Southwark finally to find home for 43 children in care closer to their families

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A South London council is setting up three new children’s homes to stop it being forced to send children to live 75 miles away.

Southwark Council intends to open three five-bedroom properties in the borough for the 43 children it cares for – at the moment, they are sent to children’s homes far away in the Midlands and north of England.

On average, kids from Southwark are placed in homes 75 miles away. Not one of them is in Southwark.

The local authority has identified 15 children living outside of the borough who could be looked after in homes in Southwark.

Cllr Jasmine Ali, cabinet member for children, young people and education, revealed the council wanted to establish the first home for five children in Nunhead.

At a cabinet meeting on February 1, she said: “We saw we wanted to have more of the children in our care closer to the borough.

“We are looking at provision in Nunhead for five bedrooms for children in care but with enough space so residential social workers can be on the premises as well.

“This is a bit of a tip of the iceberg because most of our support for children is within foster care because we want to support children and families.

“But foster care is not always right for every child we support.

“By having children’s homes, it’s only right they should be in or as close to the borough as possible.”

Last year Southwark Council won £1.85 million from the Department for Education to pay for a new children’s home in the borough.

Currently the local authority is responsible for 43 children and young people living in children’s homes.

A council document reads: “Costs, which are higher in London and the south, have distorted the market with more capacity being available in the Midlands and north where property prices are lower.

“Areas like London have relatively fewer suitable properties available at commercially viable prices.

“Independent providers operate more homes in areas of the country where capital expenditure on property and staffing is lower.”