TWO highly-disruptive children’s homes have finally closed down after residents fought to improve the care of the teenage occupants and to mitigate the impact of their behaviour on the community.

Ofsted has confirmed that Benjamin Homes UK has pulled out of Four Marks and South Medstead after three turbulent years during which time neighbouring residents have witnessed seriously bad behaviour and suffered untold abuse, causing some to up sticks and leave.

While all along their concerns have been for the safety and well being of the vulnerable youngsters living in their midst, they have been astounded by the apparent lack of discipline and control and the constant change in management at the homes.

Owned and run by Benjamin UK Ltd, the two homes were licensed by Ofsted to provide “24 hour wrap-around therapeutic residential placements as well as therapeutic education for young people who, due to early childhood trauma, mental health problems and in particular attachment related problems, have difficulty reaching their full potential.”

But, in Telegraph Lane residents have photographic evidence of teenage boys walking on the roof, ripping off tiles, kicking and punching carers, smashing up gates and running off into the road, with no due care for passing vehicles.

While in Boyneswood Road residents became extremely concerned for the well-being of teenage girls who appeared to be involved in drink and drugs, and youngsters from both homes were known to have absconded.

The crunch came in September when Ofsted imposed a temporary closure on the home in Telegraph Lane after local residents witnessed a major incident, involving the police, which was thought to be drugs-related and resulted in the children being moved to other accommodation.

According to local resident, Dennis Thomas, a plan of action was drawn up to try and bring about improvements, involving Ofsted, the Howard League for Penal Reform, Hampshire Constabulary, MP Damian Hinds, the Children’s Commissioner for England, and Hampshire Safeguarding.

He said: “It has been a struggle getting one and all to ‘come together in the middle’ to focus on what residents of Four Marks and Medstead have witnessed at the two operating homes” but now, it seems, they have achieved a result.

Ofsted has confirmed that on October 7 Benjamin Homes asked for registration on this home to be cancelled. The home was closed and the license withdrawn with immediate effect.

At the same time Benjamin Homes UK put in a request to cancel registration on the home in Boyneswood Road and, in line with Ofsted cancellation procedures, the home will officially close on January 7. In the meantime the children have been moved to other accommodation.

In addition, plans by Benjamin to open a third home on Winchester Road, Four Marks, appeared to have been ditched. According to Ofsted, while an application had been received for a children’s home at that location, it has since been withdrawn by the provider.

Commenting, Hampshire county councillor Mark Kemp-Gee said: “In spite of very considerable efforts by local residents to assimilate these children’s homes into the local community, it seems that they have had their Ofsted approvals withdrawn and have been closed, although the local authorities have not been officially informed of that but neither were they officially informed of their opening.

“Accordingly one can only speculate as to whether there were management and record keeping difficulties. I know that we would like to thank the local police and the neighbours for their generous and unstinting support for the children lodged in these homes whilst they were open. “

District councillor, Ingrid Thomas, said: “Local residents and neighbours have been extremely worried about the care of the children in these homes, the sight of boys on the roof of one home on frequent occasions, along with running along the middle of the road, fires and sometimes appearing drunk with very bad language, was disturbing. The number of visits by police, fire and ambulance crews was very high.

“We are all very pleased that Ofsted has recognised that the care was not good enough and very vulnerable children need to have the very best care possible. We sincerely hope that the young people have found a better home and are now being well cared for.”

She continued: “There remain concerns that it is actually very difficult to contact Ofsted when problems occur and we have asked Damian Hinds MP to try to help us get an easy to use contact system so that if people are concerned for the welfare of children in homes they can raise those concerns.

“I remain concerned that the way in which private children’s homes can be set up without the knowledge of the local authorities is a system that needs to change so that vulnerable children do not fall through a loophole and can be cared for in the best way possible.

“However I was very relieved to hear from the director of children’s services at HCC, Steve Crocker, that other private providers in Hampshire appear to be run in such a way as not to cause worry.”

Benjamin Homes UK was approached for a comment but had not responded as the Herald went to press.

According to the company’s website, Benjamin UK Ltd is a “personable and a reputable” provider of therapeutic residential care and therapeutic education for looked-after children aged between 12 and 18 years.

The company was founded more than 10 years ago and is, again according to its website, “driven by a passion to protect the rights of society’s most vulnerable children”.