Plans for new Mansfield children's home approved by councillors

Planning papers with the application say the home, near Big Barn Lane, will be “run by Destiny International Care and will provide short, medium and long-term care for two children and young people aged eight-16, living together as a single household where care is provided for residents and young people”.

They continued: “There will be two staff members 24/7 awake overnight and one visitor will be on planned appointments only.

“These will be either a child’s social worker or other professionals supporting the child or young person’s or relatives.

“These will be timed appointments in the house or outside the premises.

On average, the papers added, “professional visitor appointments can be once or twice a month as most therapeutic appointments staff will take a child to the appointment outside the premises”.

In its supporting statement, Destiny said: “The home will be a mixed gender home catering for male, female and non-binary children and young people.

“The home will be open 52 weeks per year.

“The home will strive to achieve a balance between encouraging young people or children to arrange activities for themselves and providing specific activities for them, either on an individual basis or as part of a group.

“The home will promote the concept of allowing young people or children to take measured risks and tries to allow for a degree of spontaneity, recognising that these are a natural part of growing up.

"Activities will be planned in advance but we also recognise that young people’s social lives and arrangements will often change at short notice and we will try to facilitate this.

"We will also ensure there are specified activity nights where there are treat activities, such as going to the cinema and these will be evenly spaced throughout the week.

"We will also ensure the young people utilise a variety of sporting and leisure venues locally.

"All young people will be encouraged and supported to engage in personal hobbies and interests.”

The plans received 39 objections from local residents, but the council decided the plans were worthwhile and granted permission for the home to go ahead.