News

Teenager in legal fight with Essex over closure of children's home

1 min read
A teenager has taken Essex County Council to court over its plans to close his children's home.

The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had 15 different foster placements before moving to his current children’s home.

He argues that Essex County Council failed to properly consult him or give sufficient consideration to his individual needs when making the decision to close the home.

Essex is planning to close all but one of its eight children’s homes.

The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) is acting on behalf of the teenager in the case, which is due to conclude at the High Court in London today (25 November).

Julia Thomas, the boy’s solicitor, said: "Many of the children and young people affected by these closures are those who simply cannot cope in a conventional family environment. The decision taken by Essex County Council is resource-led. The result could be that vulnerable children and young people are placed in unsuitable placements unable to meet their needs."

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's Included

  • Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month

  • Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here


More like this