£1.4 million replacement for Dundee children’s unit

A residential unit, which houses young people who cannot live with their families and will soon become unfit for purpose, is to be replaced by Dundee City Council (writes Brian Allison, local government reporter).

Strathcarron House in Menzieshill is to replaced by a new unit in Kings Cross Road costing around £1.4 million.

Social Work Director Alan Baird, in a report, said “The building will become unfit for purpose over the next few years and will not meet the standards of care set by the National Care Standards Committee.”

The unit provides long-term care for five youngsters between 12 and 16.

Mr Baird said it is staffed by experienced and qualified social care officers 24 hours a day and is inspected annually by the Care Commission.

He said closing the building and using alternative care providers was not seen as a feasible option.

“It is recognised that, for the majority of these children, their educational and emotional needs can (best) be met in their own communities and by keeping close contact with families; this is evidenced as good child care practice,” he said.

“External residential school is therefore not an option for these young people and the demand for such a resource already outweighs our current in-house provision.

“Nationally, the demand for specialist foster care currently outweighs provision and foster care is not always the most appropriate option for some young people.”

The Strathcarron House building is in poor condition, beyond its useful life in terms of the construction materials used and not considered technically viable for upgrading. Mr Baird said the preferred option was replacement. The estimated cost of £1.4m is based on the replacement of a similar unit in Balgowan Avenue.

“There is an increase in the number of children requiring to be accommodated by the local authority,” the director said. “It is important to adopt a strategy that will maintain the level of resources available in-house.

“In doing this, it will give young people the opportunity to remain in their own communities, improve their life chances and receive a quality of care in keeping with the Vision for Dundee’s Children.”