IN the latest of what has become a surge of applications to turn residential dwellings into children's care homes, an application has been received by Thurrock Council to covert a building on Rawlyn Close, Chafford Hundred, to a home for young people aged 11 to 17 with physical, learning and sensory disabilities.

Last week Thurrock Nub News reported on the latest series of approvals for applications across the borough, many of which were opposed by local residents.

Operating children's care homes can be a lucrative business, particularly for private providers, with significant profit margins and high demand for placements.

Council-run children's services are struggling with rising demand, complex cases and spiralling costs.

In a report in October last year local authorities saidy there were more than 1,500 children in 2023 for whom councils were paying more than £500,000 a year to be placed in residential homes, with a lack of other options being the most common reason.

A 2022 report by the Competition and Markets Authority found the 15 largest children's home providers make an average 23% profit per year.

Legislation has been put before parliament that would regulate the larger compnaies but Andrew Rome, an accountant and leading analyst in the field, said the 10 largest providers only account for 26% of all children's homes in England, with many providers being much smaller.

He told the BBC that this measure will miss "smaller opportunists who are charging the extraordinary prices for unregulated or unregistered services."

In a statement in the past week the recently appointed Reform leader of Kent County Council said her newly created Department for Local Government Efficiency had identified significant savings by switiching to council provision, rather than going to the private market.

Cllr Linden Kemkaren says: "Bringing children's care homes back in-house and purchasing four properties would yield a saving of £1.5m over two financial years starting in April 2026, with the opportunity to increase this by opening further facilities in years to come."

The latest submission, by Mubasher Mehdi, is to convert 78 Rawlyn Close, a three bedroom, end terrace house.

A statement from him says: "The proposed home will accommodate two children with two bedrooms for the children and one bedroom for the staff office/sleepover. There will be a kitchen, lounge/diner and conservatory room on the ground floor.

"Children at the home would be in full-time mainstream education, they would not be home-schooled. The children would be taken to school by an appropriate vehicle. There will be external visitors from time to time, but the home will endeavour to ensure that this doesn't exceed more than one at any given time.

"Statutory social work visits take place every six weeks, but all other routine appointments will take place away from the property.

"The range of disabilities will usually be at a profound level i.e. a combination of physical and learning disability. Care will be provided for both sexes. Care will not be provided for children and young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties but no learning disability."