£2.7m to fund four new council children's homes

MOVE TO REDUCE RELIANCE ON PRIVATE PROVIDERS

- By JOE LOCKER Local democracy reporter

MORE council-owned children’s homes are being created in Nottingham to avoid the “premium prices” charged by private providers.

Nottingham City Council says it is “experiencing sustained demand” for children’s residential placements, with around 85% going to private and external providers. Many of these placements have to be purchased on the spot, meaning they come at a high and escalating cost, with children often being housed outside the city.

The latest figures show there are 99 children in external placements, while there are just 17 internal - or council-run - placements. These internal placements are now “full to capacity”.

The Labour-led authority says this has been creating financial pressure and can “adversely impact placement stability and outcomes for children”