THE board of the Western Trust has agreed to close the Racecourse Road Children’s Home in Derry.
The decision was taken following a 12 week consultation period which ended this year on January 29.
The consultation described how the Western Trust proposed to close one residential Children’s Home in Derry and reconfigure the resources to enhance foster care services, particularly for the recruitment of additional specialist foster carers for young people as an alternative to residential child care.
Kieran Downey, Western Trust Director of Women and Children’s Services and Executive Director of Social Work said: “The Trust was keen to hear and carefully consider the views of all stakeholders during this period and consult widely with service users, relatives, staff, the public and other interested parties.
“The Trust would like to take the opportunity to say thank you to all the consultees who took the time to respond to this consultation exercise.
“The Trust takes its responsibility as a corporate parent very seriously and makes every effort to ensure that our looked after children and young people have safety, security and stability and that they grow up healthy and happy.
“It is important that we are able to respond flexibly and sensitively to the changing profile of needs and use all our available resources to best effect.
“This new service model will not only enhance foster care services but it will allow the Trust to provide additional intensive support to foster carers and where possible to ensure that children and young people can continue to be cared for within a family setting in preparation for adulthood,” he added.
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