Blackpool Council closes 'chaotic' children's home after Ofsted inspection

The home has been closed temporarily

A council-run children's home described as "chaotic" by inspectors has been temporarily closed, with the children living there transferred elsewhere.

The premises on Bispham Road, Blackpool were rated as "inadequate" by Ofsted following an inspection in June.

Children had caused damage to the home, inspectors found, while police had been regularly called to deal with serious incidents.

Bullying was rife, they further found, while young people had gone missing.

Inspectors said the pressures of running the home had led to increasing sick leave among staff, with the rest described as "committed but exhausted".

The manager resigned in March and agency staff were being brought in, the Local Democracy Reporting Service was told.

The Ofsted report said: "The home has been chaotic for a number of months. Staff have spent their time trying to manage continual serious incidents."

'Inadequate home'

The council has decided to close the home, which provides long term accommodation for up to six young people, from Tuesday until 31 October while it reviews its residential services.

The 13 staff will be deployed to other children's social care roles.

Blackpool Council's deputy leader Graham Cain said: "We were very concerned that Ofsted found there to be some inadequacies at the home in Bispham.

"Immediate action was taken to address the core concerns that were highlighted."

A council report said the home had not run to full capacity during the past 18 months because better support was enabling more children with specialist needs to be placed in foster care.

These placements cost up to £1,200 per week and "offer stable family homes for children who have experienced and continue to experience the effects of neglect and trauma".