Barnsley Council approves plans for three new children's homes
Its part of plans to reduce reliance on existing outside placements
Last updated 2 hours ago
Barnsley Council has approved plans to create three new children’s homes as part of a major strategy aimed at reducing its reliance on expensive private placements.
The authority’s cabinet approved the proposals on April 1 as part of its new children in care sufficiency strategy.
Under the scheme, the council plans to open two new three-bed children’s homes and a two-bed short-stay “reset home” to help support young people in crisis and provide more care closer to home.
Council documents say the move is intended to give the council greater control over the cost, quality and availability of placements, and improve stability for children and young people in care.
At the council’s most recent finance update, cost pressures of £8.3m were reported across the children in care budget, with the bulk of that attributed to higher than expected use of residential placements.
According to the report, there were 47 more residential placements than forecast at that stage, with average residential costs standing at around ÂŁ8,300 per week, roughly ÂŁ500,000 per child per year.
The council also plans to introduce more specialist foster carers, expand its Mockingbird fostering model, develop a dedicated adolescent support pathway, and improve support to stop placements breaking down.
Councillor Ashley Peace, cabinet member for children’s services told today’s cabinet meeting:
“Nationally, children’s social care continues to face sustained pressure. Councils are becoming more reliant on a volatile external residential market that is difficult to influence and control.
“Barnsley is experiencing the same pressures locally. Without intervention, the number of children requiring placements will increase over the coming years, with the greatest growth in residential care.
“Without intervention, placement costs could rise to an unsustainable £55.5m million by 28/29.”
Sir Steve Houghton CBE, leader of the council added:
“As with all local authorities, we are faced with increasing demand going forward, so this should help us manage that, hopefully, against that very difficult fiscal background.”