Vulnerable young people leaving care in Inverclyde are being put at risk when they are placed in social housing, a councillor has claimed.

Councillor Colin Jackson told a recent meeting of the social work and social care scrutiny panel that some people have been allocated homes in areas that are unsuitable. 

He called on health and social care bosses to take steps to ensure that social housing landlords are considering vulnerabilities when allocating houses.

It comes as Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) discussed the support that children and young people can expect from the Promise team, which protects the rights of all young people with a focus on the care experienced.

(Image: George Munro)

Former social work and social care chair Councillor Jackson, who has raised this issue previously, said: "This is about children who find themselves moving on into tenancies. 

"I know a few young people who have taken on tenancies and moved in to houses that have put them at risk and left them quite vulnerable.

"It is not about the care, the support young people receive from throughcare is fine.

"I am wondering if social housing within the board, if their allocation policy could be tweaked or changed to give these young people a better chance of accommodation to take them out of areas where they will be put at risk.

"You can give them the best care in the world but this is Inverclyde and we know some of the threats that are out there.

"I know this from young people who have found themselves vulnerable because of where they have been put by the housing associations.

"The wrap around care and the support given, I get that, but sometimes you can't protect them when they are in these situations.

"I would like to think the housing associations would recognise that these are not just ordinary 19 to 20 year olds. They need to be taken out of those areas."

Officers lined up to reassure Councillor Jackson that the issue has been a priority.

Inverclyde HSCP chief officer Kate Rocks said that moves had been made to strengthen relations around care experienced young people to avoid these situations.

She said: "There has been a lot of work done in the last 18 months to forge better relations with our housing providers.

"The housing providers are on the board and whilst we cannot treat our young people as legally having protected characteristics they are applying that notionally and having discussions about where is the right place on an individual basis.

"We will see some of the experiences you have outlined perhaps being less of a feature as we move forward."

(Image: contributed)

She went on to highlight that the decision to bring homelessness together with resettlement will strengthen services.

The chief officer also said that a report into homelessness due in November, following an independent review, will again strengthen links with the housing providers.