main content Finding homes for adults in need

A scheme to enable families to care for adults with learning or physical disabilities, or mental health problems, will be set up with £260,000 from money earned by the Council for meeting tough service improvement targets agreed with the Government in 2002.

The Adult Placement Scheme will help people to keep their independence in a stable home environment instead of going into residential care. It will also support people leaving residential care and provide opportunities for home-based respite.

Families will be offered assistance to provide the necessary care, and part of the funding will be used to make adaptations and buy equipment needed to help families care for those with physical disabilities and mobility difficulties.

Executive Councillor for Social Care, Health and Housing Councillor Chris Phillips said: “The Adult Placement Scheme will make a big difference to people’s lives by helping them to be more independent members of our communities.”

Under the scheme, families will register as carers and be matched with adults in need in a similar way to how the Council places children with foster carers. A list of people expressing an interest in being carers has already been established and will now be developed further.

The reward fund this £260,000 comes from is a vital source for the Council as it continues to be denied access to other Government funding opportunities made available to most other councils to help the people that would benefit most from initiatives such as the Adult Placement Scheme.

The Council is lobbying the Government to change the system to ensure that Bromley gets its fair share of funding.

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact Richard Simcox, communications officer, on 020 8313 4310, or email richard.simcox@bromley.gov.uk.