New £2million scheme to provide beds for every child under five in South Yorkshire

At a board meeting at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) headquarters, members accepted the proposal to invest £2.2million into a four-year Safe Space to Sleep Programme (SSTSP) in the county.

The “Beds for Babies” scheme will be rolled out in four test-and-learn pilots focused on delivering a safe space in Goldthorpe, Mexborough, Swinton and Gleadless in South Yorkshire.

At the meeting, Coun Sarah Allen said Rotherham Council have recently approved a “significant budget item” to provide baby packs for every child born in the borough and they were keen to get out as much as they could of this connectivity between this project and theirs (particularly in the Swinton area).

Oliver Coppard, the South Yorkshire mayor, celebrated Rotherham’s commitment and added this project was a “massive step” in helping the most vulnerable people in the region.

“I am really proud of this one,” he said.