Plans to open children's care home in Oldham approved

In February last year, an application was submitted by Safe Hands Care and Support to transform the use of a two-storey residential property on Clarksfield Road into a care home for vulnerable adults.

The applicant stated the property would house no more than three young adults, aged between 16-22 years old, while three support staff will work at the premises on a rota basis.

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to The Oldham Times’ morning and evening newsletters as well as our breaking news alerts  While the staff are non-residential, they will provide 24-hour care to the youngsters across shift patterns.

Safe Hands Care and Support Services Ltd said the home will look after vulnerable young people who may have come from "broken households which lack the necessary level of care required for a child's wellbeing".

While it said the youngsters will be reaching the age of early adulthood by the time they enter the home, the service will support them with a "stable" environment which will promote their personal wellbeing and development.

The home said it would also teach the young people in its care basic fundamental skills, such as managing finances and budgeting, the use of public transport, searching and applying for new jobs and directing them towards education and career development.

Also read: Charity chief blasts 'stigma' for Oldham children in care

Safe Hands Care and Support Services said its mission is to give those in its care a chance to "prosper", access opportunities and promote a "life of independence".

In its assessment of the plans, the council found the number of people within the home is "considered to be the same as what would be expected if the property were occupied by a single-family unit".

It added that the property itself comes with on-site parking for two vehicles and would have "infrequent" vehicle movements that are similar to a "traditional" home, and suggested the youngsters themselves wouldn't present any parking issues as it would be unlikely that they would have a car.

Considering the proposals only sought to change the type of use of the home, and there were no plans to amend the physical building itself, the council approved it in full last year and said it did not need planning permission.

As of April 28 this year, the council then issued the applicant with a grant of certificate of lawfulness to use the property as a care home.

A total of 10 objections were made to the plans as people publicly voiced their disapproval. They feared that the home would present parking and privacy problems, jeopardise children's safety, and bring "crime" to the street.

Also read: Children's care home approved in Oldham, despite objections from neighbours

A resident said they were concerned the so-called "troubled children" in the home would disturb the street by bringing noise, drinking alcohol and "disrespecting" the elderly.

"No one would like to see their dads or mums being disrespected.

"There will be noise and drinking in the street.

"I'm saying this because I have family in social services and the best thing to do is not to have these children here, please."

Another claimed the property had already been turned into a care home and is already emitting noise which is adversely impacting neighbours' mental health.

"Not to mention the bad language", the objector added, and said the property should be soundproofed.

The neighbour then cited anti-social behaviour, crime and alcohol and drug addictions to the list of reasons why the care home should be rejected.

A third also said children in the area "could be in danger" by the vulnerable young people.

In addition to the perceived threat the young people could bring, the objectors were also concerned about parking.

"Clarksfield is already an over-populated area as it is, so this establishment will add to the problem", another comment read.

Some also raised the issue that the plans pose the loss of a "needed" family-sized home, while simultaneously raising that the garden is too small for the occupiers.

But others went on to point out the existence of other children's homes and houses in multiple occupation (HMO) in the vicinity, including on Glen Road and Lees Road.

A neighbour wrote: "How many of these types of care homes does one fully built-up residential area need?

"HMOs have been approved on Lees Road, Ronald Street, Hanson Street and plans are in place for another really big HMO on Ronald Street.

"A care home has been approved on Glen Road and there's one already on Lees Road - all of these are within two to three minutes of each other.

"This is extremely disappointing that another residential property that can be used for families to live in, which is a need in the area, is going to be turned into a not-needed care home."

The anger from residents came as a children's care home on Glen Road was approved in March to a similar backlash.

Neighbours rallied against the children's home, which follows a similar structure to the Clarksfield proposal with three children in the property and two members of staff to providing round-the-clock care.

The chief of a children's charity, Katharine Sacks Jones, said she read the objections with "sadness and dismay".

Become is the national charity for children in care and young people leaving care, and the CEO encouraged people in Oldham to open their arms to vulnerable youngsters with "kindness, compassion and friendship".

She added: "Care-experienced children are still children - and all children need love, kindness and stability to thrive.

"Children in the care system have often faced significant trauma, abuse or neglect before being removed from their families. This is not their fault."