Residential home for troubled teens opening across the road

[Foxglove21]

Today we found out that a house directly across the road from us is being converted into a residential home for teenagers in care who have severe behavioural issues and are thus unsuitable for fostering.

We are absolutely devastated. We have only lived in our home one year; it was a big move for us as it was at the very top of our budget, which we have worked really hard to save for. It is in a quiet, small rural village which has 2 Ofsted outstanding schools and we have paid a premium for this. We have a toddler and another baby on the way, and sought a quiet village to move to, and were so excited and felt so lucky to have purchased our forever home to raise our family. In the past year we have spent thousands redecorating to make it our own.

The house across the street that is becoming the residential home was a regular 4-bed family home that has just been sold. We had no way of knowing this would happen when purchasing our house (we would never have bought it had it been there already). The new owners/the company who will run the home have not had to request planning permission for this change to the dwelling and so we were not consulted at all- we've just found out now via word-of-mouth from a contractor who has started to convert it.

We're extra concerned as this house is next door to an old and unused village police station which will inevitably also go up for sale soon. This would obviously now be a very unattractive purchase for a family and thus would no doubt become a second purchase to extend the residential home (and increasing the number of residents).

It seems a very unusual choice of location for such a home; as I mentioned it's a very small and quiet village with absolutely nothing recreational nearby to offer young people in their teens; there's one pub and one little shop. The house itself wasn't exactly cheap- £500k for a 4 bed house which requires conversion (we live up North, so that's definitely on the pricier end)- so it seems a very strange investment for them really. Our house has a large playing field and small playground for toddlers directly behind it and again I'm worried this will inevitably become the hangout for the residents as there is nowhere else for them to go.

Anyway, I guess I just partly wanted to rant as I've been in tears today about this as I feel our life savings/all our hard work are about to go down the drain and we're in for a miserable time.

But I also wondered if this has happened to anyone else, and if so what the reality was. We're expecting there to be a lot of anti-social behaviour and for all the surrounding house prices to plummet, but maybe we're overreacting?

From a quick google other peoples' experiences seem to rely largely on 1) the type of home it is/who will be living there, and 2) the reputation of the company running it... so it's not looking good for us :( We have 2 friends who coincidentally work in these types of homes and they have also suggested it could very likely cause us problems from their experiences.

I just don't even know where to begin. 🙄

I'll come back to reply properly in the morning when I've some caffeine in me...

I work for the Police & the area I cover has 2 children's units in residential streets. To be honest we don't get a lot of calls for any anti social behaviour outside. Almost all our calls fall into 3 categories

1: residents nor coming home
2: disputes or arguments inside
3: allegations made by the residents once they make their way home after an absence

I'll be honest I sure as hell wouldn't buy a house beside one but I'd say we get very few calls from local residents.

Yawn

Upon re-reading it sounds like I'm very hung up on the financial aspect of this; the potential that our house price will drop. Whilst that is of course a concern after all our hard work, my main reason I'm so upset is because I'm worried about the impact this will have on my young children (and of course others in the village) if there is a lot of anti-social behaviour so close to where we live.

It's a tricky one as I know the children who live in these homes have had incredibly hard lives, and deserve to have somewhere nice to live. However I feel like if most people are being honest they wouldn't be happy raising a young family in such close proximity to something like this.

Or you could look at it as a sanctuary for children who have had a tough time. There are lots of small homes dotted about and for all you know, it won’t be a problem.

I think you are over reacting. The house has space for 4 teenagers. How much damage do you think 4 teenagers are going to do to your village and to the value of your house?!

What exactly are you envisioning? Is there anything specific that you think they will/won't be doing that is causing you concern?

It’s really not unusual for children’s residential homes to be in villages and rural locations. I know many that are.

I think as the poster who was an officer put, I expect there will be more issues within the residence and with the young people going missing, than on your street.

I do understand your concern. The fact is though these children need to live somewhere. It is what it is.

Do you know much about the organisation running the home yet or what sorts of residential unit it will be ?

Wow.

Where exactlu would you like them to put these disadvantaged teenagers, then?

You can't control your neighbours. A family from hell could have moved into that house and you would have a hell of a time dealing with their crap especially if the parents were as bad as the teenagers. This way at least there will be staff who are there to control the behaviour of the residents, of which there will not be many in a 4 bed house.

Wow I hope your teens never have severe behavioural issues. It's a 4 bed house. Realistically how many teens will it hold? They will presumably be properly supervised (unlike may teens in my naice small village whose parents seem to care not one jot where they are or what they are doing)....
How about extending friendship. To engender mutual respect...
Your kids are unlikely to come into any contact with them...

