Plans to use a house in Crawley as a children’s home have been submitted to the borough council.
The application, from Micorence Consulting Ltd, seeks permission to change the use of the property in Masefield Road, Bewbush, from a House in Multiple Occupation to a residential home for four children.
In 2023, Ofsted issued a warning against the placement of vulnerable children in unregistered children’s homes.
A statement submitted with the application said the home would be registered with Ofsted and would be staffed based on the individual risk assessment and placement plan of each child.
There would always be three members of staff on site.
It added: “There is a critical need to provide high-quality, safe, and nurturing environments for children who would otherwise be placed in unregulated children’s homes.
“It is evident that there is a shortage of such provision within the local area.
“This proposal aims to help address the growing concerns of Ofsted by supporting the development of more suitable accommodation options that can better serve the needs of vulnerable children in the region.”
To view the application, log on to planningregister.crawley.gov.uk and search for CR/2024/0253/FUL.
