Kingston Council's People Committee has approved plans for a new children's residential home in Surbiton, set to open in 2026. The home will provide residential care for up to three children, addressing a critical need for local placements.
The decision was made during the committee's meeting on Tuesday 23 September 2025, where members reviewed the Corporate Parenting - Annual Report. The report highlighted that a significant number of children in care are currently placed outside the borough due to a lack of local provision. This can disrupt their access to family, social, and support networks.
As of 2024-25, Kingston Council served as the corporate parent to 112 children in care. While the rate of children in care in Kingston remains lower than the national and regional averages, the report emphasized the importance of providing stable and local placements.
Placement stability is majorly affected by the lack of suitable placements locally,
the report stated, meaning that children may have experienced multiple placement moves before they secure a suitable long-term placement and are more likely to be placed at a distance from the borough, away from their family, social and support networks.
The new children's home in Surbiton is part of a broader strategy to improve placement sufficiency, as outlined in Achieving for Children's Placement Sufficiency Strategy. This strategy includes the recruitment and retention of foster carers and the development of in-house residential care and semi-independent accommodation.
While plans are progressing to develop the home, the exact location in Surbiton has not been specified in the Corporate Parenting - Annual Report.
