Severely disabled children from Derbyshire were sent to three Doncaster residential homes that are currently under police investigation over abuse claims.
Reports of physical and emotional abuse, violence, neglect, sexual harm and unmet medical needs at Fullerton House, Wheatley House, and Wilsic Hall are the subject of South Yorkshire Police’s ongoing Operation Lima Alpha, and have sparked a national safeguarding review.
While Derbyshire County Council (DCC) confirmed it had sent youngsters to the homes, which specialised in caring for children and young people with severe mental and physical disabilities, it would not say how many due to the risk of ‘possible identification’.
A DCC spokesperson said: “While we can’t comment on the detail of an ongoing police enquiry, we are working closely with the National Review Panel and are liaising with and supporting the families affected in Derbyshire.”
The results of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review were published last week (October 26) and called for urgent action to be taken.
Drawing upon the experiences of more than 100 children and young people who lived at the homes, all of which were run by the Hesley Group, the review panel outlined a ‘cuture’ of abuse that included misuse of medication, over-use of restraints and unsafe or inappropriate use of temporary confinement.
Lead panel member Dr Susan Tranter said: “Following allegations that a significant number of children who were living far away from home, often with limited communication skills, were trapped in settings where systemic and sustained abuse was inflicted with no respite, we spoke to those responsible for placing the children in these settings and for checking on their welfare to understand exactly what went wrong.
“It is clear to us that the standards of practice in care are failing to meet the needs of children with complex needs.”
The review indicated the 55 local authorities and partner agencies that placed children in the homes put ‘great reliance’ on the reports provided by the institutions themselves, despite concerns being raised by external professionals.
Panel chairman Annie Hudson commented: “Our evidence shows that the system of checks and balances which should have detected that things were going wrong simply did not work.”
To address this, the panel has called upon all local authorities to review complaints and concerns raised at registered children’s homes over the last three years, while education watchdog Ofsted has been instructed to analyse the suitability, training and support of workers.
The second phase of the review providing recommendations to Government to improve safeguarding in the care system is due to be published early next year.
