More children and young people in Hampshire with complex behavioural, emotional and mental health needs will now be able to access the right support closer to home, thanks to an innovative new children’s home.
Hockley House, a homely environment providing care for children and young people, is now officially open. Jointly run and funded by Hampshire County Council and NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, it is the first children’s residential home in the county to combine social care, health care, and education in a single setting.
The home has been developed in response to a growing number of children and young people both locally and nationally, whose needs do not meet the criteria for hospital treatment or for secure social care accommodation but who nevertheless require a high level of support, due to their significant mental health needs, neurodiversity issues, challenging behaviours or social and family breakdown.
Councillor Roz Chadd, the County Council’s Cabinet Lead Member for Children’s Services, explains: “As with other local authorities across the country, we are seeing more children and young people fall through the gap between health and social care. With a shortage of suitable placements available to them, some children are undergoing lengthy stays in intensive care settings or having to move a significant distance away from home to access support, often at much greater cost. Neither of these options is necessarily able to meet children’s very specific needs in the right way and can lead to additional isolation, breakdown in their relationships and reduced stability in their health or care placements – further compounding the difficult issues they already face. Hockley House is a small but crucial step in bridging this gap locally, reducing our reliance on more costly provision and most importantly, enabling us and our partners to get it right for these children quicker and with stronger long-term outcomes.”
The home itself has been adapted from an existing set of properties already owned by the local authority and provides three self-contained bedrooms, a communal family kitchen, dining area and outdoor spaces. The set-up allows for the home’s internal spaces to be kept separate or opened up as required, enabling children with different needs to be safely accommodated alongside each other and for the environment to be adjusted as children’s needs change and evolve. Like other children’s homes in Hampshire, the design of the setting has been informed by the County Council’s children in care, who have been able to influence the choice of colour schemes and other homely interior design features.
Staffed by both health and social care professionals, the home will deliver intensive therapeutic provision to children and young people aged between 12 and 18. Placements will typically last six to nine months and will focus on supporting young people to develop their independence and life skills, and to move successfully back home, on to another placement or independent living.
A rigorous referral process is in place to prioritise the home’s three placements to children who can benefit from the short term but very intensive support available there. This process will ensure the most successful outcomes for the children who stay at the home and will allow support to be provided to as many children who need this very particular type of care as possible.
Jenny Erwin, Director for Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism, and Children’s Care at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, commented: “We are delighted that Hockley House is now open for local children and their families. This home from home combines education, health and care services in the same setting and will help children avoid spending longer than needed in hospital. Having this service locally also means children won’t need to be away from family and loved ones in other parts of the country to receive the support they need. Hockley House has the potential to make a lasting difference to the lives of young people and their families in Hampshire.
“This achievement reflects the strong working relationship between the local NHS and our colleagues at Hampshire County Council and we remain committed to strengthening our health and care partnership approach. This will enable us to continue innovating and delivering better outcomes for children and families.”
Councillor Chadd added: “We are enormously proud of the innovative, sector-leading role our Children’s Services play, working jointly with other agencies to achieve the very best possible outcomes for children. Hockley House is further testament to this and is an outstanding example of our most vitally needed support – which we continue to champion even at this time of significant financial challenge. I wish to thank everyone across the County Council and the NHS for their contributions to this pioneering project, which I am confident will support many children and young people to achieve future stability, resilience, and success.”