Barnsley Council has announced ambitious plans to create a replacement for Rock House. This new facility will provide a specialized, supportive environment for young adults aging out of the care system. This comprehensive initiative sets up a new ecosystem for young people to thrive. It allows them to maintain connections to their community, friends, family and local services as they start on their path towards independence.
Rock House will serve as an essential resource for our young people (ages 16-25). It will help the kids already in care. At the moment, there are eight young people awaiting appropriate step-down accommodation from the padlocked facility. This figure will only grow as more young people get ready to age out of the system. The council sees Rock House as the first real step towards developing safe, supportive, sustainable pathways out of care.
The project is expected to save the council more than £750,000 a year by cutting their use of out-of-borough placements. Rather than confronting the unpredictability of outside resources, millennials can expect an environment rich in support and opportunity within Barnsley. Rock House’s total annual running cost will be a little under £490,000. The council intends to pay for this cost with current placement budget.
Further plans include a £1 million refurbishment of the existing core structure at Rock House, which should get underway later this year. The building was first slated to be converted into a children’s home back in 2021. Its front facade features exquisite mechanisms on stone masonry and intensive ruddy block walls, invoking the best of indigenous design. The extensive refurbishment will create a vibrant community focused space, inclusive and adaptable to its future residents.
Barnsley Council has described this project as a “major positive investment” in the borough’s young people. By offering a dedicated space for support and guidance, the council aims to foster a sense of community and belonging among young care leavers. Collectively, the project is an outgrowth of a deeper commitment to improve local services and deliver key resources to our most vulnerable country residents, retirees and citizens.
Scheduled to be finished by summer 2026, Rock House will soon welcome its first residents after years of renovations. This timeline allows the council to ensure that all aspects of the facility meet the required standards for safety and comfort.
