One of the UK’s largest for-profit care chains has been accused of failing dozens of vulnerable children by shutting 28 residential homes, with staff warning they are struggling to find placements for all the children.
Outcomes First Group, which is owned by private equity firm Stirling Square, is planning to close a string of children’s homes across the Midlands and southern England by 5 May. The homes are understood to accommodate more than 60 children, placed in the care of the private group by councils including Bristol, Cheshire and Enfield in London.
A whistleblower with knowledge of some of the threatened homes said she felt closures would be harmful and disruptive for children, who could be moved to larger homes run by the group or even returned to councils if places cannot be found.
Normally the complaint is people profiting from human misery. Now they’re being blamed for not profiting from human misery.
’…or even returned to councils if places cannot be found.’
Who surely do a far better and more compassionate job, right?
Right?
Oh….
Rishi and Jeremy have really fucked up the economy this time, haven’t they.
28 homes, 60 children?
There must be something missing from the report…
28 residential care homes shutting affecting 60 (probably slightly more) children. Really? Even a Guardian journalist should be able to work out that makes it an average of marginally over two children per home. No wonder they aren’t profitable if they are so small they are running at foster home scale.
The whistleblower claimed the chain’s smaller homes were being targeted for closure because they were not as profitable
That 60/28 ratio just isn’t sustainable. I’m sure the staff liked it – and probably the kids too – but it has to be cost-effective.
‘Now they’re being blamed for not profiting from human misery.’
But not profiting from human misery shows the Guardian policy is working!!
I suspect that the ‘care homes’ that are closing are in fact private individuals that have taken in one or two people who need care, and are paid to look after them, which they do as a sort of job/vocation. In effect sub-contractors to the main care provider.
I know of a woman who did exactly that, she looked after a severely disabled young woman for many years in her own home, and was paid by the local authority to do it. What they paid was enough to cover her rent and living expenses, and was undoubtedly less than a private care home would charge to look after such an individual.
Bearing in mind the astronomic sums being paid by local authorities, I recall seeing £6k per child per week quoted and that was a few years ago, I doubt any resultant gap in the market will remain for long.
At that level the 60:28 ratio represents a perfectly viable business model. All you need to do is watch 2 or maybe 3 problem kids 24-7 to bring in £600-900k p.a. Perhaps Outcomes First are simply looking to move towards larger homes in order to benefit from the obvious economies of scale.
Interesting Jim. You’re reminding me of a fuss about aboriginal children not being permitted to be adopted by non-aboriginals. I understand it meant that some were taken away from carers of long standing.
More interesting still, I see that Albanese has withdrawn the opposition to the High Court ruling that if you’re not biologically an abo, you can still be an abo. I suppose this means we can all apply the Pocahontas principle when Albanese succeeds in giving the abos special privileges under the constitution.
Bboy – this just proves we need efuels, so the Abos can sniff petrol RESPONSIBLY.
Interesting thought Steve. However I suspect that the greenaticks will insist on only EV’s, to eliminate that horrid polluting petrol.
“However I suspect that the greenaticks will insist on only EV’s, to eliminate that horrid polluting petrol.”
But eliminating petrol will be raciss! so in the future there will have to be free allocations of specially refined petrol to aborigine communities for traditional sniffing purposes…….
Well, when you look at it that way Jim, I think you understand the ‘reasoning’ of Aussie greens better than I do!!!!
So, the Grauniad is literally saying “The only thing worse than being exploited by capitalists is NOT being exploited by capitalists”.
Hmmm.