Children dumped in unregistered Lambeth homes

Local authorities are dumping children in unregistered
residential homes in the London Borough of Lambeth, despite
warnings from the council that the homes are unfit.

‘There are a cluster of small residential homes in Lambeth.
Other authorities are dumping their problems with us,’ said
Nicholas McKay, deputy Conservative social services spokesperson on
the hung council.

Questions about the quality of care and the standard of staffing
in these unregistered homes led Lambeth to issue a warning list to
all London boroughs in November last year. But children are still
being placed there.

Streatham MP Keith Hill, who has been leading a campaign to get
small homes registered, told Community Care: ‘I suspect these
authorities are all too eager to place problem children as far away
as possible.’

Councillors in Lambeth have united to close many of these homes
or get them registered. Last week, Omega House children’s home in
Streatham was refused planning permission by the council.

Lambeth does not place any of its own young people in the homes.
Brent, Lewisham, Camden and Wandsworth are all believed to be
placing children in Streatham children’s homes, though Brent said
it had removed ‘virtually all’ of the children referred there.