Accommodation for vulnerable or disabled children (FOI)

​Request

A

What accommodation exists for disabled or vulnerable children that need to go into state funded long term care?

B

Is there sufficient accommodation existing, or planned to be built, to house the need for those where parents are no longer able or deemed suitable to care for their child due to various reasons.

C

How many long term accommodation units exist in total and how many are available ready for occupation.

D

How many units are planned to be built in the next five years?

Response

A

All children and young people up to the age of 18 may be classed as vulnerable who need to come into the full-time care of children’s social care service.

Children and young people referred for full-time care may have additional diagnosis which may be classed as a disability and the children’s social care service will strive to accommodate all children and young people’s needs.

The children’s homes aim to match children to live together based on their individual needs.

The children’s social care service currently have:

• four children’s homes that are registered with the Jersey Care Commission (medium / long term accommodation)

• two supported living homes that are registered with the Jersey Care Commission (medium term accommodation)

• one secure children’s home (temporary accommodation)

• two short break homes (respite accommodation)

B

The Government of Jersey has invested £1.2m into the development of a new therapeutic children’s home in 2021. This will be an additional three-bedroom home for children and young people up to the age of 18 years.

The existing children’s homes are currently full.

The children’s social care service will support acute temporary placements when there is a lack of other available resource.

The capacity to accommodate children and young people will be improved with the implementation of the intensive fostering service to provide medium / long term placements for children and young people which will provide more individualised bespoke care. This is planned from April / May 2021. The development of the therapeutic children’s home and the transition of young people as they move on from our care in 2021 will also affect capacity.

C

Please see response A above.

The existing children’s homes are currently full.

D

The Government of Jersey has invested £1.2m into the development of a new therapeutic children’s home in 2021. This will be an additional three-bedroom home for children and young people up to the age of 18 years.

We keep demand under constant review. We expect the new intensive fostering scheme to reduce the demand for places in children’s homes. Should this not materialise, we would be able to apply for new funds via the Government Plan to develop additional capacity if needed.