New home for young care leavers to be built

Rock House in Barnsley was originally earmarked for a children's home in 2021

A dedicated home is to be built in Barnsley for young adults who are leaving the care system.

Rock House, a former educational facility, will be converted into a five-bedroom residential provision, with four self-contained flats and staff accommodation, councillors have agreed.

A £1m refurbishment is expected to begin later this year, with completion of the project and acceptance of its first residents in summer 2026, a meeting heard.

As well as keeping young people connected to their community, family, and local services, the council said it hoped the project would save over £750,000 per year by reducing its reliance on out-of-borough placements.

Currently, many care leavers are placed in these due to a lack of suitable local housing.

'Positive investment'

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a cabinet report noted there were eight young people in care currently awaiting appropriate step-down accommodation - a number which was expected to grow as more prepared for independence.

A dedicated team would be recruited to support the residents, offering mentoring, life skills coaching and coordination with social workers and local services, councillors were told.

The service would focus on short to medium term stays, allowing residents to gradually transition to fully independent living.

The total annual running cost of the facility was expected to be just under £490,000, which the council planned to fund from existing placement budgets, the meeting heard.

While Rock House was originally earmarked for a children's home in 2021, the shift in use reflects changing priorities under the new Children in Care Placement Sufficiency Strategy adopted in 2023.

The council described the project as a "positive investment" in Barnsley's young people and a practical step towards building sustainable, supportive pathways out of care.

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