A GROUND-BREAKING £6m scheme has been launched in North Yorkshire to radically alter the way adolescents in care are supported.

The No Wrong Door scheme is designed to improve the life chances of looked-after children and reduce the numbers who end up homeless or in the criminal justice system.

It involves replacing all traditional council-run children’s homes in North Yorkshire and replacing them with two “hubs” - based in Scarborough and Harrogate – offering a wider range of more focused support.

The campaign was officially launched today (Thursday, February 26) by North Yorkshire County Council in an event attended by Edward Timpson MP, the Children and Families minister.

Mr Timpson is the son of parents who fostered and adopted children who takes a keen interest in initiatives aiming to improve outcomes for looked-after young people and recently visited the county to learn more about the scheme.

“I saw the difference this is making for myself when I visited the area earlier this year and met a number of children in care and those leaving care, as well as some foster carers. So I’m hugely excited to see what this venture achieves,” he said.

Nearly half of young people coming into care are victims of abuse or neglect. Alongside this more than 60 per cent face challenges with their emotional and mental health and nearly 60 per cent have a speech, language and communication problem.

Almost 40 per cent have special educational needs and one third of adolescents in the care system have recently been cautioned or have committed an offence.

The No Wrong Door initiative aims to tackle the lack of both mental health support for vulnerable youngsters and foster placements, which frequently break down because of challenging behaviour.

North Yorkshire’s two hubs will have a dedicated team which will include a life coach who is a clinical psychologist and a speech and communications therapist.

Each adolescent in the care system will be given a key worker who will stick with them through thick and thin to access the services they need. The workers will be supported by a team with a range of skills and specialisms.

The hubs will also include residential care home beds, emergency residential beds, community foster family placements, supported accommodation and supported lodgings and outreach support.

Pete Dwyer, North Yorkshire’s director of the Children and Young People’s service said: “We have every confidence that this model will prove highly effective and gain national currency.”