Children’s home approved for former caretaker’s house – despite objections over proximity to school

Rotherham Council’s children and young people’s service has been granted permission to convert the former Sitwell school house on Grange Road, into a residential home for two children.

Planning documents state that the property will operate as a “family home environment”, registered by Ofsted, with two members of staff.

Eleven comments were submitted by residents, objecting on the grounds of insufficient parking; noise; anti-social behaviour; loss of privacy and “increased crime”.

Member of the public Mr Bellamy objected on the grounds of the home’s proximity to a junior school.

“Social work professionals will tell you not to place a facility like this next door to a primary school. When incidents happen the audience is a large crowd of four, five and six year old children,” Mr Bellamy told a meeting of the planning board yesterday (November 24).

“This is just a bad idea. These facilities don’t have average days, they have problems, crises and emergencies.

“The young people coming to live here are already known to have problems. Some of the young people will already have criminal records.”

A second objector, Mr Hussain, added that the plans would have a “devastating impact” upon his family life.

“The young people will have a mix of emotional and behavioural disorders. They will be a risk to each other, the staff looking after them, to the children at the school next door and to my family.

“It is unrealistic to try and portray this as being similar to a typical family household. I am concerned about the threat of racial abuse directed at my family.”

However, Councillor Alan Atkin, chair of the meeting, told Mr Hussain “You are being disrespectful to these children. Any family could move next door to you and their children could have all sorts of problems.

“Do not stigmatise our looked-after children.”

RMBC’s planning officer told the meeting: “Staff will be present in the site 24 hours a day to supervise the children, so that should enable any issues with behaviour to be managed appropriately.”

Helen Sweeton, assistant director at RMBC’s children and young people’s services, told the meeting that the front garden will be tarmacked to provide parking space, and that only two staff members will be in the house at any one time, with “management support when needed”.

“The manager and operations manager will continue to make themselves available to meet with local residents to ensure there’s good communication, and work to minimise any impact on the local community.”

An officer report states: “It is considered that any noise would be akin to a residential dwelling and as such the amenity impact on neighbouring residents would be minimal.

“Furthermore, the presence of several carers at any one time will ensure that the children and young people in care are suitably supervised, which will also help with reducing any impact on the amenity of neighbours.

“The children and young people in residential care are supported by staff that are highly skilled, supported by regular supervision who have bespoke training to support the individual needs of the children they care for.”