Sufficiency Strategy for Cared for Children 2026-2030
Sufficiency challenges
There are gaps in local, specialist therapeutic placements, especially for older children and those with complex emotional or behavioural needs. There is a need to strengthen local residential provision, trauma-informed delivery and mental health wraparound support, reducing dependence on isolated placements out of area.
The authority depends heavily on external providers, with only limited in-house residential homes. This restricts supply and drives up costs in respect of out-of-area activity. However, there are plans in place to incrementally develop new in-borough homes and engage nearby registered providers to participate in commissioning dialogue, but this is an area of development. Current demand versus local supply, influences use of placements outside Gateshead, risking disruption and variability and stability for children and young people
Gateshead have a fostering recruitment strategy which identifies specialist, mainstream and connected carers as areas for development.
Current fostering capacity does not fully support children with mental health, SEND, or trauma-related needs, increasing pressure on residential or agency placements.
While trauma-informed models like "Trusting Hands" and CAMHS exist, there are gaps in community provision for children and young people with mild to moderate emotional needs. There is a need for wrap around therapeutic support, and a more integrated joint commissioning approach is necessary to providing therapeutic support within foster and residential placements. This in turn will reduce waiting times in the system if a more joined up approach to a graduated response to address need is achieved, especially for those children and young people with trauma, abuse, or self-harm issues.
There is a gap in respect of registered provision for complex needs: Complex behaviour, SEND, and autism-specialist residential care is underrepresented in local commissioning frameworks.
Lack of secure/semi-supported placements: There is a shortfall in semi-independent or secure placements for older teenagers or those requiring greater safeguarding support.
Addressing these gaps requires clear commissioning strategies to:
- grow local residential care (in-house and provider partnerships)
- expand specialist fostering services
- enhance tiered mental health support
- introduce secure/semi-independent living options
- strengthen market insight and data-driven forecasting
Summary of local commissioning gaps
| Area | Key gaps in delivery |
|---|---|
| Residential | Limited in-house homes, high reliance on external and out-of-area placements |
| Fostering | Insufficient specialist and connected person placements |
| Mental Health | Under-provision for mild/moderate needs; therapeutic support gaps |
| SEND | Few specialist homes; absence of supported or secure placements |