external placements
Councils are focusing on developing in-house provision to reduce reliance on costly external placements for children and young adults.
Harrow Council's Cabinet approved a new supported living scheme for young adults in September 2026, aiming to reduce reliance on costly external placements. Lewisham Council secured an £800,000 Department for Education grant in September 2026 for a new children's home, part of a revised strategy to improve local residential provision and reduce external placements.
Barking and Dagenham Council's Cabinet approved a Looked After Children Sufficiency Strategy in July 2026 to ensure sufficient, high-quality placements. Lewisham Council expects its new children's home to save £700,000 annually, with £400,000 from an asset sale also contributing to the project, as reported in July 2026.
Key facts
- Harrow Cabinet approved a new supported living scheme for young adults on September 24, 2026. Source
- Lewisham Council secured an £800,000 grant from the Department for Education for a new children's home in September 2026. Source
- Barking and Dagenham Council's Cabinet approved the Looked After Children Sufficiency Strategy 2026-2030 on July 14, 2026. Source
- Lewisham Council expects its new children's home to save £700,000 annually. Source
- The Lewisham project also secured an additional £400,000 from the sale of an existing asset. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.