the point where they can move on into self-contained accommodation.

Now the Council wants to end the contract and – rather like the Salvation Army issue -bring the service “in-house”. This wish appears to be based on political dogma rather than any attempt to put the homeless first.

The Council claims that this can be done at zero additional cost.

Anyone who has been through this kind of exercise will doubt that. There will also be major concerns about any break in provision between the time that the contract expires and the launch of a new service. Senior management at West Offices cutbacks mean that there is limited experience and capacity to call on.

While those currently working for The Cyrenians will be entitled to transfer to new Council posts under TUPE arrangements, there is no guarantee that they will want to do so.

The Council has multiple job vacancies for care workers and there are reports that experienced staff across the authority are considering leaving in the wake of the turmoil caused by cuts being imposed by the Labour administration.

There is a very real danger that this will go badly wrong and that the victims will be vulnerable homeless people.

They deserve better.  

York Council offers £522 million adult care contract

Tenders are being evaluated for one of the largest adult care contracts ever offered by the York Council.

The 7 year contract will cost taxpayers and customers around £75 million a year.

The terms of the contract are to, “Care at Home (Domiciliary Care) “Service” will be delivered in the main in the customer’s own home (including community based settings such as Independent Living Communities), but also in the community where it is appropriate to enable the Customer to achieve their agreed outcomes. The “Service” is available to all adults aged 18 years and over who live within the City of York Council boundaries and have been referred to the “Service” by Adult Social Care (ASC)”.

Details can be viewed here

Details of the sucessful tenderer are expected to be announced shortly

Details of other York Council and other public sector contracts can be viewed via this link

Groundbreaking programme is proving to be life changing for adults who face barriers to employment in York.

RISE (Reducing Inequalities, Supporting Employment) is a support programme that offers one-to-one advice and employability support, empowering those involved to overcome both personal and professional challenges.

These include:

• unemployment
• mental health issues
• physical health challenges
• autism and neurodivergence
• financial struggles
• domestic abuse
• housing instability
• basic skills and training needs
• inclusion and diversity concerns
• support for self-employment and carers and people in care

Funded by City of York Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, so far this programme has helped 65 people from various backgrounds boost their confidence so they can go to work.

RISE is one of 25 projects taking place in the city, using UK Shared Prosperity Fund money. City of York Council has invested 98% of its UKSPF allocation so far (£1.8 million) to fund initiatives that range from business support, supporting the voluntary sector to helping boost skills and help people into work as well as invest in our high streets.

The average amount of time each individual gets support for is 11 weeks, with every person giving the programme 5 out of 5. The project has proven so successful that the council, using UK Shared Prosperity Funding has agreed to extend the programme for another year.

63% of those the programme has supported so far disclosed themselves as a disabled person or had a work-limiting condition. 54% lived in jobless households and 23% had dependents at home.

The programme combines emotional support with practical employability guidance. The programme has successfully helped participants like Michael, a 30-year-old who, prior to joining RISE, struggled with social anxiety and unemployment:

I was scared to go outside and even look at people.

With 67% of participants disclosing a mental health condition, RISE’s success in addressing such challenges and fostering emotional well-being is evident in Michael’s story.

Ben, Michael’s mentor, played a pivotal role in building trust and fostering Michael’s emotional well-being. Michael highlights:

Ben was warm, kind, and understanding – that made it really easy to be open and reveal my honest thoughts, struggles, and history. After establishing that trust, my emotional well-being was on the rise, which made the prospect of work/employment very attainable.

“Ben has taught me to think in a way that when I do fall in a hole, I have the knowledge and tools to get back up.”

In addition to emotional support, RISE provides much needed employment support, helping individuals set short-term and long-term career goals, as well as creating effective CVs that enhance employment prospects. Michael reflects on his progress:

Having these goals and something to aim for really puts weight and meaning to the centre of my life and has acted as a springboard to my mental wellbeing.

Another person to benefit from the programme is Kate who reached out to RISE after deciding to become a dental health nurse. Her mentor has been helping her get the necessary functional skills as well as providing CV feedback.

ck or closer to employment.”

Where to find help over the Christmas break

Healthwatch York have issued a 6 page document explaing what help is available

Jobs at “Beehive” on Ascot Way advertised by York Council

Several jobs are available at York’s relatively new centre for disabled children on Ascot Way

The Beehive provides short overnight breaks for children and young people with complex disabilities in York.

