A NEW strategy designed to keep children out of care - and save just under £2.75million per year - has been unveiled in Lancashire.

Social services bosses want to concentrate more on outreach work to keep young people out of the care system.

Under the regime, it is hoped 36 adolescents can be supported in community settings, before families break down.

Another eight might be returned home, as part of the ‘looked-after children’ residential strategy, and at least one in-house foster placement prevented from failing.

Part of the service’s overhaul will see an adolescent support unit is being sanctioned, providing respite or short break placements, of up to three days per week.

Another short-term crisis unit, for a maximum of four nights, for emergency placements, has also been suggested by the children’s services directorate.

Barbara Bath, the county council’s head of fostering, adoption, residential and the youth offending team, said in a report that Ofsted’s new children’s home inspection regime had made many providers becoming ‘risk-averse’.

The costs of agency placements for ‘looked-after children’ had also “spiralled, she told county councillors, prompting the creation of the new in-house provisions.

“There will be an initial cost implication to establishing the adolescent support unit, crisis unit and extended outreach,” she added.

“However it is anticipated that there will be long-term cost savings following the implementation of the strategy.”

By 2019-20, while the additional funding required would be £811,000, the expected savings would total £3.56million.

The support unit would be in a former children’s home in Slyne Road, Lancaster, and the crisis unit is scheduled for a county respite base in South Avenue, Morecambe.

A complex needs unit runs at Marsden Hall Road, Nelson, and larger mainstream homes are based in Rawtenstall and Accrington, among others.