Families Launch Audacious Bid to Take Over Specialized Care Home Facing Financial Collapse
A group of families has initiated a bold effort to assume control of William Blake House, a residential care facility for adults with severe and complex learning disabilities, as the charity operating it confronts imminent closure due to substantial tax liabilities and questionable financial practices. The home, one of only a few such specialized establishments in England, is under threat of a winding-up order within seven weeks, prompting parents to take decisive action to safeguard their children's future.
Urgent Takeover Driven by Distrust and Financial Mismanagement
The families have expressed profound distrust in the current board of trustees, accusing them of operating in secrecy and failing to disclose a £1.6 million unpaid tax bill. Additionally, they have raised concerns about the legality and appropriateness of £1 million in payments made to a company owned solely by the charity's chair, Bushra Hamid. In a statement, the parents emphasized, "The charity belongs to the 22 residents, not to the board of trustees and the chief executive who through their actions have taken this charity from a thriving community to one at the brink of failure." They fear that if the home becomes insolvent, the trustees will depart, leaving their vulnerable relatives without a secure lifelong home.
Formation of a Parent-Led Non-Profit Initiative
In response to the crisis, 18 families have united to establish a not-for-profit company aimed at overseeing care services. This collective leverages a diverse range of professional expertise, including legal, business, accounting, and social care management skills. The parents stated, "Now that this group of 18 families have found each other, we have formed an incredible bond. There has been an outpouring of love and support for each other which we want to harness for the wellbeing of our beloved children. So we are taking matters into our own hands." This move is rare in the care sector, though it echoes a tradition of parent activism within the learning disability community, exemplified by organizations like Mencap.
Background on William Blake House and Its Therapeutic Ethos
William Blake House operates based on Steiner principles, which focus on creating a therapeutic environment that treats residents as individuals with potential rather than limitations. The home provides round-the-clock care for mostly non-verbal adults, funded annually by councils and the NHS to the tune of over £3 million. Families described the home as a "godsend" after previous traumatic placements, but noted a decline in its ethos in recent years, with reduced trips and activities despite generally good care quality.
Financial Struggles and Regulatory Scrutiny
The charity's financial woes include multiple instances of near-insolvency due to unpaid staff taxes, with assets plummeting from nearly £1 million to £200,000 over three years. Auditors have questioned its viability as a going concern. The Northamptonshire-based charity attributes these difficulties to high agency staff costs and inadequate fee increases from local authorities, planning to sell land to settle tax debts. Meanwhile, the Charity Commission has opened a regulatory compliance case into governance concerns and received a serious incident report related to finances. The charity has referred the families' takeover proposal to its solicitors, with a response expected soon.
