AN NHS centre in Redditch named after a man whose son died as a fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain has been hit by countless cases of vandalism.
The Scott Atkinson Child Development Centre provides services for children with special and additional needs.
Run by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust has seen its doors, windows and outdoor toys damaged with the most recent incident taking place last weekend.
The cost of the damage has been estimated at around £10,000.
Police are currently investigating and increasing patrols in the area.
The centre provides specialist assessment groups for children of pre-school age with complex additional needs. The centre offers families the opportunity to attend groups to practice complex handling, play and communication skills in a specialist environment with expert nursery nurses supporting and guiding them.
The centre also provides clinics for children’s physiotherapy, paediatricians, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, audiology, dieticians and orthotics.
These clinics are accessed by children and young people in the Redditch and Bromsgrove area as an alternative to attending adult clinic or hospital environment.
Whilst nothing has been stolen from the centre, outdoor toys including push along cars and trikes were broken and thrown onto the roof, windows and doors were smashed and as a result of shards of glass going into the building many toys, including a soft play area inside, were damaged and can no longer be safely used.
Anna Evans, Team Lead for Paediatric Physiotherapy said: “It has been really upsetting to children and families who visit us regularly to see the damage that has been caused. It’s so sad these mindless acts mean that the children will no longer have these toys and facilities available. We are having to cancel and move clinics whilst repairs are made causing further disruption for the children and their families.”
