Scunthorpe: New £6m complex care centre completed

The new centre will mean families can access palliative care without leaving the area

A new £6m complex care centre for young people has been completed in Scunthorpe.

Tree Tops, which will be the new location for The Cygnets respite centre, has been funded by the Department for Education (DfE).

The centre will provide short term care for young people with complex disabilities.

It will also support families with life-limiting and palliative care needs.

Julie Reed, cabinet member for children, families and communities at North Lincolnshire Council, said: "Tree Tops means that, for the first time in North Lincolnshire, families will be able to access palliative care right here instead of travelling out of the area, which I know will be a huge comfort in what can be a distressing time in people's lives."

The single storey new care centre includes multiple sensory rooms, dining and lounge areas, staff bedrooms, 13 specialist accessible residential bedrooms for children with complex needs, accessible kitchens and bathrooms, a medical room, and family rooms.

It will also feature gardens and outdoor spaces for staff, residents and their families.

'Fantastic facility'

Ms Reed said she was "absolutely thrilled" to see the new facility open.

"Growing up in a family of children with disabilities, I know how exhausting delivering care around the clock can be, so having a wonderful space like Tree Tops, where a parent can drop their child off, knowing they will be well looked after and where they will receive excellent care, is a real lifeline."

Tree Tops was developed by the council alongside young people, their families and steering groups.

Scunthorpe MP Holly Mumby-Croft told the Local Democracy Reporting Service every child deserved access to the "best possible facilities".

"It is a fantastic facility that will help children and their families when they are having a really tough time."