Strike at Lakewood care home now into second month

Staff at one of Northern Ireland's main care homes for children and young people are now striking for a second month over proposed changes to their shifts.

The 13 employees at Lakewood Regional Secure Centre in Bangor, who work as night shift supervisors, have been picketing unpaid over a new rota.

They claim it requires staff to work fewer hours per shift.

But they say it also means coming in an extra 36 days per year.

They said this would include more weekends.

Lakewood is made up of four units including Ashgrove care home in Newtownards. About 30 vulnerable young people live in these facilities.

Staff have said their main concern was that the children in the home would have less continuity in staff care.

The Voice of Young People in Care represents the children at the centre. Its chief executive Vivian McConvey said she wants to see the strike resolved between NIPSA and South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust.

"My priority is the health and wellbeing of the children and young people being cared for away from home and in the care of the trust," she said.

"This picket is taking place at a children's home which should not be the focus of any industrial dispute.

"This is a children's home and the young people living there should enjoy the same privacy and sense of security as any of us in our own homes .

"We hope that there will be an immediate end to the picket and a swift resolution to the dispute for the benefit of young people in the care of the trust."

Speaking at the beginning of July, when the proposed changes were due to come into effect, the South Eastern Health Trust said the new rota would meet the changing needs of young people in its care and would to enhance support for staff.