Council to fund some foster care home alterations

Bradford Council is set to fund some home alterations for foster carers in the hope that the changes will enable more children to be cared for in family settings.

The local authority is set to invest £1.5m over the next three years to help carers make changes such as installing accessible bathrooms, widened doorways or bedroom extensions.

The funding would pay for around six to eight home adaptation projects each year, with typical costs ranging from £60,000 to £80,000 per project.

Councillor Sue Duffy said the plans were "about doing what's right for our children".

The council said funding the changes could be cost-effective as well as keeping the children in stable, family-based placements.

Duffy, the authority's executive member for children and families, said: "Many children in care – especially those with disabilities or more complex needs – benefit hugely from being with long-term foster carers.

"But as children grow, their needs can change, and foster homes sometimes need to be adapted to make that possible."

The proposal would allow quicker decisions on individual home adaptations by giving approval powers to senior council officers.

The first year of the programme in 2025/26 would be funded by money left over from another residential project, with additional capital funding to be identified for the following years.

The capital fund is set to be approved by the council's executive committee on 15 July.

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