'No rules or limits on number of children’s homes popping up on Derbyshire streets'

Houses in Derbyshire streets are now frequently being converted into children’s homes run by private providers due to a lack of public provision – but the recent surge is causing concern.

Applications to convert houses in residential streets are now commonplace with councils across Derbyshire, with the increase in this type of plan now having been compared to the HMO (bedsit) boom – which caused similar concern over lack of oversight and restrictions.

The increase in support for vulnerable children has been broadly welcomed by councillors, officials and residents alike, as well as being backed by a Government statement on the issue.

In June 2023, the previous Government stressed that “the planning system should not be a barrier to providing homes for the most vulnerable children in society” and this has been used as the basis for overturning some rejected facilities in former houses in residential areas.

However, concerns are now rife that while the facilities are needed, there ought to be a way to better handle their placement and requirements to avoid areas being unduly affected by poor management of sensitive and vulnerable children or sheer oversaturation.

The surge in private children’s homes, typically only accommodating one to three children aged up to 18, with a usual ratio of two staff to every one child, is in part being led by a shortfall in public provision.

Last month, Derbyshire County Council detailed that it has a 125-child waiting list at any one time for a children’s home placement with 136 children currently placed in private facilities.

It said it spends £50 million a year on placements for children in private facilities, with the authority having legal responsibility for 1,030 children – a figure which has risen by 40 per cent since 2018.

This equates to a third of its entire annual children’s services budget and has now led to the council itself spending £7.5 million to buy and convert five houses into children’s homes – providing space for 16 children.

In September last year, Derby City Council said the cost of placements for children in need of care was spiralling, with the net price of the 10 “most complex” placements costing the city £5.35 million with a wider cost to the public of around £8 million.

In total the overall cost of childcare placements for the city council has risen from £28 million in 2018 to £57 million this year.

Deputy city council leader Cllr Paul Hezelgrave had claimed there were also “extortionate costs and possible profiteering by certain children’s homes” for children with complex needs.

The county council stated that private children’s home placements cost nearly double the council’s fees, at £6,744 per week per child, on average, compared to £3,642.

Councillors have detailed in numerous planning meetings, particularly in South Derbyshire, that they face an uphill battle in trying to manage the flow of children’s homes being set up in converted houses.

This is due to councillors feeling there is no current realistic path to rejection or policy to specify preferred requirements.

The district council is now looking at creating a policy to recommend the preferred size, placement and capacity of such facilities.

Objection on the basis of highways impact required opposition from the county council or city council highways department, but a single house seeing a small number of vehicles is seen to be broadly similar to that of a private house, and as such is not inappropriate.

Noise and disruption concerns would require opposition from the council’s environmental health officer, but with a typical family home being seen to be broadly as disruptive as one to three children and a couple of staff, this too is not deemed grounds for refusal.

Meanwhile, Ofsted is responsible for many of the remaining requirements to oversee children’s homes, including the safety of children.

All of this left Amber Valley borough councillors stating this week, following the approval of three children’s homes, “where do we get a real say in anything?”