A Green Party councillor noted the motivation goes beyond cost, emphasizing the aim to retain placement control and avoid out-of-county or out-of-Wales arrangements.

The initiative builds on the April 2024 policy to buy/refurbish small care homes, which is reported to reduce costs and improve outcomes for young people.

The project is to be funded in part by a Welsh Government grant of 675,450, continuing the council’s strategy to use government support for in-county care homes.

Councillor Ian Chandler said the homes will help care leavers develop independent living skills and progress to lower-intensity or independent accommodation, highlighting the council’s corporate parenting role and potential savings.

The project is part of a broader strategy to provide homely settings with wraparound support for care leavers.

If the Housing with Care Fund grant application falls through, the council would finance the purchase via already approved borrowing powers, with savings still anticipated.

The cabinet approved contracting an external provider to deliver housing-based support at the new property, following the model used at the Caldicot home.

Monmouthshire County Council will buy and refurbish a property in Monmouth to create a third care home for three care-experienced young people, offering 24-hour wraparound support in a homely setting.

Directly managed homes are expected to save money, with annual savings of about 142,000 and potential total savings of 76,000 per year even if borrowing up to 3 million is required.

The plan aligns with the council’s 2024 decision to establish small in-county care homes rather than rely on private providers, with projected cost savings and improved outcomes cited.

With this expansion, total care accommodation places rise to 13, adding a third home for care-experienced young people and bringing the overall provision across children’s care to 12 places.

A Welsh Government grant of 675,450 will fund the purchase and redevelopment, though the exact location remains undisclosed.