Specialist care home for children on the cards for large house in Warsop
A large, detached house in Warsop has been earmarked for conversion into a specialist care home for up to three children.
Mansfield District Council has received a planning application for a lawful development certificate to allow a change of use at the four-bedroom property at 18 Sookholme Drive.
The home would be for up to three children who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities and/or emotional and behavioural difficulties.
It would be registered with the education watchdog Ofsted, and the children would be looked after by a manager and a team of three carers, two of whom would sleep there overnight.
The application has been submitted by Daniel Chambers, of the Nottingham-based company, Alfred Thomas Property Ltd, whose agent is Rose Consulting, of Halifax.
A lengthy planning statement has been compiled by Rose, not just to try and persuade the council to approve the scheme but also to reassure Warsop neighbours who have might have concerns.
The statement says: “Under the requirements of Ofsted, such care homes must be run as closely as possible to a typical family household, providing a stable home environment.
"Staff would provide the kind of parental support that so many of the children will have missed in their early years.
"The home would aim to provide a smooth transition for children who would serve medium to long-term placements to minimise disruption to residents.
"This is not a halfway house or emergency housing for children. They would undergo a stringent impact risk assessment to ensure they integrate with the local community.”
The statement stresses that no external alterations would be made to the building, which “would seek to replicate as closely as possible a normal family environment”.
The youngsters would engage in various activities and receive education, either in the form of an online home tutor or by attending a special or mainstream school.
"The purpose of the home would be to support the children in building their confidence, regulating their behaviour and emotions, helping them develop life-skills and preparing them for life when they leave to fend for themselves,” the Rose statement goes on.
"This type of support has been found to be most effective in helping these children to have normal lives and not experience problems in later life.”
Rose also revealed that the applicants had liaised with social services about the scheme, and the children’s placement team at Nottinghamshire County Council had confirmed the need for homes of this nature within the region.
Mansfield Council’s planning officers are currently considering the proposal and have set a deadline date of Tuesday, October 28 for a decision or recommendation. Interested Warsop residents can post their comments on the council’s website.
THE details of many planning applications can be found in public notices advertised by local and regional newspapers. To catch up on all the latest public notices, go to https://publicnoticeportal.uk/