139.This section amends section 95 of the 2014 Act, which (among other things) places a duty on local authorities to make arrangements to promote co-operation between its officers who exercise social services functions and those who exercise its functions as a local housing authority for the purpose of achieving the objectives set out in section 95(1) of the 2014 Act relating to homelessness.
140.One of the objectives is the effective discharge of a local authority’s functions under Part 2 of the 2014 Act (see section 95(1)(d) of the 2014 Act). Section 23(2) of the Act amends section 95(1)(d) of the 2014 Act to provide that, in relation to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, the objective also includes the effective discharge of the authority’s functions under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.
141.Section 23(3) inserts subsections (1A) and (1B) after section 95(1) of the 2014 Act. Inserted subsection (1A) requires the arrangements required to be made by subsection (1) to include a protocol for handling cases involving people aged 16 or 17 who are homeless or threatened with homelessness; the accommodation and support needs of care leavers; and the accommodation and support needs of care leavers and people aged 16 or 17 leaving youth detention accommodation, prison or approved premises. Inserted subsection (1B) defines “care leavers” for those purposes.
Commentary on Sections Part 1 - Homelessness Section 23: Protocol for handling cases involving care leavers etc.