Description:Work started on building a children’s home in Hockley in 1973. This was at a time when there was significant building of children’s homes going on – the first six 18-bed homes had recently been completed and work was underway on the next three.
Homes in Selly Oak and on Lea Hall Road were also being built.
The Hockley home was built as a 14 bed home for working boys, designed using the Community Homes Design Guide 1971.
As a home for working children, it would have accommodated older children who had left school and had a job but were in care / or looked after until they were 18.
It was ultimately opened in 1975.
In 1981, it was still a boys only establishment.
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Image: A promotional shot used by Birmingham's children's Department in 1967. At this stage, the Birmingham Children's Homes project does not have any photographs of this children's home.
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Source: This history was compiled by the Birmingham Children's Homes Project, an initiative to explore Birmingham City Council-run children’s homes between 1949 and 1990.