Thought to be one of the first facilities of its kind in the country, the purpose-built centre has been funded by City of York Council and NHS England, and opened in November 2020.

It provides a range of support services to help disabled children remain with their families and communities.

Children and young people who use the centre, and their parents and carers, have been involved throughout the design of the building, helping to decide what was included and how it should look; including choosing the building’s name.

The Beehive provides children and young people with Autism, Learning Disabilities and/or additional health needs with:

• a safe and accessible space for play and interaction with family members and with staff
• accommodation for overnight short breaks
• domestic-scale apartments for children and parents to stay in during longer term assessment of their support needs
• access to a range of professionals who can help to support families in meeting the children’s needs
• spacious bedrooms with state-of-the-art hoist and bathing facilities for children who have complex health needs and wheelchair users
• a larger, open-spaced area and bedrooms for children with learning disabilities or autism
• quieter self-contained areas that can be used for children who may struggle in a more open, busier environment and where their parents can accompany them so that their needs can be fully assessed
• an activity area, sensory room and quiet rooms
• a large outdoor play space with a variety of equipment suitable for children of all abilities

The Council hopes that the £29k salary will attract applicants with at least some experience of working with disabled chailren (click)

The short breaks service for children with disabilities within the City of York have an exciting opportunity for support workers to join our short breaks team in York.

Due to development of our services for children with disabilities in York, we have a number of posts for support work.

This service has been relocating to a new purpose built centre for children with disabilities, which will ensure services for children with disabilities are innovative, flexible and integrated.

Our new Short Breaks offer will provide services for children with disabilities and their families based from one building, this will include:

• Community short breaks support services.
• Residential short breaks provision for children and young people with Autism, Learning Disabilities and/or additional complex health needs.
• Therapeutic short breaks – a specialist clinical psychology led intensive assessment and intervention service for families with children and young people who have Autism and/or Learning Disabilities.

While experience of working with children with disabilities is preferred, it is not essential for these roles as training will be given. However, experience in social care, enthusiasm and a passion for working with children to support their development is essential.

The role of support worker is an invaluable one: it is rewarding, complex and challenging and you will play an essential role in providing support and direct care to children. You will work closely with children and young people and be working with their families to ensure we have a good knowledge and understanding of their children and provide excellent care and opportunities.

You may be asked to work across both community and residential services. Should you work in the residential short breaks, you will be required to study towards a level 3 qualification if you do not already have one.

You will be supported by a senior team, have a thorough induction into your role and also have opportunities for supervision, training and development to support the work that you do.

As this role is public facing, applicants will need to demonstrate, at interview, their competency to converse and provide advice and guidance to members of the public, in spoken English to CEFR level C1: Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly. Only a conceptually difficult subject can hinder a natural, smooth flow of language.

City of York Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. We require the successful candidate to undertake an enhanced Criminal Record check via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The Council is highly committed to investing in the talent and wellbeing of our staff and can offer a generous annual leave allowance, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, comprehensive Health & Wellbeing initiatives and a reward package which recognises your contribution. We can offer flexible working practices, community engagement and volunteer activities and, as part of our commitment to you, promote continuous Learning & Development. In addition we also offer a growing range of discounts, rewards and savings.

For further information or an informal discussion please contact Wendy Berkett, Deputy Manager Wendy.berkett@york.gov.uk or on 07748933237.

Closing date: Sunday 20 August 2023 at 12 midnight

For further details click

Oakhaven sale misses deadline

The Oakhaven elderly persons home on York Road has remained largely unused for over 5 years.

Oakhaven

The closure of the home was controversial with the relatives of those resident there told that the site was needed for immediate redevelopment.

That proved not to be the case,

The Council finally agreed in November 2020 to a recommendation which said  

 “That approval be given to dispose of Oakhaven for the consideration set out in Annex 1 to the report in an off market sale with a backstop date for completion of 12 weeks and, should this backstop date not be achieved, to bring a further report back to Executive”.  

As no further report was forthcoming it was assumed that the sale had gone through?

Apparently that isn’t the case.

We are led to understand that discussions with the prospective purchaser (Burlington Care Limited) are still continuing. A legal sale contract has been drawn up but completion could be delayed further pending a determination of a planning application for the redevelopment the site.

