A councillor said opponents to a children’s home made him “really uncomfortable” arguing it was “stigmatising children”.
The new children’s home which is coming to New Brighton after being approved by councillors will provide a “safe space” for children to “recover.”
It will be based on Penkett Road in Liscard and was approved by Wirral Council despite 92 people signing a petition against it.
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The children’s home will be run by Juno, a not for profit organisation aiming to improve the lives of children in its care. Regenda Group as well as Juno were behind the application for the home to Wirral Council
Jaci Quennell, who heads up care within Juno, said their aim was to challenge demonising of looked after children and “provide loving homes in communities that will see it as an opportunity to help Wirral children to become useful members of society.”
She added: “We are trying to do something different and give them really nice places to live” and children in care homes were “often the victims of crime rather than the perpetrators of it.
“We are very keen that it isn’t seen as institutional. It is going to be like a family home with four children in it with a small group of staff trying their best to help those children recover from what happened to them.”
Cllr Paul Stuart, speaking as a foster carer, praised Juno at the meeting saying their comments “demonstrates they are open and transparent about how they have gone about with this.
“I am really uncomfortable with the language used here this evening and the potential for stigmatising children that may or may not end up in this or another care facility.”
Concerns were raised by neighbours concerned about there being eight residential homes on the same street as well as an impact on nearby neighbours.
Gary Vinten, representing those against, acknowledged a need for children’s homes but alleged that approval would result in discrimination by the council against a family next door who would be “unable to defend themselves.” Concerns about antisocial behaviour were said in comments against the application.
He also argued that switching the current house to a children’s home would be a material change from a domestic house to a commercial one.
Councillors asked if there would be any difference between what Juno would be offering and a situation if a foster family lived next door.
Juno said there would be no difference with day to day life being “exactly the same for the children. This is a home for life.” They said half of their staff are qualified and would be open and honest with neighbours if issues arise.
Wirral Council has a legal responsibility to look after children in care and Juno said their aim was the children in the new home would be from the Wirral.
Recently in Liverpool, councillors criticised the “demonising” of children in care facilities as two applications there were approved.
The vote to approve was almost unanimous with nine votes in favour and one abstention from a Labour councillor. At the beginning of the meeting, two councillors left the meeting after disclosing interests including one from New Brighton.
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