Four new children’s homes are set to open in Wiltshire thanks to a partnership between the local authority and specialists in residential care, education, and supported accommodation.
Horizon Care and Education Group and Wiltshire Council have agreed a 10-year partnership to open the homes which will help young people with complex needs, enabling them to stay closer to local schools, friends, and support networks.
The plan includes the development of three children’s homes and one assessment home. Horizon will carry out the refurbishment of each home, funded by Wiltshire Council, and will operate each home by delivering therapeutic residential care and support to young people who have experienced trauma and adversity.
Emma Carrington, Managing Director of Residential Services said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Wiltshire Council to offer quality residential care and support to children and young people in the area. Our partnership aligns perfectly with our firm belief that every young person should have the opportunity to grow, learn, and reach their full potential regardless of their circumstances.
“We look forward to establishing ourselves in a new region, and we are eager to open our first assessment home which will be an exciting new addition to Horizon Residential Services. By having an assessment home, Horizon and Wiltshire Council can better meet the needs of young people and reduce placement disruptions by determining the most suitable care and support for them.”
Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “We’re really excited about this partnership with Horizon to provide high-quality placements for young people in care that enable them to stay within their communities. These homes will support young people who have experienced trauma and adversity, giving them a stable and supportive environment where they can achieve their full potential.
“The homes are a great example of how we are investing in services for young people to give them the best possible outcomes. It demonstrates how we are investing in services to save money in the long term and safeguard our services for the future. By investing in residential homes here in Wiltshire not only do we give young people the best possible setting in which to thrive, but we also save money on expensive private or out of county placements.”
Wiltshire Council has already purchased two properties for residential care and is working closely with Horizon to source the remaining two homes.
Each home will operate using Horizon’s SHINE (Supporting Healing in Nurturing Environments) Therapeutic Model to deliver attachment-aware and trauma-informed care and support. Establishing and maintaining therapeutic environments that are characterised by warmth, compassion, and connection is an essential part of Horizon’s SHINE Therapeutic Model, and a dedicated team of psychologists and therapists will work closely with each home to support the delivery of high-quality therapeutic practice.
The assessment home will have additional staffing and an enhanced SHINE Therapeutic Model incorporating dyadic developmental psychotherapy (DDP), and clinical assessment, to devise therapeutic care plans that ensure young people receive appropriate care and support to address their needs.
To find out more about Horizon Residential Services, visit: https://www.horizoncare.co.uk/our-homes/
To find out more about Wiltshire Council, visit: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/
