Angus care chiefs have vowed vulnerable youngsters will “absolutely not” be the victims of a decision to stall the next stage of a £1.5 million residential homes project.
It comes as work continues on a Brechin house for four children in residential care placements outside Angus.
But plans for a second home have now been put on hold.
And the move has prompted fears the pause on the project is “council-speak” for a service cut.
£8k-per-week cost of external care
The homes project was approved in December 2022.
At that time, demand for residential care places was three times greater than that available in Angus.
In some cases, it was costing £8,000 a week to have youngsters looked after elsewhere in Scotland.
The plan was to develop two four-bedroom homes in Angus.
One property for over-12s has been bought in Brechin. It is due to open in late spring.
But councillors have now agreed to stall development of the second home.
Officials said it would allow for a review of strategic priorities.
Concern over project pause
Forfar councillor Ross Greig said: “We’ve heard time and time again that children who require care, for whatever reason, that the best place for that to happen is here in Angus.
“This is where their families are, this is where their schools are. And a consequence of that is it actually works out cheaper.
“I note the words strategic review, service review and pause, and I read that as being council-speak for a reduction in staff or a reduction in service, and it’s not going to be what we wanted it to be.
“If we pause this, when and if will it be un-paused?”
Director’s assurance over children’s care
Children, families and justice interim director Kirsty Lee replied: “I completely appreciate the concerns that there is an ambition in a service review we will reduce frontline services.
“Just to headline that, that is absolutely not the intention.
“For assurance, it is about what we need to deliver in the best ways.”
She said there had been a slight downward trend in the number of youngsters requiring external care.
At November last year, Angus had 29 children placed in external residential children’s houses and schools.
She added: “We need to look at more crisis-based care.
“Because what we know is that when we have to make a placement for children it’s very difficult to bring them back.”
“Potentially it’s easier for us to crack on and develop the next children’s house, but we need to be clear it’s absolutely right.
“The chief social worker will not be recommending that we lose any frontline resource in terms of the needs of our young people.”
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