Beechfield Secure Unit is a West Sussex County Council owned and run unit in Copthorne, near Crawley, that has provided secure accommodation welfare placements for young people that meet the criteria set out in Section 25 of the 1989 Children’s Act.
In 2016 an Ofsted inspection judged the unit to be inadequate; as a result Beechfield was closed on 10 October 2016 and has remained closed since this time.
Following an analysis of the need in West Sussex for this type of accommodation, benchmarking against provision by other local authorities, and set against the wider review that is taking place of the in-house residential estate, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People will be asked to agree that operation of a secure unit at the Beechfield site permanently ceases.
Decision type: Non-key
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Divisions affected: (All Divisions);
Notice of proposed decision first published: 09/04/2019
Decision due: May 2019 by Cabinet Member for Children and Young People (Cllr Jacquie Russell)
Lead member: Councillor Paul Marshall paul.marshall@westsussex.gov.uk
Contact: Stuart Gibbons, Strategic Market Development Manager Email: stuart.gibbons@westsussex.gov.uk Tel: 033 022 226218.
Consultation process
Representations concerning this proposed decision can be made to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People via the author or officer contact, by the beginning of the month in which the decision is due to be taken
Consultees
Staff, Unison
Children and Young People’s Services Select Committee – 15 May 2019
Democratic Services Contact: Wendy Saunders Tel: 033 022 22553
Background3: Best Start in Life