Almost £12m has been set aside to fund new and improved residential care facilities for the island’s looked-after children – including a new facility in the north of St Helier to be built next year.
Published last week, the government’s Budget set out plans to provide an extra £7.6m of funding for children’s services next year, increasing the total departmental expenditure to £58m.
And, if the proposed Budget is approved by politicians later this year, a further £12m will be used to fund the children’s homes estates – dubbed the ‘Loving Homes Estate’.
“This will ensure sufficient funding is in place to protect and care for our most vulnerable children,” according to the Budget.
The £12m of funding is broken down into £2.3m next year, £2.1m in 2027, £2.9m in 2028, and £4.7 in 2029. This will enable the feasibility work needed to inform delivery projects in late 2026 and subsequent years, the Budget states.
The government acknowledged that there is “insufficient capacity in children’s care settings” but explained that the ‘Loving Homes Estate’ is “part of a wider whole-system change intended to significantly expand and modernise Jersey’s residential care capacity”.
The Budget continued: “Building on the progress made since the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, the plan will reshape the residential estate to deliver a high-quality, sustainable model of care on-island.
“The investment includes new residential homes to increase sufficiency, specialist provision including upgrades to the secure children’s home, and supported accommodation for young people preparing for independence.”
The initial funding will deliver a new residential care facility in the north of St Helier next year, and enable initial improvements to be made the Greenfields and Oakside specialist care facilities.
Planning permission has been received to change the three-bedroom staff accommodation Oakside House at Greenfields into an emergency refuge unit which could house up to two children and one carer.