Closing a children's home rated outstanding by Ofsted would be a "disgraceful" decision, staff have warned.

A public consultation opened last week (Tuesday) about Medway Council's proposed closure of the Old Vicarage Children's Home in Upnor.

Alternative options have been put forward for the council-run home which caters for up to eight children aged between 12 and 18 with behavioural and emotional difficulties.

It has 17 members of staff - some of whom have worked at the home for as many as 13 years - but they now face losing their jobs if they are not reassigned to new roles.

One staff member told the Messenger the decision to shut the home is "disgraceful" and blasted the council for "failing these young people".

The worker, who we have decided not to name, said: "For these children and young people where is the quality care? Why haven't they been thought about? Where are they going to go?

"We've got other residential homes that are inadequate and Medway Council's children's services is inadequate.

"I think it's disgraceful. There's so much more they could do.

'Where is the quality care? Why haven't they been thought about?' member of staff at the Old Vicarage home

"It was such a good team - it's really sad.

"They've shut us down and given themselves a pay rise. It's all about facts and figures.

"People [working there] want to help young people's lives but the council is destroying lives and will set them back 1,000 steps.

"What is going to happen to help them? There's no answers at the moment."

Children and staff are now left in limbo over their futures.

"It's such a grey area, I don't know what we can do. We need some support to get a reaction from Medway Council."

Ofsted recently graded Medway's children's social care as inadequate stating too many vulnerable children wait too long for help.

The council says it will explore whether resources used to fund the Old Vicarage could be applied to a different service.

Staff, partners, voluntary groups and residents will be involved in the consultation, the council says.

Options include keeping it operating as it currently is but officers have warned it is "unlikely" the council will be able to "fully use the provision in the existing format".

The council is also consulting on whether to continue the current service "recognising the cost for each client disproportionate to those receiving similar services".

'Recent investment in the Old Vicarage has considerably enhanced facilities, which leaves us confused as to why they’ve made this decision,' Cllr Pat Cooper (Lab)

The final option is closing the service and reviewing the service which would "better serve Medway's children and young people".

The council says it is "the best time" to review its provision because all the current residents are reaching the age of 18 and will soon transition to adult social care.

The Old Vicarage home opened in April 1996 and costs £708,000-a-year to run. It currently has five residents.

The council's Conservative-led cabinet backed the closure on February 7 following a vote during a 12-minute meeting last month.

Members said the home was too expensive and not fit for purpose as it seeks to trim a further £4.8 million to balance the budget in 2020 following a £7m overspend in 2019/20.

The decision was called-in by the Labour opposition and considered by the council's cross-party Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on November 11.

Committee member Cllr Pat Cooper (Lab) said: "We understand recent investment in the Old Vicarage has considerably enhanced facilities, which leaves us confused as to why they’ve made this decision now.

"The Old Vicarage is only operating at half its capacity, but we know there are children in need of the help this provision can offer.

"The council has serious questions to answer about why there are so few residents at the moment."

The consultation closes at 4pm on December 17. Go to www.medway.gov.uk/oldvicarage to comment

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