Plan to turn Dudley hotel into 'family assessment centre'

Plans have been submitted to Dudley Council to convert the Silverdale Hotel in Sedgley Road West, Tipton, into a 'family residential assessment centre', where parents and their children will be provided with short--to-medium-term accommodation while their capabilities are assessed.

The owner of the hotel said the centre would be registered with Ofsted and regulated under the Care Standards Act 2000, and would typically host up to six families at any one time.

"Families will have their individual bedrooms, all en-suite with shared kitchen and living space," the application said.

"The stay will typically be short-term, goal of providing assessment and support, usually 12 weeks which can sometimes be extended to 16 weeks. 

"The centre will provide support services, including family welfare assessments, counselling, and access to other relevant services as needed, to ensure the wellbeing and safety of the families residing there. 

"While we are committed to supporting parents in maintaining custody of their children, our primary focus is on breaking the cycle of these difficulties to promote lasting, positive change."

The statement added that the centre would seek to meet the Government's agenda of making it easier for people to return to work.

It said staff would be present on a 24-hour basis, providing support, supervision, and assessment. 

The property would retain a residential character and would not operate as an institution or secure building.

The scheme will now go before Dudley Council's planning department for consideration.