Housing for care praised

Durham County Council’s decision to buy 25 homes for young people in care has been praised for helping reduce long-term costs, writes Local Democracy Reporter, Bill Edgar.

Earlier this year, the local authority approved plans to spend £3.9 million on purchasing the properties for young people leaving care or requiring supported accommodation.

Speaking at a scrutiny meeting, Labour group leader Rob Crute said the £3.9 million investment was “exactly the right thing to do” and called for the council to continue reducing its reliance on private providers.

“Purchasing those 25 homes is exactly the right thing to do,” Cllr Crute said.

“I have been saying for years that if we alleviate the financial burden on the council in financial terms by bringing those services in-house, then that is exactly what we should be doing.

“We need to go as far as we can across the whole sector.”

The comments came as councillors were told demand for children’s social care remains at record levels, with more children entering care and increasingly complex cases driving up costs.

A report said there were 1,321 children in care across County Durham at the end of March 2026.

The authority said more older children are entering care, often with complex needs and experiences of trauma, increasing demand for high-cost specialist placements. 

Regionally, the North East has the highest rate of children in care in England, which it linked to high levels of deprivation.

The update formed part of a review of the council’s Durham Cares Plan, which aims to reduce reliance on external providers by supporting more families to stay together, expanding in-house fostering, developing council-run children’s homes and working with neighbouring authorities to better manage the regional care market.

A council report said demand for supported accommodation for 16 and 17 year olds has increased significantly since before the coronavirus pandemic.

The authority currently leases 26 properties from private landlords as emergency accommodation for children and young people with intensive care and support needs.

Rental costs range from £77 to £214 per night, amounting to estimated annual property costs of more than £1 million.

Under the plans, the council will establish an Ofsted-registered in-house supported accommodation team to help young people develop the skills needed to live independently. The new properties are expected to be available by next summer.

Welcoming the investment earlier this year, Cathy Hunt, cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “We want every child in our care to have a safe, stable and welcoming place to live for as long as they need it.

“Our teams work tirelessly with providers across the county to ensure children are placed in appropriate, registered settings. However, demand continues to grow, and there is currently not enough registered accommodation available locally to meet all needs.”