Our Council Plan

The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on some residents’ lives and has widened some existing inequalities. In this context, we will look beyond recovery to building resilience, with a continued emphasis on mental health and prevention in our support of adults, children, families at risk.

Continuing targeted support for young people at risk

We have supported vulnerable children and families with education, food and finances throughout the pandemic. We will continue our work to address lost learning and hidden harm, to support emotional wellbeing , through community based approaches for children and young people and improve pathways to employment. The Council is committed to making the borough safer for young people most at risk of harm and we are developing a new Youth Violence and Exploitation Strategy. Local networks with employers, education and learning facilities, and sports and leisure events are important to linking young people with positive activities, and we are committed to improving educational outcomes further, through our School Inclusion Strategy. We want the diversity in our schools to drive improvement.

Supporting older and more vulnerable adults to be independent

All our care providers are rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ and we continue to work with our providers to promote independent living through our services. This includes maximising independence and improving life chances for young people as they transition to adulthood. We will provide more, higher quality independent housing, including 65 extra care units as part of the wider Lots Road development and through various community channels. Our Community Healthcare Champions have helped to tackle social isolation and act as a front door to connect our residents to the support they need. We will support those with learning and physical disabilities into high quality and sustainable employment, including within our own housing and local care services, as well as promoting career opportunities in the care sector to our local workforce.

Looking beyond recovery to resilience

The focus of our support for vulnerable adults in the borough is not only on recovery from the impact of the pandemic but also longer-term resilience. We have established networks, partnering with voluntary and community groups, to support and enable residents to help each other within their communities which has increased civic community strength in particular parts of the borough. We will continue to improve engagement with groups at risk of homelessness who have more complex needs, to understand how best to support in the long-term.

Working in partnership to address existing and prevent escalating needs

The pandemic has highlighted the scale of existing and new health, wellbeing and social inequalities. Our focus on prevention and early intervention is intended to help our residents avoid more complex health and wellbeing issues due to their socio-economic background or living situation. We will do this by understanding the characteristics behind different inequalities and making active interventions to address emerging needs. We recognise the intersection of different needs and we are committed to delivering joined up preventative services across the Council, with the NHS, voluntary and community organisations and our shared service partner, Westminster City Council.

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What we want to see

• People have access to information, advice and guidance that meets their needs and promote independence and wellbeing.
• Children and young people are protected from criminal or sexual exploitation and from being drawn into gang activity and serious violence.
• People are supported with their mental health needs from the earliest opportunity, with a continuing focus on their wellbeing.
• More and higher quality extra care housing provision in the borough.
• Digital solutions continue to enable people to understand, plan and manage their care and to live independently.
• Kensington and Chelsea is an age and dementia friendly place.
• More and higher quality extra care housing provision in the borough.
• Residents have access to suitable, affordable accommodation and homelessness is prevented.
• Effective partnership of adult social care services, health, housing, homelessness statutory and community organisations.
• Residents are safeguarded from extremism and radicalisation.
• All young people transition successfully into adulthood, including those leaving care and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
• Loneliness and isolation are minimised, especially for our older people and vulnerable residents.
• All people with disabilities achieve their full potential and are supported into employment through skills and training opportunities.
• All commissioned care providers maintain their “good” rating by the Care Quality Commission.

What we will do

• Strengthen our Pre-Birth to 5 offer, ensuring we provide targeted support for those with additional needs
• Deliver our co-created youth offer with ongoing input from local children and young people.
• Continue to improve the transition of people from Children’s to Adults’ Services, maximising their independence and life chances.
• Implement our Bi-Borough Inclusion Strategy, which includes reducing the number and disproportionality of fixed-term inclusions, whilst improving outcomes and re-integration for those who are excluded.
• Continue to strengthen community-based emotional health and wellbeing support for children and young people.
• Develop the new Youth Violence and Exploitation Strategy and continue to deliver the Prevent programme, to help and support people at risk of violence, extremism, and radicalisation.
• Implement our Customer Access Strategy and develop an online shop to provide personalised access to information, advice, activities and services.
• Continue to encourage community networks that provide opportunities for people to help one another.
• Provide support and make it easier for people with learning and physical disabilities to gain sustainable employment.
• Refine hospital pathways to prevent or delay residents’ needs for services.
• Continue to provide high quality, safe care for residents in receipt of care in the home or in residential or nursing care.
• Enhance and increase the supply of high quality housing that enables independence.
• Work with at risk individuals and families to prevent homelessness and reduce use of temporary accommodation.