Service aims to keep at-risk children out of care

The new service would help support families before children had to go into care, councillors are told

At-risk children in Barnsley could be helped to avoid being taken into care through a new service which has been given the go-ahead.

Known as Edge of Care, it would aim to provide intensive support to families as the authority faced "increasing and unsustainable" spending on placements for children in care, the council's cabinet heard on Wednesday.

Cabinet members approved a one-off investment of up to £1.15m to get the service up and running over the next 18 months.

Councillor Trevor Cave, spokesperson for children’s services, said: "Whenever we can, we want to support families to stay together to make positive long-term changes and provide the stability young people need to grow and thrive."

Extra staff would be employed permanently to run the service, councillors heard.

'Brilliant opportunity'

The Edge of Care service would intervene early, supporting families facing domestic abuse, substance misuse and other challenges, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

It would offer "timely and intensive support" to help families resolve issues, prevent children entering the care system, and reduce the number of children in high-cost placements.

National data showed around half of children who were supported by Edge of Care services elsewhere did not become looked-after children, a report to councillors stated.

Without such a service, Barnsley could face an estimated £5m in continuing placement costs, cabinet members were told.

If implemented successfully, the number of children entering care in Barnsley could be reduced by 20%, particularly 12-16-year-olds, and it could also mean a decrease in the number of children placed in unregistered care arrangements, they heard.

Cave said the new service could be "a brilliant opportunity to meet the best interests of each child’s needs and more positive outcomes for young people across our communities".

It would also allow the authority to use its financial resources more strategically to keep supporting Barnsley children "to aspire and achieve", he added.

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