Care leaver homes in charity-council partnership

At a meeting on Wednesday, recommendations to lease land was backed

Proposals to create eight new homes, specifically designed to house care leavers with complex needs, have been supported in a charity and council partnership.

At a meeting on Wednesday, recommendations to lease land at Aldens Farm in Alphington, Exeter, and Silverhills, in Barnstaple, to enable the constructions was backed by Devon County Council's cabinet.

Each home would be designed for young people with higher levels of need, the meeting heard.

Barnardo's will invest £950,000 per site while Devon County Council will lease the land for 125 years as match funding.

The partnership follows an £18m donation to Barnardo's from the Katherine Martin Charitable Trust.

The sites will have a cluster of four self-contained homes and separate accommodation for a support worker, who will be on hand to provide support and guidance.

Councillor Richard Jefferies, Devon County Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care, said: "Children leaving care and transitioning into independent living often have difficult histories and residential care or shared living arrangements might not always be suitable or in their best interests.

"Without stable housing and the right support, they can struggle to stay in education, find work, or access training and this can increase the risk of homelessness and serious health issues.

"Gap homes provide a suitable alternative; they are safe and will provide stable accommodation for some of our most vulnerable young people."