The plans involve a combination of Council-run children's homes and services from specialist partners, including therapeutic education and mental health support. This approach is designed to create a broader range of local accommodation options, enhance oversight, and reduce reliance on single providers.
Under the proposals, which will be presented to the Executive on Wednesday 4 November, the Council would operate two short-term assessment homes and a short-breaks home for children with disabilities. Eight additional homes will be commissioned from external providers, ensuring greater choice and resilience. The High Needs Fostering Service will also be managed directly by the Council, continuing established partnerships with CAMHS and Horizon Therapeutic Education Trust for embedded mental health and specialist education support.
Councillor Heather Shearer, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Children, Families and Education, stated, "Every child in care deserves a safe, stable home and the right support to help them thrive. Wherever possible, that should be close to the people, schools and communities that matter to them."
She added, "These proposals are about creating a stronger, more flexible residential care system for Somerset. We have learned lessons from the current model and are proposing a better balance of Council-run provision and specialist partners, with clearer accountability and less dependence on any one organisation."
Currently, 164 children in Somerset live in residential care, with 97 placed outside the county. The new model aims to increase the availability of local homes, thereby reducing the need for distant placements and improving children's stability. It will offer different types of homes for various needs, clearer assessment pathways, and retain therapeutic support as a core component of residential care. A Council-led workforce strategy will focus on recruitment, retention, training, and career development.
If approved by the Executive in November, the programme will be introduced in phases, prioritising stability for children in the three currently open homes during the transition. Detailed decisions regarding individual homes will follow further assessments.
