COUNCIL bosses cannot say when a troubled children’s home will reopen after it was rated inadequate by inspectors.

“Serious and widespread failures” were found at Seaside Home for Children in Shoreham, during an inspection in June.

The home was closed after a follow-up inspection in August found not enough had been done to address the issues raised.

At a meeting last week, West Sussex county councillors were told senior managers had inspected other council-run homes.

As a result, Cissbury Lodge, in Worthing, was temporarily closed, and May House, also in Worthing, will be closed and refurbished.

And the Beechfield Secure Unit, near Gatwick, was closed for two years.

The condition of the buildings, training and ongoing problems recruiting suitably qualified and experienced staff were among the main issues highlighted.

Annie MacIver, director of children and family services, said she took full responsibility for the inadequate judgement at Seaside, adding: “It’s something that has caused me great consternation and something I have and will continue to take very seriously.”

She added: “We’ve been asked the question is Seaside going to open again, and my answer to that is I don’t know.

“I know we need good provision for complex adolescents. But for any of you who know the building which is Seaside Home, it’s a building that ultimately is highly institutionalised and one couldn’t really describe it as being homely.”

The committee was told that more investment was needed in staff as well as the infrastructure and maintenance of the council’s children’s homes.

Ms MacIver told the meeting: “If we’re going to provide really good homes for our children, we can’t just have a stand-alone children’s home. We have to have mental health provision that’s robust. We have to have education provision that’s robust.”

Paul Marshall, the recently appointed cabinet member for children and young people, described Ofsted’s findings as “a car crash in slow motion”.