The new children's house at Forrest street in Airdrie was officially opened on Friday 13 February 2009 by Councillor Barry McCulloch, Convener of Housing and Social Work Services at North Lanarkshire Council, along with one of the young residents.

The opening marked the latest stage in a five-year modernisation programme carried out by the council.

A new children's house has already opened at Cambusnethan in Wishaw while a children's house at Coatbridge was redesigned and refurbished.

Two further houses are due to open in Motherwell and Cumbernauld.

Speaking at the opening of the house, Councillor Barry McCulloch, Convener of Housing and Social Work Services, said: "We aim to provide better support to young people when they and their families need it – often for only short periods in their lives. We'll focus on the young person's education and health and on giving them the skills the need to grow up to be well-rounded and successful adults.

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"Our house building programme is not being developed without the other services changing and developing around it. During the design phase, we consulted with a large number of young people who put forward their ideas about the way it should look and the facilities required."

Mary Castles, Executive Director of Housing and Social Work Services, explained: "In 2007, the Scottish Government published its guide on Corporate Parenting. It was called "These are our Bairns" and it described what being a good corporate parent meant.

"It means that the North Lanarkshire Partnership should accept responsibility for the council's looked after children and young people, make their needs a priority and seek for them the same outcomes any good parent would want for their own children."

The house is designed to take a maximum of six young people, aged between 12 and 18, who are being cared for by a team of experienced residential child care workers. There will be close links to families and the communities the young people come from.

(GK/BMcC)