Young people in care being sent hundreds of miles from home

The council is set to pay private providers nearly £9.5 million for children’s residential care.

- STUART GILLESPIE

And a lack of capacity means some young people are currently being placed hundreds of miles away in the north of Scotland.

The shocking situation is outlined in a report for next week's meeting of the social work services committee.

It states: “Not only does this create a huge distance for children from their family, friends and community, it places logistical transport pressures for the allocated social worker,

“It also means that health and education services need to be sourced where children are placed rather than by the professionals in Dumfries and Galloway that already have an understanding and a relationship with the child and their family”

Operational strategic manager Avril Dickie has prepared a report looking at a new model of delivery for residential children’s houses “to support more children to live in ‘ordinary houses’.