Ok.
Any who aren't happy are most likely to try & leave the house and escape the area not just be hanging around at the front.
There will always be staff on site, so if some kids are vandalising the park or being anti social you can report them directly to the home.
No one knows who will be placed there. It could prove to be a very quiet home.
I understand your concerns but try not to assume the worst.

Maybe all you can do is hope for the best, and make sure your home insurance, car insurance and your home security is well up to scratch before it opens.

The judgement is sickening.

I can promise you the kids that will be over the road, trying to catch a break, won't care that you exist.

I agree with @Redglitter from experience as a child and adult. Although I would be ok living next to one because most of the teens are just pissed off with the world understandably and don’t tend to take it out on anyone unconnected to them.

Although you might find your house and car insurance goes up, they use crime stats when assessing your insurance risk.

As someone who supports teenagers who have experienced the awful trauma that leads them into this kind of situation get over yourself and check your damn privilege

I worked in one, you are massively over reacting and being incredibly judgemental.

If it’s 4 bed, there will be three young people at most and a sleeping room for staff. Any disturbance is likely to be within the home and dealt with swiftly, but it’s more than likely going to be residents going missing and if they’re missing they won’t be stood outside the home.

What exactly are you concerned about? What do you think they are going to do?

Disgusting.

If I knew it was just that house I wouldn't be as concerned, however it is quite likely that the police station directly next door to it could become a large extension- in which case there would be a lot more residents than the current 5/6 (they are converting what was the double garage into further bedrooms). But yes- I'll worry about that part when it comes to it.

But what's bothering me about it for now is anti-social behaviour from teenagers who are placed in that home, as they are being placed there specifically for being anti-social/having known severe behavioural problems.

I guess if you're looking for specific examples I'm picturing teenagers attempting to run away/a significant police presence at all hours, bad language and behaviour on the streets, potentially damage to public spaces... just general things that I wouldn't like my young children exposed to.

I'm mindful that there are a lot of homes for children in residential areas that often assimilate just fine, but from doing a bit of research like I said it seems that is very dependent on the nature of the home/the category it fits in.

The villa next door but 1 from us a few years ago was bought and converted into one of these residential homes for teens, mixed sex. It was honestly totally fine op. We lived on a busy road into town so lots of opportunity for trouble but they’re just children and there was never any trouble in the 5 years we lived there. Some of the other neighbours on the other hand
The home by us had an open day before the kids moved in so we had a look round (more out of nosiness as I love old houses) and the facilities were great, lots for the kids to do and lots of support for them to become independent adults. Maybe you could ask to have a look round to put your mind at rest.

Although you might find your house and car insurance goes up, they use crime stats when assessing your insurance risk
I may be wrong but I don't think merely having a children's home in your street will mean an automatic increase in crime stats. I believe actual crimes may have to be committed. Which is not inevtiable. Jesus no wonder such kids can never catch a break.

@Foxglove21
I mean you have 2 options
Just carry on as you are
Sell up and move

You have to do what you think is best

You really need to get over yourself and realise these disadvantaged young teenagers deserve to live in exactly the same naice, small villages as your privileged little darlings.

Fully expected the judgy comments from some who are ironically calling me judgmental 🙄But I would challenge them to consider whether they'd be pleased to live next to a residential home like this without prior knowledge of it; it's very easy to point an accusatory finger until it's them in this situation. That's the only response I'll give to these comments.

Why do you think 4 children in care don't deserve to live in a quiet and calm village?
Also this sort of location is ideal for a residential as less public transport links, less pull back to friends or home town etc due to distance.
I'm a social worker. The young people I've had in residential (many of them!) have never been a risk to neighbours. They might be a risk to themselves, there might be someone else in their home town or previous location who poses a risk to them. They might go missing, they might be exploited, they might have a violent parent or boyfriend etc. They might suffer from poor mental health. How does any of that affect you? Their behaviour within their home might be challenging at times, but again, how does that affect you?
Children in care have been through experiences that you can't even imagine. To have been removed from their birth family, they've already suffered harm. To be so traumatised that your foster carers won't keep you, kicked out, and sent to a strange environment in a new area with no friends or family around, starting a new school, and living with staff instead of a family.. and then your snobby new neighbours reject your right to a home, just because you are a child in care?
'Those' children are just like our children. They need to be safe and loved and have their needs met. What is it that makes them unworthy in your eyes?

They won't buy the house next door. We don't build childrens homes anymore. We know children of all ages and backgrounds deserve and need a secure home and there will be a core staff team and a max of 3 children in the house. Think of it as a family with three kids and don't judge until you know them.