Gloucester children's home and care-leaver flats to open

Council leaders have approved plans for a children's home and flats costing £6.4m

A new residential children's home and flats to support young people leaving care will open in Gloucester.

Council leaders have approved plans for the £6.4m project to convert a former council office on London Road.

There will be a five-bed home for children, aged 12 to 17, and three flats for care leavers, aged 16 to 21, to move in to.

Cabinet member Stephen Davies said the facilities would enable young people who need care "to thrive".

To make sure the building was fit for purpose, the Conservative-controlled council said it would invest £182,000 from Gloucester City Council capital funding, along with £891,000 of Department for Education capital funding to meet the £1.1m cost of the the refurbishment and building work.

The council estimated a further investment of £5.3 million will be made over five years to care for and support the young people whose home it will be, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

This includes care and support staff on site 24 hours a day and specialist trauma informed therapeutic support.

Mr Davies told the cabinet meeting on 29 March the plans were key for achieving their aims of housing children in care in the county.

The cabinet unanimously approved the proposals.