Fresh new future for Ness home
A disused SIC children’s home in the South Mainland is to be brought back into use.
Windybrae in Dunrossness will take children and young people for short stays and emergency care, including those with a high level of social, emotional or behavioural needs requiring intensive support.
A smaller building at Windybrae may be used when the needs of a parent with a baby require to be assessed by the authorities.
Shetland’s main children’s home at Leog House in Lerwick is now only to be used for up to three children and young people who need residential care for long periods. A more suitable building is eventually to be built, perhaps at Quoys.Two other places are currently used to house two other young people.
When progress on Windybrae was reported to the services committee last Thursday, Shetland South councillor Allison Duncan accused officials of “bad management” in having the building for four years and not using it two-thirds of the time.
Windybrae came into use for children in December 2005 when somewhere was needed urgently for a particular young person requiring special attention. Since then it has rarely been used and could not get a licence from the Care Commission. It housed one family for a time but has since stood empty, slowly deteriorating.
Recently it has been extensively refurbished and upgraded and the Care Commission is close to approving it for use for child care.
