Croydon Council is set to enhance its support for vulnerable children with complex needs by developing specialist fostering services and in-house children's homes. The move was discussed at the Scrutiny Children & Young People Sub-Committee meeting on Tuesday, 01 July 2025, as part of a broader review of the council's Stabilisation Plan.
As of March 2025, Croydon had 550 children in care, the highest number in London, though the typical average throughout the year is reported as 520. Additionally, 599 children were subject to a Child Protection Plan and 1358 Children were subject to a Child in Need Plan.
The new fostering model, dubbed 'Sufficiency 2 stabilisation fostering', will focus on recruiting and training foster carers equipped to handle the unique challenges presented by children with behavioural issues, trauma, disabilities, and chronic health conditions. The 'Sufficiency 2 stabilisation fostering' model is being embedded, but the document doesn't specify a precise implementation date.
The council aims to make Croydon a 'destination of choice' for foster carers, addressing a decline in local authority foster homes amid rising demand. The report pack highlights that Croydon has the highest number of children in care in London.
Financial modelling presented in the meeting suggests that recruiting just three specialist carers could save the council over £560,000 annually by preventing costly residential placements. The new fee structure will offer competitive payments-up to £898 per week per child-bringing Croydon in line with or exceeding neighbouring boroughs and bridging the gap with IFA rates.
Beyond the financial benefits, the specialist fostering model includes a wraparound approach with clinical therapy, dedicated adolescent support workers, fostering hubs and peer support groups, aiming to improve placement stability and outcomes for children.
In addition to specialist fostering, the council is also developing in-house children's homes to provide further support for children with complex needs. This includes Precious House, an in-house residential children's home provision scheduled to open on September 2, 2025. A second property in South Norwood will cater to children with complex needs, including trauma, adverse childhood experiences, neurodivergence, and the potential need for Deprivation of Liberty Orders (DoLS). The delivery programme for the South Norwood home is expected to be circa 12 months from securing capital funding, with an opening date of July 1, 2026. These needs were identified through a bidding process for capital grant funding from the DfE, which required addressing the issue of children with very complex presentations. This will enable Deprivation of Liberty (DoL) restrictions to be safely provided within a locally registered home.