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.

One lad on my street smashed up 5 cars in night.

He was 11.

They were private owners on our street.

Troublesome teens aren't limited to residential home. They are everywhere. Not ok but you can't assume the worst because of the type of people in a dwelling.

There's awful teens that hang around our train station and the car park next it, causing damage and intimidating people.
The police do next to nothing.
It's not the kids from the home as the police absolutely do lift them and the kids know it so they don't cause trouble.

Why do you think 4 children in care don't deserve to live in a quiet and calm village?
I doubt it's going to be 4 teens if it is a 4 bed house. Probably two of they have I staff sleep and 1 WNW. If they have two sleepers there will only be two teenagers.

I used to live down a road that had a house like this. It wasn't quite opposite, but it was opposite and about three houses along. It was a big house, all the houses down that road were big (I lived in a converted flat) so I reckon there were probably six bedrooms. It was for teenage boys with behaviour problems.

The thing was, I didn't even know it was there. I just assumed it was a regular house. It was only after about five years of living in the flat, that I went on Google Earth or Google Maps or whatever it was and saw that the house was a residential home for young men/boys. I'd never seen anyone leave or arrive - let alone any bad behaviour. You couldn't tell what it was from the outside. It was just another house. Hopefully your situation will be the same. I lived in the flat for another two years and then sold it. I doubt the buyers knew about the house either. It certainly didn't cause me any issues. Good
Luck, it might not be as bad you think x

My parents’ experience was similar when they retired to the coast in 2015. Quiet, leafy street in a nice town. Household-name actor living a few doors down, retired rugby player living opposite. A residential home for cared-for teens on the corner. They didn’t notice the latter until another neighbour happened to mention it during the first lockdown.

I live on a street where 3 of the properties are owned by an autism charity that houses autistic teenagers and young adults. They’re bloody brilliant neighbours although I understand that some of the older residents kicked up a fuss when the charity bought the first house many years ago. Where exactly would you like them to be housed?

There is a 7 bed set up like this on the corner of my rd, next door to the primary school my kids go to. Never, ever heard a peep. No one even knows its there. I only do due to my neighbours job. Its very tidy and ive never seen the police there. I hope its a safe and happy place for the poor children who have ended up there.

Just because you'd feel this way doesn't mean others who have direct experience of it such as myself would. Don't speak for other people you don't know.

I'd be furious too if I bought my forever home to raise my young family and found this out afterwards. I have young children myself, I wouldn't want troubled youths who are likely to be involved in anti-social behaviour and crime living over the road. It's sad kids end up in places like these, but I don't think anyone would want them living on their doorstep. Don't feel bad. Is there anyway the village could object to it, given the size of the village and nothing to offer these young people?

@OheeOheeOh

where do you suggest that young people in care should live?

What a vile suggestion. How do you know these children aren't originally from the village why shouldn't their own community look after them?

You do realise that what the village offers them is stability, sense of community, a home, an education, access to healthcare, a job, friends, a chance to actually put some roots down somewhere, freedom from social pressures, a safe place to be away from harmful adults, the chance to be closer to biological siblings, the opportunity to learn to live independently before they get kicked out at 18 to run their own home by themselves.

Have you ever actually met a young person who's in care? They are not what you think. However your kids could grow up to be involved in antisocial behaviour and involved in crime given a few poor choices/peer pressure/ horrible things happening to your family that leave them traumatised. You'd be surprised at how easy it is for a child to end up in the care system.

Lots of kids end up in these units because they have actually come into care at an older age through bereavement of their family for example and they find being in a Foster home too painful. Or maybe they've been pretty much living independently already and wouldn't tolerate someone suddenly trying to parent them. Or maybe they are gay and their parents turned them out on the street. Maybe they come from a large family with a number of disabled children and their parents feel unable to manage. Maybe they have been a young carer for a sick parent who has had to go into hospital and they have been used to doing everything by themselves. They are not the horrors you seem to think they are.

One of these units around the corner from me, less than 100 yards away.
I'd lived here 4 years before I even knew it was there...

It's built in a quiet village to get them away from gangs etc. I worked in a supported living it was rural many of the neighbours weren't happy when it got built and attempted to sell their house. Everyone has to live somewhere and the residents were supported 24/7. We didn't have any call outs from the police.

I see there is a lot of negative comments aimed at you but believe you me you have a right to voice your opinion! We are currently going through the worst year and start to the new year we could possibly want due to a similar situation, where we own a 3 bed semi detached home and last year next door was bought and turned into a residential home for trouble teens, we have had nothing but trouble with police visits, noise disturbances, we are constantly being woken up in the middle of the night to arguments, banging and shouting. All while working full time and being parents to a 3 year old. The walls of the semi detached house are paper thin therefore we hear everything, We even had an incident where we had to call the police due to stones being thrown at our back door window and when I confronted to ask to stop before they wake our son up I got the response of I hope your son dies. We’ve tried contacting the council and the local councillors and unfortunately there is nothing they can do! I totally understand that these houses are required for children who suffer with mental health but there is very little thought for the mental health issues that this is causing for myself and my partner having to painfully work through all of this. My 3 year son is becoming scared to go to sleep in his own room due to banging and noises and him thinking somebody is in his room, What impact is this having on him? Is there any thought of that, the answer to that is none! You can all have your opinion on this and say this and that. But when your living the way we are now I can guarantee your 50 pence piece will change! We can’t even have a family meal without listening to an argument next door.
sell up and get gone…. I wish I could if only someone would buy it from me.

