THE county council has begun its review of children's homes as it plans to close a number of centres to pay for preventative services.

Worcestershire County Council plans to change its approach to vulnerable children and emulate the work of Essex County Council - the council's improvement partner - by reducing the number of children in care and keeping children at home whenever possible.

At a meeting of the council's cabinet last week, councillor Andy Roberts, cabinet member for children, said the plans to reform children's services were a change to "prevention rather than cure" and would improve the outcomes and life chances of vulnerable children in the county.

He said the council needs to act before the problems develop.

The county council said it is closing the homes to pay for services that would stop children going into care in the first place.

Six of the council's 12 homes have been highlighted for possible closure with four definitely shutting.

As part of the plans it is being proposed to stop providing short stay facilities at The Children's Centre in Downsell Road in Redditch, which currently provide short stay places for children in challenging circumstances.

The council said the rationale for closing this type of provision is that it can encourage children and their families to see residential care as an attractive option which can, perversely, mean young people have more of an incentive to move into care than work through their challenges and their parents can feel relief that their children are receiving great care.

A consultation will now be launched with young people, families and stakeholders, before any decisions are made.