Developing new residential placements - local case studies 

 New residential children's home opened in Greenwich in record time during the COVID-19 pandemic

Context

The Children’s Home opened in Greenwich was a direct forward thinking response to the unprecedented national emergency caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic. In usual times, identifying suitable placements for children who come into the care of the Council can be challenging.  With the anticipated pressure on all local authorities of a simultaneous rising need for placements because of the impact of Covid-19 upon families and care providers it was anticipated that this would become more difficult.

There is limited provision available for placements at little or no notice and particularly so for adolescents.  These residential placements are very expensive.  Greenwich’s new home was recognised for its potential to offer a valuable local means to provide emergency immediate care for children unable to be with their families or for those already in our care where their current placement has broken down.

This was reflected in the eventual intake with the Home supporting 7 young people. 

Impact

While the project has been challenging it has also delivered significant benefits to Greenwich, which will be taken forward in its development of an adolescent residential assessment unit on a new site.  The impact has included:

• The new home has kept some of the most vulnerable children local, this has meant that social workers have been able to maintain face to face contact
• The staff group have a wider range of skills, age and experience than might normally be found in a children’s home. For example, qualified social workers and teachers, a therapist and staff from Charlton Athletic Community Trust experienced and engaging young people. This has brought a richness to the care offered to young people.
• Young people report that they have been happy there.
• Two positive reports from the independent visitor to the home (Regulatory requirement) – “it is very evident that staff are working very hard to make a positive difference to the young people’s lives and therefore I am satisfied that staff are ensuring that the children are being effectively safeguarded while living in the home and that the conduct of the home effectively promotes children’s wellbeing.”

You can read here a detailed write-up of how the team at Greenwich identified and met a range of challenges to open the home. If you would like more information, please contact David Borland (david.borland@royalgreenwich.gov.uk)