CHESHIRE West and Chester Council has secured almost £1 million in funding to provide specialist services for children and young people in care.

The money – a total of £939,000 – will come from the first round of the Government’s £80m Life Chances fund.

It has been awarded to the council to help commission a new service known as Fostering Better Outcomes.

The service will support children and young people who are in, or who may enter, residential care to access specialist foster care placements with highly skilled carers.

Cllr Nicole Meardon, cabinet member for children and young people, said “We’re pleased to have secured a grant from the Life Chances Fund to help develop a new service to support children and young people in care across west Cheshire.

“Research shows that children are more likely to flourish in a family setting and the new service will help make this move possible for a number of our most vulnerable children helping them to get the best start in life.”

Currently there is a gap between the level of support and supervision needed in residential care and that available in mainstream foster care, meaning children can find it challenging to fit into a new home.

The specialist foster care placements will help children with complex needs to receive extensive support in a family environment.