A REVOLUTIONARY new fostering scheme - offering hope to troubled young people and up to £32,000 a year to carers - is being extended to the York and Selby area.

Fostering Change, an innovative pilot project intended to help youngsters "on the edge" make something of their lives, was launched last month in Scarborough.

But now it is moving offices to Ryedale, meaning that its catchment area will in future include major centres of population such as Selby, Thirsk and York, where more potential carers may be available.

North Yorkshire County Council is one of only 18 local authorities across the country to have won £400,000 in funding from Whitehall to set up such a scheme.

It will target youngsters aged 10 to 16 who are in care and have complex needs, with up to ten benefiting at any one time.

The council is hoping to recruit "professional" foster carers who will take the children into their homes.

In return, they will receive up to £32,000 in fees and allowances per year, but council chiefs say they will have to "earn every penny", as the children will need round-the-clock care and attention.

Project manager Paul Reddiex said: "This is a very genuine attempt to help pull back kids from the edge of the cliff, getting them into a family environment and providing them with the stability they crave.

"We are talking about demanding, complicated and often troubled children, who have complex needs and require a great deal of specialist care.

Coun Caroline Patmore, North Yorkshire County Council's (NYCC) executive member for children's services, said: "It offers real hope for troubled young people.

"It embraces a radically different approach to the foster care of young people who have complex needs.

"It is a new kind of care package which we believe can make positive changes and turn their lives around."

The scheme, which has its origins in Oregon, in the United States, targets problem youngsters who potentially could face having to appear before the courts in the future.

The biggest challenge is finding sufficient dedicated carers of the right calibre to make the scheme work.

The young people will having an intensive, individually tailored programme, with carers given 24-hour support from a multi-disciplinary specialist team.

For further information, phone 0800 0286 599.

Updated: 10:17 Thursday, November 24, 2005