Jobs at risk as Stourbridge children's home taken over
Dozens of jobs are at risk at a children's home following a takeover.
Bosses at Sunfield Children’s Home, near Stourbridge, said ‘all roles are under review’ due to financial challenges, sparking fears of major job losses.
The independent special school employs more than 350 people and has recently been taken over by Ruskin Mill, which runs the Glass Cone in Stourbridge, and said it had 'become increasingly difficult to sustain the viability of high quality services'.
Letters have been sent out to staff warning them positions are under review.
Roles including teachers, managers, caretakers, cooks are all understood to be at risk.
Workers have now entered discussions with unions about their futures.
The school has been running in Clent for more than 80 years and supports children and young people aged between six and 19, many who have severe learning difficulties.
It offers 38-52 week residential placements as well as day placements.
Principal Caroline Bell insisted the school was committed to providing a 'safe and compliant service' but the situation will cause uncertainty for families of children who have children staying there.
Caroline Bell, principal at Sunfield, said: "In recent years, as a stand-alone charity, it has become increasingly difficult to sustain the viability of high quality, staff intensive services within this competitive and financially challenging sector.
"We are currently engaged in a collective consultation with the unions and looking at a number of cost-saving measures including non-staffing costs.
"During this process of consultation, all roles are under review, but Sunfield and the Ruskin Mill Trust (RMT) remain committed to providing a safe and compliant service for all of the young people placed at Sunfield."
The uncertainty surrounding the children's home comes after it was announced Sunfield had joined the Ruskin Mill Trust Group.
Announcing the move, a statement from Sunfield said: Both organisations see the potential in young people and are now keen to work hard to build on the intentions of their visionary founders by meeting the growing need for specialist, integrated, therapeutic care and education."
