Mansfield house could be turned into specialist home for two vulnerable children

Greenline Healthcare Group has lodged plans for the current four-bedroom property, off Eakring Road, to become a care facility, although no structural changes are planned.

The company says the home, if approved by Mansfield Council, would help tackle a ‘record number’ of children in care or needing care across the country.

Current Department for Education figures show 80,850 children in England are classed as ‘looked-after’, meaning they are within the care system, with about 1,000 in Nottinghamshire.

Greenline says its new home would look to support vulnerable children who have experienced trauma in their lives, providing care to help them ‘reach their full potential’.

Its plans state the home would include two bedrooms for the children and space for two live-in staff and a manager.

In total, 10 members of staff would work at the facility on 12-hour shifts.

Statements submitted by the company said: “Our mission is to provide outstanding quality of care and opportunities to enable the children to reach their full potential and improve their life chances and outcomes.

“This is undertaken in a safe, secure, friendly environment that is non-institutional, promoting family-style living as a positive experience.

“Such support helps children recover from experiences of trauma and significant social disruption which have rendered them vulnerable.

“The proposed use of this site would provide care for two children between the ages of 10 and 17 years old (on admission).

“Two members of staff would be present on-site at all times. The total staff team would consist of a total of 10 members of staff operating a 12-hour rota system.

“Each child would be fully assessed for their suitability to be placed into this home.”

The company says four parking spaces are available on an existing driveway connected to the home, with traffic not expected to be increased any higher than a typical four-bedroom home.

If approved, the home would be assessed by education watchdog Ofsted.

Applications to place children in the home would be assessed by Nottinghamshire Council, the local children’s social care and education authority.

The application comes after the county council changed its approach to children’s homes, moving away from traditional, larger facilities to smaller sites with a more traditional home environment.