Care home proposals altered again (From News Shopper)

Care home proposals altered again

10:11am Wednesday 1st August 2007

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RESIDENTS are fighting plans to open a care home for "troubled" youths.

Precision Care originally said it wanted to run a facility for children who may have been abused or who are suffering from eating disorders and it was given a certificate of lawfulness last November.

The certificate, issued by Bromley Council's planning department, means it does not need to apply for planning permission for the building, in Southlands Road, Bickley, to be run as a care home.

However, the care home company changed its plan and also applied to Ofsted, which regulates UK chidren's care homes, to run Atlanta House as a home for "troubled and troublesome adolescent boys" in May.

Residents in the four-bedroomed house would have been boys who were at risk of offending or about to be released from young offenders' institutions.

But at a meeting of representatives from the company, council officers, ward councillors and residents on July 26, Precision Care announced it had shelved the idea of opening it to troubled boys.

It is now considering using the building as a home for 12 to 18-year-old girls with psychological problems who may also suffer from eating disorders.

But it is also looking into whether it is actually worth opening at all or whether to try to open somewhere else and it is expected to make a decision within two weeks.

An action group was set up against the plans for Atlanta House and has attracted more than 100 members in the past month.

It has distributed posters and leaflets about the issue and set up a website which is updated with news about the plan.

The action group has also gained the support of Bromley and Chislehurst MP Bob Neill and Bromley Council's Bickley's ward councillors.

Group spokesman Peter Trott, 59, says it thinks the company has mismanaged its attempt to move into the area.

He said: "We feel the company is totally unconvincing. There has been no element of seeking support for what it is trying to do."

The Falcon Avenue resident added: "I'm not unaware of the issues young people face and I'm not without feeling for them but our principle objection is with the company."

Group member Sarah Hayes, 40, of Southlands Road, said: "We are not convinced it is able to manage or operate at Atlanta House."

The web designer and mum-of-two added: "The plans have changed quite a bit from the beginning.

"They have changed from children with eating disorders to troublesome boys and back to eating disorders.

"It leaves us feeling very concerned it could change again."

Ward councillor and portfolio holder for public protection and safety Colin Bloom said: "If they want to provide a quality service for vulnerable young people with eating disorders then there is a degree of anonymity which is required to respect the young.

"But now everybody knows about the home and they will find it very difficult to balance the needs of the people with the fact they have already shot themselves in the foot."

Precision Care was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.

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