THE Lighthouse, a new hub at the centre of Warrington Borough Council’s ‘No Wrong Door’ scheme, is providing a pioneering way of supporting young people who are within or on the edge of the care system.
The new town centre hub, which officially launched on 1 April, replaces traditional council-run children’s homes with a range of integrated provision. This includes residential care home beds, emergency residential beds, community foster family placements, supported accommodation, and supported lodgings and outreach support.
The hub is supported by a multi-agency team, including key workers, clinical psychologists, speech and communications therapists, and police intelligence officers. They work with young people in and on the edge of care to reconnect with their families, reduce risky behaviour and improve their aspirations. So far, 40 young people have worked with the new integrated services at The Lighthouse, with 30 remaining out of care.
For young people who need to enter care, the programme will ensure they are in placements that are right for them, are close to home and their school, and provide the best life chances.
Cllr Sarah Hall, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “I’m so pleased that The Lighthouse is now fully operational and we’re already seeing the positive impact of the work being undertaken for children and young people in and on the edge of care.
“In Warrington, we endeavour to support young people who are not thriving and facing issues in different aspects of their lives. Through The Lighthouse, we are able to offer stability to young people in need of support, by providing services from across the council and partners in the right place, at the right time.
“The Lighthouse team works creatively and flexibly with young people and their families to build trusted relationships and improve outcomes. Our aim is to reduce the number of children in care, improve school attendance and engagement, increase participation in training and employment, reduce criminal offences and incidences where young people go missing from home, and to support young people with their mental health and wellbeing.
“I’d like to thank our local young people who chose the name ‘The Lighthouse’ and helped to develop the hub’s logo. It’s very exciting to see the positive impact The Lighthouse is having already and the opportunities we are confident it will create for young people and families in Warrington.”
The No Wrong Door scheme was first developed by North Yorkshire County Council. It has helped them reduce the number of children in care by 18 per cent in five years, and has enabled a £2million year-on-year saving.
Warrington was shortlisted and selected as a partner council for the programme, as the council’s aspirations for children’s services aligned well with the No Wrong Door model.
North Yorkshire has been working with Warrington, Middlesbrough, Rochdale, Norfolk, Redcar and Cleveland councils to adopt the ground-breaking scheme, as part of the Department of Education’s ‘Strengthening Families, Protecting Children’ programme.
For more information about The Lighthouse and the No Wrong Door scheme, visit warrington.gov.uk/nowrongdoor
(L – R) Prof Steven Broomhead MBE, Sharon Cooper, Head of Service for children in care and care leavers, Cllr Sarah Hall, cabinet member for children’s services, and Amanda Amesbury, Director of Children’s Social Care, at The Lighthouse.
