Hundreds of children and young people well supported by council children's homes

More than 350 children and young people have been well supported by children's homes run by Norfolk County Council over the last year, a report said today.

The council's Cabinet is set to endorse the Annual Report for its Residential Service for 2021/22 as it heard about the quality of care provided and the proactive support for families.

Cllr Daniel Elmer, deputy cabinet member for Children's Services, said:

"This service works with some of our most vulnerable children and young people both in care and on the edge of care.

"Many of the individuals in this cohort will have faced some incredibly difficult circumstances in their lives, for some this will include heart-breaking trauma.

"I'm very proud of the quality of our residential homes and the kindness, comfort and relationship-based support offered to children and young people by our staff.

"As can be seen from the quality of care as judged by Ofsted, and our own quality assurance checks, our children's homes are having very positive effects on the outcomes achieved by our young people."

The council's Residential Children's Home Service runs:

The New Roads Service which has two hubs

The service provides residential care and outreach support in the family home for young people in care or on the edge of care aged between 12 and 17. The hubs can provide residential places for up to 12 young people. Between 1 September last year and 31 August this year the service accepted 145 referrals with 91% of closed cases having had positive outcomes. It is currently working with 94 families, accommodating eight young people in the hubs with a further 16 individual receiving outreach support in their placements and 70 young people on the edge of care being supported to remain at home with their families.

Four children's homes and one home for children with disabilities

These five homes have space for up to 14 children and young people aged between seven and 17. Between September 2021 and August this year 25 individuals have been accommodated.

Three residential short-breaks children's homes for children and young people aged between five and 17

Two of these homes provide accommodation for up to 10 children and young people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and sensory impairments, including children and young people with complex health needs and challenging behaviour. The third home has space for up to four children and young people and provides planned, short term stays of residential care to those on the edge of care and emergency time-limited stays to support families in crisis. A total of 113 children and young people have stayed there between 1 September last year and 31 August this year. The service has reduced the number of children and young people coming into care by offering support and respite to promote families staying together.

Four self-contained supported flats

These currently provide accommodation for up to 12 Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking young people.

10 Semi-Independent Living houses

These offer placements for up to 31 young people at a time. Between September last year and August this year a total of 63 young people were accommodated.

Cabinet will consider the report when it meets at 10am on Monday 7 November.Watch the meeting, live or afterwards and read the reports online. (opens new window)