EXTRA beds in family homes across York could help alleviate the city's long-running bed-blocking crisis.

A charitable group has signed a new contract with City of York Council to provide beds for elderly people in the homes of professional carers.

Workers from Adult Placement Services (APS) will offer older people leaving hospital a bed which will serve as a stepping-stone between hospital care and home. The small group, which works in York and North Yorkshire, is extending its work for people with learning disabilities to help the elderly.

Organiser Helen Hall said the additional care places were a natural progression for the charity and they were looking to expand from three places to up to ten.

She said: "We have specifically been asked by City of York Council to do more work with the older people. We think it maybe more of a social thing for people who do not have supportive networks to help them in their own home."

APS carers are assessed, trained and registered with the National Care Standards Commission and receive extensive training and support. Rob Hurren, the council's assistant director for adult services, said the scheme would create extra capacity in the York care system and clear hospital beds. He said: "We are very happy with this development and want it to grow larger when we can recruit more suitable carers. At the end of the day this is an opportunity for people with residential care needs to live with families outside of hospital. It's an alternative for people sitting in hospital beds waiting to be discharged." Mother-of-two Julie Sullivan, an APS carer, said: "I used to work in a residential home for the elderly. My work as an APS carer fits in with family life at home." APS offers long and short-term placements where the person shares the home of the carer. The group also offers a supported living service and a holiday scheme.

Updated: 10:53 Tuesday, March 11, 2003