Kendall House, Gravesend, Kent

Kendall House was a private girls’ children’s home in Gravesend, Kent. It was operated and funded by the Church of England until 1986, when it was taken over by the Joint Council for Social Responsibility for the Dioceses of Rochester and Canterbury. The girls who were assigned there ranged in age from 11 to 16 years old.

An independent assessment of Kendall House was commissioned in December 2015 to examine events from 1967 until its closure in 1986. The study, which was made public on July 13, 2016, detailed allegations of sexual abuse, ill-treatment, and physical violence.

Between 1967 and 1986, girls as young as 11 were frequently administered antidepressants and other potent drugs, and those who rejected faced punishment and emotionally abusive threats, according to the research. According to the investigation, the “harrowing” findings revealed a children’s home where “control, containment, and sometimes cruelty were normalised.”

The 137-page report also indicated that every former resident interviewed by the review team had been abused, with some even attempting suicide.

The Church of England has apologised to former Kendall House residents. The dioceses have established an 0845 120 4634 help line for past residents and survivors of Kendall House, as well as anybody who may be touched by the conclusions of the Kendall House investigation. The Churches’ Child Protection Advice Service, an independent Christian safeguarding nonprofit, provides the helpline.