Sufficiency Strategy for Cared for Children 2026-2030
Strategic objectives
In the context of the challenges being faced, our strategic objectives in relation to cared for children are:
| Objective | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Increase opportunities for children and young people to be cared for in or as close to Gateshead as possible | Increased proportion of cared-for children and young people placed within Gateshead within 20 miles of home. Children succeed when they remain connected to their home, communities, schools and support networks. Familiarity promotes stability, continuity of education, and access to health and social care services. It also strengthens relationships with families and friends and in addition supports emotional wellbeing. Reducing out of area placements helps minimise disruption and ensures better oversight and quality assurance from an operational and commissioning perspective. |
| Improve placement matching and stability | Improved placement stability and reduced disruption to education and health services. |
| Strengthen commissioning and market engagement | Strong, transparent and collaborative relationships with providers, clear identification of local needs, and effective commissioning arrangements to ensure high quality and cost-effective provision that focuses on child-centred outcomes. |
| Enhance wraparound support (education, health, emotional wellbeing) | Wraparound services covering education, health, emotional wellbeing and social inclusion are essential to ensure stability and reduce the risk of placement breakdown. |
| Promote permanency and reduce time in care | Prioritising timely permanency through kinship care, long-term fostering or adoption means children and young people grow up in stable environments and reduces reliance on care placements. |
To support us to achieve these objectives, seven key priorities have been identified, which are:
- reduce the overall numbers of children in care and the length of time they remain in care
- reduce the number of children in external residential care and bespoke arrangements
- improve placement stability and reduce the risk of placement breakdown
- support for children to exit care, where safe to do so
- strengthen and increase in-house fostering provision
- ensure children and young people with ongoing health needs are identified early and proactive engagement with NHS colleagues continues.
- strengthen post 16 provision through:
- commissioning further supported housing for 16/17 year olds
- developing a holistic young person's housing pathway
- strengthening joint working protocols between Children's Services and Housing