A NEW children’s home has been opened in Coventry to help children and young people in need of care to stay close to home and their families.
The home – the city’s first purpose-built home for children in care with disabilities – can care for up to four children and young people at a time.
Coventry City Council (CCC) says the home is the latest step in its work to improve the care of young people in the city.
The opening of the new home follows a detailed needs analysis of the children who are in need of care from the city, and seeks to prevent children being placed far from home where external providers may increase costs or seek to make a profit from caring for vulnerable children.
The cost of external residential placements made by Coventry has increased by 57 per cent in recent years.
Coun Patricia Seaman, CCC’s spokesperson for Children and Young People, said: “This home will help to support the great work across the city to care for our children and young people who need extra support.
“We know that our looked-after children are happiest and most settled when they are near their own homes, their schools, their families and their friends and these new homes will allow more children to have that support network when they need it most.
“The cost of agencies continues to rise and building our own homes makes financial sense, but more importantly it makes sense because it is the best thing to do for the children and young people, and that is what we will always try to do in Coventry.
“It looks wonderful, and together with the dedicated and caring staff who run it, it will make a real difference to young lives. I am particularly delighted that we now have a home dedicated to helping young people with disabilities. This is a great step forward and is a wonderful and much-needed addition to our care facilities in Coventry.”
Sukriti Sen, Director of Children and Education Services at CCC, said the new home would give children and young people stability at a very difficult time in their lives.
She added: “It will give continuity of care and allow us to find places quickly and get children settled.
“This will mean less disruption to children and young people in terms of access to education, health and other services and enable them to be close to family, friends and their local community.”
The home is part of the ongoing work by CCC’s Children’s Services to improve care across the city.
The service was judged as ‘good’ by Ofsted following its last full inspection, and its work was also highlighted in the Channel 4 series Kids, which put the spotlight on children in care in the city and those who look after them, earning widespread praise.
Visit www.coventry.gov.uk for more information about council care for children and young people in Coventry.
