Two temporary children’s homes set up after the pandemic are due to close – one now after a failed planning appeal, and another later this year – as the government sets out plans to expand the island’s residential care estate over the next five years.
The temporary facilities were created at the Overdale site on Westmount Road to meet “increased levels of complexity of need and referrals to services” following the pandemic, which the government said had a “significant impact” on children and young people.
The Overdale site is now being redeveloped into a £710 million acute hospital, and ministers say the properties, which were always intended to be temporary, must be returned.
The closures, however, come as the government has launched a wider overhaul of residential care provision as part of its new 25-year capital investment strategy.
Under the proposals, published last week as part of the Investing in Jersey programme, the government plans to increase capacity by acquiring new properties for use as children’s homes, establishing a permanent home for young people preparing to live independently, introducing a new model for “move-on” accommodation in partnership with housing providers, expanding outreach services for care leavers, and refurbishing the secure home for young people in custody or subject to secure accommodation orders.
The funding also aimed to increase on-island capacity after more than £3.5 million was spent on placing local children into homes off-island in 2022.
Responding to questions from Express, a spokesperson said: “The properties used to create these children’s homes are on the site of the hospital development, and it was always a fact that they would need to be returned when the hospital development progressed.
“One of these has recently closed due to a failed planning appeal for continued use as a children’s home and is about to be replaced through leasing another temporary property.
“The other is still currently being used as a children’s home, but is due for closure later in 2025, as it is on the site of the hospital development.”
Speaking about the planned reforms to Jersey’s residential estate following the closure of the temporary facilities, Children’s Minister Richard Vibert said the Investing in Jersey proposals were “a very welcome part” of the Children’s Services improvement programme.
He said: “Our plans provide a framework to address the longstanding challenges with regard to the availability of residential care for children in Jersey by creating additional capacity in children’s homes over the next five years.
“The reform of the children’s residential estate is a critical part of the Children’s Services improvement plan (2025 – 2030).
“The improvement plan has a large focus on creating sustainable, stable, loving homes for children to ensure high-quality care, focused on improving children’s outcomes.”
Setting out the proposals in more detail, Constable Vibert added: “As well as providing a continued focus on trying to recruit foster carers, the plan includes acquiring properties for use as children’s homes, as well as a permanent home for young people in the care of the States who need support with transition to independence.
“It also includes a more sustainable model for ‘move-on’ accommodation through housing providers, and improved outreach support to enable young people leaving care to live independently with support.
“An additional area of focus includes investment in the refurbishment of the secure home for young people in custody or subject to secure accommodation orders on welfare grounds.”
Jersey Cares CEO Susie Richardson welcomed the shift away from short-term homes.
She said: “We are delighted that there is a longer-term plan to create an estate that is designed around the needs of children in care and will provide purpose-built homes, supporting a sense of stability and permanence.
“Having houses that are temporarily assigned to be children’s homes and which open, close and move can be very unsettling for children and proper long-term investment and a sense of ‘permanence’ is long overdue.
“In the absence of sufficient fostering options in Jersey, excellent alternatives are required to ensure that, where possible (and right for the individual), children can be appropriately accommodated in Jersey and not need to move off island (unless for a specialist placement).
“We at Jersey Cares want to ensure that children continue to be involved in the consultation of this project at every stage and that children living in care, and those with care experience, can see their ideas shaping the future and their voices being heard.
“We continue to commit to working with the people that we advocate alongside, to ensure that their voices are heard and are reflected as this project develops.”
The charity offers advocacy, activities and opportunities to islanders with experience of the care system.
