Councils have been urged to ensure all children with complex needs and disabilities living in children’s homes are safe after a new report finds a ‘culture of abuse’ in three homes.
A national review into safeguarding children with disabilities and complex health needs has revealed what it describes as ‘serious failures’ at Fullerton House, Wilsic Hall and Wheatley House, located in Doncaster and operated by the Hesley Group.
The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel report, which looks at the experiences of 108 children and young adults, shows a culture of abuse and harm, including evidence of physical abuse and violence, neglect, emotional abuse and sexual harm.
There was also evidence of medication being misused and maladministered, an over-use of restraints, and unsafe and inappropriate use of temporary confinement.
The children affected were placed at these homes from 55 local authorities across the country.
In response to the report, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel has issued an urgent action to all local authorities to ensure all children with complex needs and disabilities currently living in similar children’s homes are safe and well.
Panel chair Annie Hudson said: ‘This national review seeks to make sense of how and why a significant number of children with disabilities and complex needs came to suffer very serious abuse and neglect whilst living in three privately provided residential settings.
‘Our evidence shows that the system of checks and balances which should have detected that things were going wrong simply did not work.
‘While there are many skilled professionals who work with children with disabilities, we are concerned that these are not isolated incidents. That’s why we have asked all local authorities and Ofsted to take urgent action to ensure all children living in similar circumstances are safe and well.’
The panel has insisted that councils must review complaints relating to the workforce in each individual residential special school registered as a children’s home over the last three years, and ensure these have been appropriately actioned.
It also said that Ofsted should conduct an immediate analysis of their evidence around workforce sufficiency focusing on suitability, training and support.
Dame Christine Lenehan, strategic director of the National Children’s Bureau and Council for Disabled Children, said: ‘This review demonstrates that the residential settings responsible for taking care of these children did not have a clear vision to safeguard them from abuse.
‘The lack of accountability across the residential care system means there is too little ownership for the safety of children with complex needs and, as a consequence, many have suffered, or are at risk of suffering, harm and abuse. We urgently need a shift in thinking, so that these children’s rights to live safely in supportive and nurturing homes is guaranteed.’
A Hesley Group spokesperson said: ‘We recognise that the panel has identified serious failings in the running of Fullerton House, Wheatley House and Wilsic Hall ahead of their closure which led to people receiving unacceptable levels of care, and we are deeply sorry for the hurt caused to young people and their families over this period.
‘We took swift action at the time to address concerns raised including dismissing several staff, and we made the decision to de-register all homes. To ensure the voices of the people who live in our services are heard, as well as their safety and wellbeing, we have since undergone a major restructure and made significant changes across our senior management team.
‘We will carefully consider the issues raised in the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel’s initial report to make sure improvements can continue to be made.’
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA) said: 'The treatment suffered by children in these settings operated by the Hesley Group is both unacceptable and deeply distressing.
'Councils are already taking action to ensure that children placed in similar settings are safe and receiving the care and support they need. They will be working closely with local and national partners, including the Department for Education, health partners and independent providers, to take forward learning and recommendations identified by the national panel.'
