Mother Calls Son’s 90-Mile Care Home Relocation ‘Devastating’

Louise Johnstone has characterized the relocation of her son, Leo, to a care home situated 90 miles (145km) from their Wigton residence as “devastating”. Leo, who lives with a rare genetic condition, is receiving care in Preston, a distance Ms Johnstone considers excessive. Recent data indicates that 55% of children under the care of Cumberland Council are placed over 20 miles (32km) from their homes, representing the highest proportion in England. Cumberland Council stated that it has decreased the number of young individuals in care and substantially enhanced its children’s services. The Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, currently responsible for funding Leo’s care, affirmed that geographical closeness to home is among its “main considerations” when arranging care placements. Ms Johnstone remarked: “It’s devastating really.” She added: “I can remember how I felt the day that he left here and went down to somewhere he’d never been before.” Leo lives with FOXP1 syndrome, a condition that impacts brain development, leading to impairments in learning and speech. His relocation to the care home occurred in 2021, as his care requirements surpassed his parents’ ability to manage them at home. Now 18 years old, Leo’s care is entirely funded by the NHS; however, he was formerly under the purview of Cumbria County Council, which was dissolved in 2023 as part of a restructuring of local authorities. Josh MacAlister, the Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington, who previously headed a review of children’s social care for the preceding government, stated that relocating individuals away from their communities “disadvantaged” vulnerable children. Katharine Sacks-Jones, CEO of the children’s charity Become, commented that placements far from home have the potential to be “disruptive” and “traumatising”. Cumberland Council, formed last year, reported improvements in its children’s services, evidenced by achieving a “good” Ofsted rating. Labour council leader Mark Fryer declared: “The previous county council was either inadequate or requires improvement for almost 20 years and in 18 months we’ve turned that around to be rated good – a huge feat.” The council further indicated its intention to construct new, localized children’s homes. For updates, follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available for review.