Shirley Oaks


Shirley Oaks is an area in the London Borough of Croydon, located to the north of Shirley. Shirley Oaks Village is the home to the only hospital in Shirley, the private healthcare centre Shirley Oaks Hospital.

Shirley Oaks Children Home

The Shirley Oaks Children Home opened in 1904 and was run by the London Borough of Lambeth until its closure in 1983. It was the largest in the country. The childrens' home consisted of 38 cottages on a site; it contained its own school. In 2014 allegations of abuse emerged, and the Shirley Oaks survivors association was set up. Between then and 2020, 1,760 people have described suffering sexual, physical and racial abuse while at the home.
The Metropolitan police inquiry, Operation Midland, which examined all the borough's children’s homes, concluded at least 35 men and women had abused children over a 20-year period. SOSA believes that over a 60-year period, over 120 abusers were involved.