The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL months after its closure due to sewage issues, advocates for one of the country’s most recognisable children’s homes claim the Department of Social Services is “dragging its feet” in the search for a new building.

The closure of the Bilney Lane Children’s Home last autumn led to the “temporary relocation” of the centre’s eight minors, four of whom are disabled, to the Yellow Elder Day Care Centre.

According to one source, the children of the home remain “en route” while ministry officials “take their own sweet time” locating a new permanent facility.

“Those kids are between two locations, it’s time they found a proper home for these children. These kids are being housed in Yellow Elder, at the elderly day care centre,” said the source.

“We have been told that at night the home is turned over to the kids and in the day, persons overseeing the children’s home and kids that aren’t at school set up in the Bilney Lane building.”

When The Tribune contacted a representative of the Bilney Lane Children’s Home for comment, they would only say: “We need a new home, a new permanent home.”

Minister of Social Services and Community Development Melanie Griffin denied reports that the children were “being constantly moved around”.

The Yamacraw MP claimed that during a maintenance check of the Bilney Lane facility it was determined that the home “wasn’t fit” to house the minors and needed “costly repairs”.

Mrs Griffin told The Tribune: “A decision was made to move the group to the Yellow Elder Day Care Centre while the search for a new building is taking place. I will say the search is taking longer than expected, but it’s not an easy process.”

The minister confirmed that the government is in discussion for two potential homes.

She added: “We looked at several places but were unable to find a suitable home.”

She said the delays in finding a new home “isn’t for a lack of searching”.

“The government has approved the relocation and we are working to find the best,” she added.

The Salvation Army transferred responsibility of the home to the Methodist Church in 1992 and subsequently the government agreed to fund and manage the Bilney Lane home.

A source in the Department of Social Services said that donors have come forward and pledged to assist in the repairs needed at Bilney Lane. That source claimed the delays are due to “political discussion by the powers that be.”

“They have to get everyone on board, Cabinet has to agree on one building and the topic of a new Bilney Lane Home doesn’t come up too often,” the source added.