A PIONEERING new service to help looked-after children and young people is being launched in North Yorkshire.

The county council is one of only seven local authorities - and the only one in the north - selected to trial a scheme known as Lifelong Links.

It aims to bring children and young people together with estranged or previously unknown relatives who can be a supportive part of their lives.

It will work with children and young people using face-to-face and online techniques to identify and find relatives estranged from or not yet known to a child.

The searches might also locate other supportive adults - such as former foster carers - who could play a continuing part in a young person’s life when they leave care.

Funded by a Government innovation grant, it is aimed at under16s who have been in care for less than three years and for whom there is no plan to live within their family or be adopted.

The ultimate aim is to improve outcomes for children in care - and stems from a “family finding” model originating in the United States.

The service will try to identify and engage relatives and other supportive adults who are connected to a child in care and are willing to make a life-long commitment to that child.

A professional will search for family members and other adults who care about the child and they will be brought together in a group conference to make a support plan with and for the young person.

The county's executive member for children's services, Cllr Janet Sanderson, said: “The Lifelong Links pilot could have implications nationally for future best practice. It is part of a prestigious research project, restricted to a relatively small but important population of children and young people in care in North Yorkshire.

“The authority was instrumental in putting together the original bid for the innovation grant, and has been invited to carry out the pilot because of our impressive track record in children’s social care services.”

Achievements in recent years include the authority's selection as a partner in practice by the Government to share best practice in children’s services with other authorities and its No Wrong Door programme, which supports young people in or on the edge of the care system, is nationally recognised.