Oakhaven redevelopment plans published in 2018

There are several outstanding questions..

• When can residents expect to see work on site start?
• When will it be completed?
• Will there be a sale condition which requires development within a specified timeframe?

York taxpayers will be keen to see this saga brought to a conclusion. Any income from the sale can be used to reduce the Councils huge mountain of debt.

Those seeking a new home will reflect that, had the site been put on the market 3 or 4 years ago, then a development could have been completed by now.

Lowfields “public service building” future to be decided

The Council is set to allocate a plot on its Lowfields development for new residential facilities for people with learning difficulties.

The Councils “forward plan” summaries a proposal which would see “specialist accommodation built for 6 adults with a learning disability who have dementia and 6 other adults.

In addition to the 12 units, there will be up to 6 cluster flats for the first steps into independent living. The building of these units will enable a pathway through specialist supported accommodation for adults with a learning disability.

There will be staff on site 24/7.

The proposed site for this specialist accommodation is the Public Service Plot at Lowfield Green”.

The Councils Executive will be asked, at a meeting which is being held on on 24th June, to agree the specialist accommodation, the procurement of a housing provider to build the accommodation and a support provider to deliver the care and support element.

The public service building is located near to the Dijon Avenue entrance to the site

The public building was originally advertised as the location for a health centre and police station. After planning permission was granted, the Council jettisoned both of those proposed uses.

This is the original plan for the site published by the Council in 2017

The action group operating in the area is currently concerned about the dust and noise emanating from the site.

They are also anxious that the promised 3 year delivery timetable for the whole project will be extended with disruption continuing for several more years.

At least the plan to provide more specialist housing will remove one of the unknowns from the development plan.

Social worker recruitment drive starts in York

Do you have what it takes to ‘Step Up’?

City of York Council is joining the call for more people to rise to the challenge and rewards of social work and make a real difference to vulnerable children and families.

Social work can be life changing for those you support. To do this, you will need to build relationships with families facing difficult times, show a lot of patience and be a good listener. You will also need good observational skills, analytical thinking and sound judgement to make the right decisions and protect children and or vulnerable adults. Social work regularly tests resilience, stamina, and resolve – all of which you will need to succeed.

Cllr Carol Runciman, Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said:

The 14-month Step Up to Social Work programme gives successful applicants intensive, hands-on experience of working in a real-life social work role through placements with us here at City of York Council.

“Once you’ve completed and passed the course, you’ll be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work enabling you to register and practice as a social worker.”

Cllr Keith Orrell, Executive Member for Children and Education, said:

This is a unique opportunity to earn while you learn, as the Department for Education provides funding via a tax-free bursary payment of £19,833, over the duration of the programme, and payment of university fees for successful applicants.

“This will allow you to change or start a new career in social work and be able to continue to pay your bills and fund your living costs while you are studying. The programme runs once every two years, dependent on Government funding, so if you are interested, make sure you don’t miss out on your chance to apply.”

We are looking for strong graduates who have experience of working with vulnerable children, young people, families or adults and who can demonstrate their maturity and emotional resilience.

This is a postgraduate programme, so you will need to have either a minimum 2:1 level 6 degree qualification, for example an honours degree or a graduate certificate (can be in any subject), or a minimum 2:2 honours degree plus a postgraduate qualification (level 7 or above), for example a Master’s degree or a Postgraduate Certificate/ Postgraduate Diploma, in a discipline other than social work.

You should also have GCSEs in English or English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above, or the new grade 4 and above (or an approved equivalent). You will need to show all of your original certificates to us as part of the application and assessment process. If you cannot find these, you can order replacements online. 

We are particularly interested in applications from men and from candidates who are Black, Asian or from Minority Ethnic groups as these groups are under-represented in this area of social work.

Your 14-month programme will pass very quickly, and if your local authority has vacancies you will be guaranteed an interview for a social worker role in children and families statutory social work. The starting salary for a newly qualified social worker in this region is around £27,600, moving to £31,300 upon successful completion of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment as part of our Social Work Academy for Newly Qualified Social Workers.

For more information visit the Step Up to Social Work website. 

Online applications are open until 7 April 2021, followed by regional assessment centres (virtual) for candidates successful at the initial application stage. Students can expect to start the programme in January 2022, completing their training in March 2023.