There is one down the street from us, several poster have told you theres ones next door to them and we have ALL said its fine.

They are frankly all over and to drive past etc... you wouldn't even have a clue. You could have moved next to one and not even known. They are disadvantaged kids not sex offenders that have to register their presence.

You are the judgemental NIMBY not us. Insane your trying to say that we in 'your situation' would be the same when many of us are already past your 'situation' lol.

I work in a residential home. It's a semi detached house, homing 6 teens. I can't even begin to think what you might think these teens could do! Obviously they need homed in a residential area like everyone else. Where else could a home go?
The young people I look after are in these types of places due to a severe shortage of foster carers. Teens basically have pretty much no chance of being fostered. The young people I look after are in school, clubs etc but are down on their luck. Please be compassionate towards them

Personally I'd have been concerned too, but only because my sole experience of living near a home for troubled teenagers was the home at Langton House. https://theneedleblog.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/langton-house-a-tale-of-international-corporate-greed/

This actually happened to us in our previous home. It was a house two doors down from ours and their garden actually backed onto ours
We were concerned too as we have two young children but actually I'm embarrassed about that now.

The young people we saw regularly in the garden as had low fences, they were so polite, lovely with our children, honestly lovely. They were always well supervised by staff who were also lovely.

The house arranged loads of community activities which we hadn't had before which was great.

I did see police cars there a couple of times but obviously I don't know why.

There was overwhelming opposition to this house but it turned out to be a positive thing. From what I know there was never any neighbourhood trouble from the young people. They certainly werent roaming the streets or anything. Whenever I saw them out the house they were supervised.

We have moved from there now and it didn't affect the house sale at all, my children still talk about those people and miss them.

They are unlikely to extend into the police station.

Residential homes for children are now generally smaller residential homes. The size you are describing is unlikely to have more than three young people at any one time.

They do not house young people in large residential homes anymore. It is not seen as good practice to put a large number of traumatised young people in the same dwelling.

If they do buy the property next door I would expect them to remain two separate homes.

As a mum of a child placed in a residential care home I feel really sad to be reading this.
I too live in a lovely area, wonderful neighbours, great schools and I have a great job myself and I’ve worked hard to provide a lovely home. My child has had a very difficult childhood coping with special educational needs that I can no longer manage at home. Your post is implying to me that my child shouldn’t be in a lovely area with access to a lovely home with a support network for his needs. Do children in care not deserve to have what your children have?. I am sure that your post was not intended to upset people but please think about the mums who cannot be with their children like myself who’s child is in a said residential care home having his needs met and potentially providing him with the skills he needs to live an independent life. W
A huge shout out needs to go to the wonderful support workers who give them love and nature and support.
Lots of children in care go on to live a successful life and I really do urge you to reach out to the care home, I’m sure they will reassure you of any worries you may have and you may realise that it is for children with special needs, maybe it’s not, but I just wanted to share my view as parent reading your post.
Educate your children and others that we need more understanding and nuture.
Even children without special educational needs deserve chances the same as everyone else. Residential care homes are everywhere and hopefully changing lives for the better.

I think they do need planning permission. I got a letter when someone applied to open one near here.

Having worked with the kind of children who will be placed in this kind of accomodation I actually find myself physically shaking at your OP. There's not a single ounce of empathy or any compassion at all for children who are literally surviving in circumstances you can't even being to imagine. They're angry and son
they should be at what life's given the. These children aren't just "naughty", they will have suffered multiple trauma, it's amazing they cope as well as they do when you hear their stories. We never, ever get one and think "how did you end up here?" There's always something, often lots of somethings.

If you make an effort to be kind and respectful to these children, they'll do the same to you and you'll find they add something rich to your life.

If communities were more prepared to support, rather than condemn struggling families, maybe we wouldn't need these homes.

How do you know you will get anti social behaviour.
I live in a road where a pub was pulled down and a building built for kids from ages 10 to 18 for respite care ..who have had problem homes..
There is plenty of green space/ parks and a circle of lovely shops from a grocery to a beauty parlour to a small cafe and a florist.. and in 13 years that it has been there.. hand on heart never ever had any bother from the kids at all .
It's a safe place for them.. if it wasn't here it would be somewhere else.
They have to put them somewhere.. poor loves.

I feel you OP.
I used to live near a block of flats with council tenants- never again, not even on the same street.

Just sending hugs.

Goodness, I have clutched my pearls so hard they have squeaked in pain. I do hope you managed to get decent therapy for the trauma. Hugsxxx.