A NEW cash boost of nearly £1.6m has been announced to help children in Bradford who are in crisis or have suffered abuse or neglect.

And a grant of a further £1.6m is anticipated for the following year, giving a total £3.2m investment in care for some of the district’s most vulnerable young people.

The Department for Education has awarded the money to Bradford Council from its £200m Innovation Programme, which aims to pilot new, creative approaches to supporting children and their families.

It gives local services opportunities to try out new ways of offering social care, so they get the best outcomes for those they look after.

In Bradford, the money will be used across three projects.

The first will see more foster carers supported to meet the needs of teenagers in care.

The second will see the district’s children’s homes developed to provide therapeutic support to children who have suffered abuse and neglect. This will allow more of Bradford’s most vulnerable children to remain within the district, rather than having to be sent to homes further afield.

The third will see the authority developing a better, rapid response to young people in crisis so they can be supported to return to their families as quickly as possible.

Michael Jameson, strategic director of children’s services, said: “We’re delighted that the Department for Education has recognised the strength of our bid and the innovative plans we are already putting in place.

“We will be using the funding to transform for the better the services we deliver to children and young people who receive help from social care so we can improve their life chances.”

Councillor Val Slater, deputy leader of Bradford Council and portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said: “It is fantastic news for the district and I want to thank everyone who was involved in this successful bid.

“The Council will have less money in the future and we need to look at new ways of delivering services.

“This funding will help us work with our partners to find better ways of delivering vital support for vulnerable children across our district.”

Bradford Council has also been told it has the option of applying for a further £1.6m next year as well.

The Innovation Programme aims to provide better life-chances for children who are either in care or getting support from the social care system, while also boosting value for money.

It offers incentives for innovation, experimentation and replication of successful new approaches.

Councils in Leeds and Calderdale are among previous recipients of funding.