More changes for health and care services in York

Proposal to establish new York Health and Care Alliance

City of York Council’s Executive will consider plans to further improve health and social care services across the city at a meeting on Thursday 18 March. 

Building on the successes of York’s vaccination rollout, city-wide testing and support for people who are shielding, the proposals to establish a Health and Social Care Alliance for York have been led by a number of health and social care partners in the city, including the council, NHS commissioners and providers, and voluntary sector organisations.

The aim of the Alliance will be to strengthen health, care and public services in the city by building healthcare locally around residents, rather than around organisations.  By doing so, the council and its partners can better tackle health inequalities which existed before COVID, but have been magnified by it, and improve the general health and wellbeing of the York population.

The proposals will also work to lock-in some of the positive work seen throughout the pandemic, which has been achieved by partners working in a more collaborative and effective manner due to the challenges of the pandemic.  This work includes:

• supporting people with COVID-19 and spotting signs of deterioration through the COVID Hub Single Point of Access
• delivering city wide testing, tracing and outbreak management (for example with universities and colleges, or with care homes)
• supporting people access primary care, therapy and specialist nursing whilst shielding
• delivering an exemplary COVID vaccination effort with many partners contributing to a swift and very successful rollout of the vaccine so far.

The proposals have been developed in response to the recent publication of the Government’s ‘Integration and Innovation’ White Paper, which sets out a series of reforms to health and care which the Government intend to implement at the beginning of April 2022.

This paper, published in February, also sets out how Integrated Care Systems (ICS) are expected to become embedded in legislation by April 2022 and therefore have statutory responsibilities, as part of reforms to the Health and Social Care Act. This Integrated Care System covers an area which includes York, as well as North Yorkshire, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.

If approved, the proposals would see the York Health and Social Care Alliance run in shadow form during the 2021-22 financial year, in order to further develop governance and accountability structures. Once all partners have agreed to the yet-to-be-proposed terms of reference, the board will be formalised in 2022, when the new national legislation takes effect.

The Alliance membership will comprise different organisations involved in commissioning or delivering health and care in York:

• Vale of York CCG
• City of York Council
• York Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust
• Nimbuscare (Primary care services provider in York)
• Community and Voluntary Services
• St Leonard’s Hospice
• York Schools and Academies Board
• Representatives of Primary Care networks.

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The Romans are coming

It looks like the proposal to construct a Roman visitor attraction on Rougier Street is set to get planning permission next week.

The old Northern House 1960’s office block will be demolished and replaced with 211 apartments, new offices and the Roman history visitor attraction at ground floor level.

The proposed Roman attraction, which has a working title of Eboracum, would based on archaeological discoveries from a two-year dig on the site. It would be three times the size of the Jorvik attraction and is aiming to attract 500,000 visitors per year.

At its maximum height the new building will be of a similar height to the tallest point of the Aviva building and the Malmaison Hotel to either side.

There are a number of objections mainly relating to the size of the proposed building. There are also a large number (69) of letters of support.

Details of the application which will be determined on 24th February can be read by clicking here

The application is recommended for approval.

The development is expected to bring a major jobs boost the the City in the wake of the economic problems caused by the pandemic.

Haxby Hall

Existing Haxby Hall building

The same meeting is expected to approve the replacement of the Haxby Hall care home with a new 65 bedroomed residential and dementia care facility.

The new care home would be managed by Yorkare Homes Ltd.

The application, which is recommended for approval, says that the existing ambulance station building will be retained.

The plans have been welcomed by social care professionals who comment,

” The proposal to develop a 65 bed care home on the Haxby Hall site is welcomed. The city has a shortage of care home accommodation and specifically for those living with dementia.

Based on national benchmarking York has a current shortage of almost 600 care bedrooms, this application will help to address this shortfall by not only providing an increased number of bedrooms but also by providing a modern, accessible facilities for residents.

I am particularly supportive of the fact that each bedroom in this proposal has an en-suite bathroom and corridors are wide enough to allow those with walking frames or wheelchair users to pass, which the existing care home does not provide.

The terraces on the upper floors will enable all residents to have access to outdoor space and nature. The way the building has been designed will allow natural light into bedrooms, corridors and communal spaces, which is a key feature in design for older person’s accommodation.

The specific provision for those living with dementia, with dementia friendly design elements and a focus on resident’s wellbeing is also strongly welcomed.

Details can be found by clicking here