A PROJECT aimed at supporting vulnerable children and families in North Yorkshire has secured government backing worth £2.1m.

No Wrong Door looks to support children and young people in and on the edge of care.

It aims to create a local network of residential care homes and specialist foster carers which allow young people to receive support from the same trusted team and avoids sending them to expensive out-of-area placements.

No Wrong Door is one of two projects that successfully bid for money through the Innovation Programme.

Following a further cash injection today the Innovation Programme is now worth about £100m.

The cash will be used to kick-start the most promising proposals for new ways of working such as supporting young people leaving care and taking their first steps into adulthood, or looking at new bespoke services such as female genital mutilation prevention.

Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson said: “We want to see sparks of innovation emerging in children’s social services up and down the country.

“Innovation must be encouraged – instead of letting unnecessary barriers stand in the way of advancement and better outcomes for children in care, we need to dig deep and work harder than ever for those who need it most.

“The invitation is now open and the ambition is limitless – we must explore every avenue to ensure we give our most vulnerable children the best possible start in life.”

Martin Kelly, head of residential provision at North Yorkshire County Council, said: “The Innovation Programme has enabled us to develop No Wrong Door to work with our most complex and hard to reach adolescents in and on the edge of care.

“It has been designed using knowledge of front line practitioners and leaders, supported by financial backing from the Department for Education and Spring Consortium.”

Initially the Innovation Programme will focus on two key target areas – new ways of working in children’s social work, and better support for young people in or on the edge of care.

The government is considering proposals from voluntary organisations interested in developing a service for young people on the edge of care, cutting across substance misuse, youth justice, social care and family work.

It is also looking at helping councils interested in developing detailed assessments of young people’s needs within the first few weeks in care.