The 10 year partnership between Somerset Council, Homes2Inspire and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust was designed to transform care for some of Somerset’s most vulnerable children and young people.
Two years since their last visit, the BBC returned to speak to us about the impact and progress of the project.
Read about the impact of the partnership here: Somerset Council opens eighth children’s home to save money – BBC News
Financially, the partnership has already saved the Council £5.2m over two years by reducing the reliance on expensive private and unregistered placements.
The homes are staffed by professionals with backgrounds in mental health, therapy and social work and have a ‘fast track entry’ to Children’s and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to access support as soon as it’s needed.
Home managers Richard and Jess explain the importance of being able to keep young people in their own county. As Jess said: “Who doesn’t want that stability and familiarity of where they grew up?” Not only do young people need the consistency of people and places but also of the support and services they receive.
A key part of this project is making sure our homes have a feeling of safety and comfort. Chloe, a 21 year old care leaver, volunteers with Homes and Horizons to develop and decorate the homes which has helped create a homely atmosphere for the young people who live there. “If I can’t say I would want to move in here, it’s not going to work.”
At Homes2Inspire, part of Shaw Trust, we believe that partnerships, not profiteering, are the future for delivering great care for children. To learn more about how a strategic partnership with us could help improve care and longer term outcomes for young people email partnerships@shaw-trust.org.uk.
