Care home plan for house in Walsall for children who 'have not had good parenting'
Developers planning to convert a Walsall house into a specialist home for young people have assured neighbours they won’t cause a nuisance.
Applicants Bold-Leap are looking to create the facility in Walsingham Street which would provide a home for four young people, as well as two carers working on a rota basis.
They added there was an “urgent need” for the service in the area and added, while there might be a fear of crime for neighbours, it would operate like a family home and not cause a disturbance.
The application is currently being considered by Walsall Council planning officers with a decision expected next month.
The company said: “Bold-Leap specialises in supporting young people aged between eight and 18.
“It encourages them to focus on their strengths and build positive support networks to achieve their aspirations, whether that is returning to education, finding work or making new relationships with other people.
“Its services specialise in supporting homeless young people within the Midlands. The proposed children’s home seeks to replicate as closely as possible a normal family environment.
“This type of provision, which government policy is promoting, is to help children, who often through no fault of their own, have not had good parenting in their early years.
“These are the types of children who would normally be looked after by ‘foster families’, although sadly there is an acute shortage.
“There is an urgent need for this type of care home, where young people, have lacked good parenting.
“The nature of the use is to create as closely as possible an environment similar to a family home, where they can learn the skills necessary for when they leave the home and start an independent life outside an institution.
“It has been found that such an environment is far more suitable than a large care home to allow these children to lead independent lives. It gives these young people a chance to make their own way in the world.
“It is maintained that the nature of the use is not materially different from a normal household. Comings and goings would be no greater than a typical house, hence there would be no disturbance to any neighbours.”
