'Vital' Children's Home Could Replace Four-Bedroom House In Newport

A ‘vital’ new children’s home could replace a four-bedroom house on the outskirts of the Isle of Wight’s county town, responding to an ‘urgent local need’.

Milford Del Support Agency is asking County Hall for a change of use of a residential property in East Newport, which would allow provision of care and accommodation for children or young people under 18.

As of March 2023, 38.6 per cent of the 295 children under the care of the Isle of Wight Council were living off the Island, according to its placements and commissioning manager.

“This not only disrupts their lives but also places a considerable financial burden on the council, which has spent over £32 million on off-Island placements over the past ten years”, the manager said.

Milford Del is an Island based family-run care provider which operates a number of similar homes across the Isle of Wight, providing residential care for children and young people, a Planning Statement from BCM Wilson Hill said.

The statement said:

“There is an identified and urgent local need for additional children’s residential accommodation on the Isle of Wight.

“This is confirmed by correspondence from the placements and commissioning manager at the Isle of Wight Council, who has expressed full support for the proposal.”

The document included supporting comments from the manager who said the Island has a ‘significant shortfall’ in residential care options.

The manager said:

“This initiative is a vital step toward meeting the urgent need for local care provision for vulnerable children, allowing them to remain within their community and benefit from greater stability and support.

“Currently, the Isle of Wight faces a significant shortfall in residential care options, which has led to a high number of children being placed in facilities off the Island.”

County Hall’s public consultation on application 25/01722/FUL finishes on January 7 and a decision is expected on January 28.