Somerset Council is setting out proposals for a stronger and more resilient residential care system, designed to help children receive the right support closer to their families, schools, and communities.
The proposed mixed delivery model will combine Council-run homes with services provided by several specialist partners, alongside therapeutic education, mental health support, and specialist fostering.
Plans have been developed to align with the ending of the Shaw Trust’s contract with Homes and Horizons, in November 2027. They build on the strengths of the existing programme while applying lessons learned. In particular, to create a broader range of homes, stronger oversight and less reliance on a single provider.
Under the proposals, which will be presented to Executive (Wednesday 4 November):
- Somerset Council would operate two short-term assessment homes for children entering care unexpectedly or in crisis, as well as a short-breaks home for children with disabilities.
- Eight further homes would be commissioned through the external market, using at least two providers to create greater choice and resilience.
- The High Needs Fostering Service would also come under direct Council management.
- Established partnerships with CAMHS and Horizon Therapeutic Education Trust would continue to provide embedded mental health support and specialist education.
Cllr Heather Shearer, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Children, Families and Education, said:
Every child in care deserves a safe, stable home and the right support to help them thrive. Wherever possible, that should be close to the people, schools and communities that matter to them.
These proposals are about creating a stronger, more flexible residential care system for Somerset. We have learned lessons from the current model and are proposing a better balance of Council-run provision and specialist partners, with clearer accountability and less dependence on any one organisation.
Our focus throughout will be on children’s safety, stability and wellbeing. We will take a careful, phased approach, working with children, families, staff, providers and regulators to make sure the right support is in place.
Somerset currently has 164 children living in residential care, with 97 placed outside the county. Increasing the range and availability of suitable local homes is intended to reduce the need for distant placements and improve stability for children.
The new model would offer different types of home for different needs, create clearer assessment pathways and retain therapeutic support as a central part of residential care.
A Council-led workforce strategy would support recruitment, retention, training and career development across the service.
If approved by the Executive in November, the programme would be introduced in phases, with stability for children in the three homes currently open prioritised throughout the transition.
Detailed decisions on individual homes would follow further financial, workforce, property, and quality assessments.
