Three new children’s care homes will be set up across South Gloucestershire to meet rising demand, save costs and keep young people within the area.
The three homes will be bought by South Gloucestershire Council with an external organisation providing care for up to nine placements. It’s not yet clear where the homes will be, but it’s expected to save the council money on expensive placements for children.
Providing care for children and young people is becoming increasingly expensive for councils across the country. In South Gloucestershire, council bosses are hoping this “innovative” response could be cheaper and also prevent children from having to leave the area.
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Carol Watson, head of commissioning, partnerships and performance, said: “The lack of local provision can lead to young people being placed out of the area, in particular those with more complex needs. This will support the delivery of innovative models of care, while making savings against current prices that we’re having to pay for children’s provision.”
Council bosses signed off the business case for the three homes during a cabinet meeting on Monday, July 11. The next step will be to find three suitable houses to buy, and select an external company or charity to provide the care in the new homes. Currently there are four providers of children’s residential care in South Gloucestershire, offering only 18 placements.
During the cabinet meeting, questions were raised about whether there would be enough staff to work in the new care homes, amid a nationwide staff shortage. Councillor Maggie Tyrell, Liberal Democrat deputy group leader, said: “What’s probably concerning everybody is the staffing of residential units. We know recruitment is a national issue.”
Cllr Sam Bromiley, cabinet member for children and young people, replied: “That doesn’t mean it’s something we shouldn’t pursue. The key thing here is finding the right strategic partner. We will be scrutinising the staffing of the homes, ensuring it’s robust and that it doesn’t leave any young person in South Gloucestershire vulnerable.”
Local demand has risen dramatically in recent years, with the number of children in care in South Gloucestershire rising by 38% over the past four years. As of this April, there were 271 children in care within the district.
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