A CARE home in Kidderminster for adults with learning difficulties has closed down, making four nursing staff redundant.

Rose Orchard Care Home in Baxter Avenue closed its doors on Friday (May 24), two months after operators Praxis Care declared the facility was too expensive to run.

Its five residents, who all have complex intellectual or neurological disabilities, have now been moved to alternative accommodation.

The home had been running for 20 years.

Richard Broughton, director of care and development at Praxis, said: "All of the service users have been found new service settings and, of the 10 staff posts originally at risk, four concluded in redundancy.

"We would like to thank our residents, their families, our staff and colleagues across services and commissioning for all they have done through this very challenging time. I particularly would like to thank Rose Orchards registered manager - Emma White - who has led this process with compassion, dignity and professionalism.

"We look forward now to continuing to support some of the county's most vulnerable adults across our remaining serviced."

Deborah Wood, whose 34-year-old daughter Elizabeth Hubbard lived at the home for three years, said the closure was "extremely sad".

She said: "Elizabeth moved last Thursday along with one other Rose Orchard resident to Westley Court Care Home in Cookley.

"It's nursing care, which is what she needs, but most of the residents are elderly with dementia and it's got 33 beds so it's much bigger.

"The staff seem nice and I am reasonably happy but it's never going to be as nice as Rose Orchard, which is the only place in the area with nursing care for adults with learning disabilities.

"I'm really sad we couldn't keep Rose Orchard open. Places like this will just cease to exist. It's extremely sad."

Praxis previously said commissioners like Worcestershire County Council were unable to fund the service to a level that would maintain quality nursing care.

Councillor Adrian Hardman, cabinet member with responsibility for adult social care at Worcestershire County Council, said: “All residents of Rose Orchard have now moved out, and all have been found alternative accommodation.

“The date of the closure of the home was set by the provider, Praxis, and we have worked with individuals and their families to identify suitable, high quality alternative accommodation.

“It has always been our aim to work constructively with families to ensure we achieve safe, high quality accommodation and services for all individuals concerned.

"We appreciate that families have been concerned about the changes and we believe we have achieved positive outcomes for all concerned following what has been a challenging situation.”