Private agreement for care places

A new deal providing residential crisis care for young people in Falkirk has been struck following concerns over a gap in services.

A shortage of places has resulted in some youngsters being sent for residential care some distance away from their families.

Falkirk Council has now set up an agreement with private company Care Visions to provide three local places.

A long-term unit is also due to open later in the summer.

In a move agreed by the council's policy and resources committee, the contract will deliver the residential places at a unit near Avonbridge at a cost of nearly £632,000 for 18 months.

The local authority said this would save it almost £4,300 a week.

Policy and resources convener David Alexander said: "This represents a useful interim measure to meet the needs of the small number of young people who need residential crisis care every year but we will continue to work on providing this care in-house."