Plans are on track to open a council-managed children’s home later this year.

Southampton City Council has been working with Solent NHS Trust on the residential care scheme where young people will live together.

The aim is to ensure the needs of children who cannot live with their own families are met.

Back in 2020, the council approved investment to deliver children’s residential care provision owned and managed by the local authority.

The council does not currently have any of its own children’s homes although there have been local authority-managed sites in the past.

Deputy director of children’s services Steph Murray told members of the council’s children and families scrutiny panel at a meeting last month that officers were “reasonably confident” the first council children’s home would open in autumn.

A council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “As a council, we are excited to be developing two of our own children’s homes within Southampton with council funding. This means we can care for those children who require a residential children’s home to keep them close to our schools and support services.

“Given safeguarding issues, we cannot directly give the addresses of those properties but will be working with the residents and communities to support us and ensure they are fully engaged.”

In a statement, Alasdair Snell, chief operating officer of Solent NHS Trust, said the joint work with the council and other partners would provide a short-stay residential unit for children up to the age of 18.

“Our collaboration is focussed on best meeting the needs of young people who are experiencing an emotional or mental health crisis and need intensive support, but whose mental health does not require a ward setting,” Mr Snell said.

“We continue to co-design a delivery model as part of a system-wide approach to achieve the best outcomes for young people in Southampton communities.”

Ms Murray told the scrutiny panel work on a second children’s home property was also progressing.

She said the process of registering with Ofsted and staff recruitment still needed to take place.