Back up plans to move children out of Bradstow School in Broadstairs are being made by Kent County Council.
The school and residential home, for children aged between 5-19 years with severe intellectual disabilities who are on the autistic spectrum continuum, is maintained by the London Borough of Wandsworth but KCC also places some youngsters at the site.
The ‘parallel’ plans come on the heels of Ofsted inspections of social care provision at Bradstow School that initially resulted in a restriction of accommodation notice, preventing further children from being admitted to the home.
That restriction was lifted after a follow-up inspection last December but a rating of ‘requires improvement’ remains. This applies to the residential operations, the education provision at the school has been rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
The last Ofsted inspection for the social care provision said Bradstow provides care for up to 40 children with autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities and associated conditions.
The home is on the same site as the organisation’s school and is comprised of separate houses so that children live in small groups. It accommodates children for short breaks and for placements of 38 weeks of the year. There were 37 children living in the home at the time of the last inspection.
Letter to parents/carers
In a letter sent to parents/carers towards the end of last month, KCC says an offer by the authority to complete a safeguarding review at Bradstow School was turned down with an “alternative review” set to take place this term.
But KCC has listed a number of ongoing concerns and reveals there is a social care and police investigation into medication errors at the school.
Other concerns are also outlined, including:
- Medication management with practices that “are not effective” and have inconsistencies with information as well as avoidable mistakes made when administering medicine to children
- Unexplained accidents and injuries to children who should be in 1-1 or 2-1 care with some youngsters needing hospital treatment
- Incidents of children leaving the premises ‘undetected’
- Children left alone for long periods without staff supervision
- Police, social workers and parents not always being notified of significant incidents
- Lack of staff and use of agency staff
- Concerns over records not being available
- Concerns over the condition of one of the bungalows
In the letter to parents KCC says: “KCC is not seeking to immediately move children. It is primarily focused on working with Bradstow School to promote (children’s) safety as KCC is motivated to avoid disruption and change if unnecessary.
“Given what KCC is aware of, KCC holds a statutory obligation to make decisions to promote (children’s) safety.
“With the evidence available it is best to parallel plan to identify alternative provisions so KCC is best prepared to make arrangements in case Bradstow School demonstrates it is unable to sufficiently address the concerns.”
The letter adds that if KCC needs to take ‘emergency measures’ then “children may need to return home until a suitable, alternative placement is identified.”
The letter also reveals that there is a financial dispute, with Bradstow School issuing “legal processes against KCC with respect to finances.”
Sources say this relates to a sum of some £2m withheld due to disagreement over how services should be delivered.
‘Rock bottom’ staffing ratios
A source said staffing ratios are “at rock bottom” with a lack of experienced staff, a toxic atmosphere, lack of accurate information over children’s injuries, a lack of first aiders and poor management.
Staff say there has been disciplinary action against members due to time off sick and parents have raised concerns over a number of issues including a lack of communication from management.
According to a survey of members at the school carried out by the GMB union 96% of respondents said they had witnessed a violent incident in the workplace and 92% said they had been injured by a pupil.
All members felt the ratio of staff to pupils was insufficient to keep them safe, and 92% said they didn’t think management prioritised staff safety.
Some 92% of members said they would like to be balloted for strike action if health and safety concerns were not properly addressed.
A high turnover of staff and staff sickness were two of the central concerns during the Ofsted inspection in September last year although the follow up inspection in December said this was being addressed.
‘Asset disposal’
In February The Isle of Thanet News reported that an internal document drawn up by consultants and focusing on asset management at Wandsworth Council listed potential sale of several properties including Bradstow School.
The document was revealed by the South London Press after it was discovered by Councillor Peter Graham, from Wandsworth council’s Conservative opposition.
Cllr Graham told the South London Press that despite the document being ‘internal’ it had taken more than a year to put together and cost some £22,000 in consultant fees.
In response Cllr Kate Stock, Cabinet Member for Children at Wandsworth Council, and school Principal Penny Doswell pledged “continued commitment” to the school.
An asset management document published by the authority last year which examines viability of retaining, improving or disposing of properties lists Bradstow School as a “very high value site for alternate use” and notes there is high demand but “not by Wandsworth pupils/families.” The overall suggestion in the document is to “explore transferring (the school) to Kent County Council.” The property also appears in a column headed ‘Sell.’
In response KCC said: “Kent continues to work closely with Wandsworth to consider a range of different options. Nothing is decided at the current time.”
‘Improvements’
A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said: “We know the provision needs sustained improvement and we are determined to deliver those improvements for our children and their parents.
“We are working tirelessly with staff, partner agencies and our regulators to achieve this goal.”
‘Legal duty’
A Kent County Council (KCC) spokesperson said: “The leadership and management of Bradstow School is the responsibility of Wandsworth Borough Council and is regulated by Ofsted.
“KCC places some Kent children at the school, so we have been working proactively with partners to support improvements.
“While KCC is not seeking to immediately move children, we have a legal duty to work with parents to make parallel plans should we need to consider the sustainability of children’s placements.
“Our priority remains to ensure all children can access education in safe and secure environments.”
