New kind of children's home to open in Bristol this summer
It is part of the council's Strengthening Families programme
Kate WilsonPolitical Editor
A young child in care (Image: Jim Mitchell)
A new children's home that will be the first of its kind in Bristol is set to open this summer.
Bristol City Council is currently working to replace its "outdated" offering of larger homes with consist of five to six bedrooms and instead purchase smaller building with two to three beds.
In January cabinet approved plans to purchase the first property of the new model - a two-bed home located in the Stapleton area - which is set to open in the summer.
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During a meeting on Tuesday (June 18) agreed to release the remaining £3.3 million required to deliver the project.
Speaking about the need for this change in children's homes provision, cabinet member for children's services Helen Godwin, said it would allow the authority to find "the best possible homes for children in care".
Cabinet member for women, children and families, Helen Godwin
She added: "Whilst we are proud of current provision we have to accept the model is largely outdated.
"Children in residential care often have complex needs and have suffered extreme trauma, it is therefore difficult for some of these children to live alongside other young people with similar needs.
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"As a result in recent years some of our children's homes have been under occupied - which is not an ideal environment for the young people nor does it make economic sense."
The project to reprofile children's homes in the city will take place over a number of years, with the first home expected to open over the next few months.