Rotherham Council’s Cabinet has approved plans to develop new residential homes for looked after children, meaning some of the borough’s most vulnerable children are supported much closer to home.
Rotherham does not have any in-house residential provision, so when a child requires a residential placement this is provided with an external provider. These placements are often high cost and predominantly out of borough.
Now the Council has agreed proposals to create a range of in-house residential homes, including emergency accommodation, for local children.
The small, family-orientated homes, would be staffed by trained professionals and incorporate a robust quality assurance regime with the aim of ensuring each home achieves and maintains a good or outstanding Ofsted rating.
The Council will now begin the process of opening two new homes initially, with the possibility of further developments after this.
Councillor Gordon Watson, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Neighbourhood Working, said: “Our primary aim is always to deliver improved outcomes for looked-after children in Rotherham. Providing excellent, local, Council-run residential provision will help us achieve that, ensuring more children and young people are able to be placed in Rotherham when appropriate, close to the people and surroundings they know.”
The report, ‘Operational Delivery of LAC Sufficiency Strategy – Proposals to develop new residential provision’ is available to download from the Council's website.
