New children's home locations revealed by council

The first of a raft of new council-run children’s homes planned for Lancashire will open across the county.

The four premises – created from the conversion of existing properties in Lancaster, Ribble Valley, Burnley and Rossendale – form part of Lancashire County Council’s ambition to develop 15 new small-scale residential facilities to house some of the young people in its care.

It would double the number of homes the authority currently operates, in an attempt to reduce its reliance on costly placements in the private sector.

The county's bill for housing children in privately-run homes averages about £6,000 per week, but can top £9,000 for the most complex cases.

A recent meeting heard that its quartet of new properties – along with two adolescent support units whose locations have not been disclosed – are expected to save the authority £1m a year by 2025/26.

Cabinet member for children and families, Cosima Towneley, told the meeting the scheme "will give us the ability to ensure a child in crisis always has a safe port to harbour in whilst we all take stock".

In a statement issued after the meeting she added that the authority believes children have “better outcomes when in our provision”.

The first phase of the programme has seen the creation of two three-bed and a pair of two-bed specialist homes.

The adolescent support units – one of which has been repurposed from an existing mainstream unit – will offer a total of six places. 

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