Exclusive: Outrage in Rainham As Vulnerable Teen ‘Left Like a Caged Animal’ in Residential Home.

Residents in Rainham, are voicing grave concerns over the welfare of a teenage boy with severe learning disabilities — claiming he is being left in unacceptable and potentially dangerous living conditions by carers.

The boy, believed to have been placed in the property by Windsor and Maidenhead Council in mid-July, is not local to the area. Neighbours say his daily life is marked by distress, screaming, and unsafe behaviour, while carers allegedly stand by distracted. Reports from residents include seeing the boy washed in a paddling pool, running around unclothed in the garden, and sitting on electrical boxes while carers are believed to have been looking at their phones.

A resident who lives directly next door, told The Havering Daily: “It’s not right for the boy to be living in those conditions. He is screaming every day, banging on the walls and fences. If family visit me, they can see him unclothed in the garden. He even escaped once, jumping the fence and ending up in the street. We’re worried for him — it’s not right for him or for us.”

The property’s rear garden now has unusually high double fencing, with residents saying, “He is kept like a caged animal.” A trampoline is positioned at the back, where it’s believed the boy spends much of his time.

Another resident nextdoor recalled: “Before, the carers spent more time jumping on the trampoline than looking after the poor child. He’d be inside screaming while they played outside. One bedroom is now a sensory room, but the constant banging and jumping shakes our floors. We’ve even seen him brushing his teeth with paddling pool water. I can’t have my grandchildren over anymore — he’s always naked in the garden. It’s heartbreaking.”

Some residents say that after repeated complaints, the carers have been replaced and the company changed.

Local councillors Natasha Summers and Sue Ospreay have been working with Havering Council to address the issue, but residents remain frustrated, questioning why a vulnerable child is being housed in a residential street without the proper safeguards in place.

A Havering Council spokesperson told The Havering Daily: “We are aware of neighbours’ concerns and want to thank them for raising this with us. We are continuing to work with them through our safeguarding and housing teams, as well as colleagues at Windsor and Maidenhead Council who organised the placement, to help reach a resolution that is suitable for all involved.”

The Havering Daily has twice contacted Windsor and Maidenhead council for a response and none has so far been given.

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