Staff occupied Orchard Lodge children's home in Anerley on Friday afternoon 'after being dismissed and being given less than two hours to collect their belongings and leave. About 45 employees occupied every room on the six-and-half acre site, including boys' dormitories and bathrooms, to prevent security officers from bolting shut the doors and windows'. The occupation ended at 10:30 pm on the same night after Unison officials arranged for negotiations to take place with the employers.
The former Southwark Council secure children's unit has been owned by the private Glen Care Group since 2006, and has been facing closure since the Youth Justice Board announced it was cutting the number of secure unit beds in England and Wales. More at The Guardian.
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i visited in about 2003 and was really amazed by how this high secure unit containing some very seriously fucked up kids was a positive and respectful environment, potentially breaking the miserable cycle of exclusion and violence with education and genuine care...for what it's worth, sad to hear this update
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