TEENAGERS cared for by City of York Council staged a demonstration over fears that they are to be moved out of their children's home.

A group of 15 to 17-year-olds at Bismarck Street children's home, off Leeman Road, yesterday hung banners outside the home reading "Children have rights too" and "SOS" after two of their friends were moved out this week.

One of the demonstrators, 16-year-old Leona Bailey, said she was worried that she would be the next to be moved and that the home could be closing down.

But a City of York Council spokeswoman said that the home was not closing down and any relocation was done with the full consent of the child involved.

Leona said: "We expected to be sat down and told why this was happening. But when we asked the staff why people were being moved they just said they couldn't say anything.

"They are either going to close this place down or get a whole new group of kids in here. It's really getting to me."

Leona's mother, Sara Dwyer, 33, of Clifton Moor, said: "Nobody is telling anybody what's going on.

"They are supposed to be looking after the welfare of children, not traumatising them further. None of these kids are in this home for doing anything wrong, but they are worried about the future."

Jim Crook, director of community services at City of York Council, said: "We listen very carefully to all the young people in our care and in this case, took action to respond to their concerns. There have been very few incidents at Bismarck Street since it opened in 2000 and there is absolutely no question of it closing."

A council spokeswoman said that during a Social Services Inspection (SSI) earlier this year the council's children's services, and particularly the children's residential homes, were praised.

Updated: 13:58 Wednesday, October 29, 2003