New children's homes planned in care overhaul

Three homes for young people in care could be created in Barnsley as part of an overhaul of the council's care strategy.

A report going before the cabinet on 1 April proposes creating two three-bed residential homes and a two-bed, short-stay "reset home" for young people in crisis, with an estimated capital cost of £1.8m.

The plans form part of the council's new Children in Care Sufficiency Strategy for 2026 to 2030, which aims to improve stability for children in care while tackling rising pressures on its budget.

Councillor Ashley Peace said: "This strategy is about putting children first while taking responsible, planned action to strengthen our care system."

Council officers say Barnsley is facing major financial strain in children's social care, with an £8.3m overspend in the children in care budget reported at the latest finance update, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Much of that pressure is being driven by the use of costly external residential placements - meaning independent care providers outside the council's own provision - with the average placement costing about £8,300 a week.

If nothing changes, the council says spending on placements for children in care could reach £53.67m by 2028/29, leaving an estimated funding gap of £10.17m.

Council officers say increasing Barnsley's own residential provision would give the authority more control over the type, location and cost of placements, in a market where councils often have limited influence over prices and availability.

The new strategy sets out a wider plan to try to bring costs under control by stepping in earlier to support families, helping more children stay with relatives or foster carers where safe, and reducing avoidable moves into residential care.

It also includes extra support for kinship carers, more specialist foster placements for children with complex needs, continued "edge of care" work with families on the brink of crisis, and support to help some children safely return home.

To deliver the plan, the council is asking Cabinet to approve revenue investment starting at £2.08m in 2026/27, rising to £5.41m by 2028/29, which is expected to generate savings over time.

Peace said: "By intervening earlier, supporting families and carers, and increasing local provision, we can improve stability for children, reduce unnecessary disruption and make sure residential care is used appropriately and effectively.

"At the same time, it allows us to better manage rising costs and reduce reliance on an increasingly volatile external market, ensuring children's services remain sustainable for the future."

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