Norfolk to receive a share of £84m

Norfolk is to receive a share of £84m to support young people in or at risk of coming into care.

Norfolk County Council successfully bid to be included in the national Strengthening Families and Protecting Children programme, funded by the Department for Education. The 18 successful councils have just been announced.

The announcement means that Norfolk County Council will adopt the nationally recognised “No Wrong Door” project, which puts additional support around the most vulnerable young people.

Developed in North Yorkshire, the project combines residential care and foster care in specialist hubs. Young people have a key worker who sticks with them and then draws in support from mental health workers, speech and language therapists and police officers.

In North Yorkshire it has helped reduce the cycle of older children moving between multiple foster placements, or into residential care, reduced the numbers in high cost independent placements and reduced the numbers coming into care.

Cllr John Fisher, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Norfolk County Council, said:

“This is great news for Norfolk and will build on the other exciting projects that are already making a difference to young people in our county – like our new accommodation for care leavers, our family therapy service and our work to recruit more foster carers.

“Being a teenager isn’t easy for anyone but for those that have experienced family breakdown, come into care, or are have social or emotional difficulties, it can be particularly challenging. That’s why we are investing in extra support for our young people, looking at what works in other areas of the country and bidding for any extra resources that can improve the lives of Norfolk’s children.”

The programme will begin in Norfolk in 2020 but the council will begin planning work with North Yorkshire Council immediately.