Former children's care home worker demands end to vulnerable Dumfries and Galloway kids being sent outwith the region

John Young, who now serves as a councillor for Castle Douglas and Crocketford, also described the astronomical fees paid to private care providers as “horrific”

A former children’s care home worker has this week demanded an end to vulnerable Dumfries and Galloway kids being sent to residential facilities outwith the region.

John Young, who now serves as a councillor for Castle Douglas and Crocketford, also described the astronomical fees paid to private care providers as “horrific”.

Dumfries and Galloway Council chiefs are now considering options to change this controversial care practice – which is projected to cost £7.96m next year – and find a way to have more youngsters cared for in “ordinary houses” in their own region.

Speaking at the council’s social work committee on Tuesday, Councillor Young said: “Obviously £7.9m is a horrific amount of money.

“That’s almost a Dumfries high school every four
years.

“If we had our own unit it would still probably cost a couple of million pounds a year, but it would be a considerable saving.

“That money would stay in Dumfries and Galloway, and our children would be looked after by people in the
region.”

Following the closure of Cairnryan House children’s care home at the beginning of the pandemic, there is only one remaining children’s residential care facility in the region – Hardthorn Road in Dumfries.

The situation has been labelled a “local and national scandal” by Lochar Councillor Linda Dorward, and in February this year she called for the council to open its own care residential facilities.

This got the wheels turning and social work chiefs have since been working hard on plans to “reimagine” residential childcare provision in the region.

A new model of delivery is being developed for more children to live in “ordinary houses” within Dumfries and Galloway, and a full business case with all the options will be ready in four months’
time.

Councillor Dorward said: “Incurring a £3.5m overspend year on year is not sustainable from service reserves.

“We can’t do it.

“But as well as looking at the finances, we must look at the welfare of children and young people who are our most vulnerable citizens.

“And we need to keep them in the region.

“We are exporting our most precious resource a lot of the time – our children and young people are leaving the region at a really high rate.

“We need to keep them here, look after our young people, treasure them, and make sure we do the right thing by
them.”

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