Bridge House - opinions and advice please.

[FairyNormal 10]

I have a good friend who is in an impossible situation at the moment. She has a 15 year old, severely autistic child who has been attending/living at Fullerton House School in Denaby for the past few years. He has been settled there but Sheffield LEA have pulled the funding and he now has to leave. His last day is 29th July.

 

Sheffield LEA now want to send him to live at a Social Services facility called Bridge House which is run by a company called Pathways Care Solutions. My friend has been to vist the home and was shocked at what she saw. The building is old and in a bad state of repair and obviously hasn't had any modernisation done. The windows are old ones with no locks or security, there were pipes sticking out of the floor where old gas fires had been disconnected and the pipes just sawn off and capped but left sticking out and the building as a whole had little in the way of security for keeping the children safe.

 

Her son is prone to escape, climb through windows, wander off etc and there seemed little to stop him doing so. The workers there were all very young and didn't seem to understand the level of care that would be required to look after her son and keep him safe and unharmed. She is naturally, very concerned. She has raised this with Social Services who just say that if she refuses the placement they will send him hundreds of miles away to a residential facility up north somewhere where she would struggle to visit him due to other family committments.

 

She's tried to contact her MP David Blunket but has been told he is away so has recieved no help at all. She is at her wits end with worry and is determined her son is not going to live at a place where she would have seriousl concerns about his safety and welfare. Time is running out and she doesn't know where to turn for advice or support.

 

Does anyone have any experince of Bridge House or know anyone who may be able to help or advise about this matter? She really is desperate.

 

Many thanks

[WallBuilder 10]

I'd start by contacting the other m.p. s that are in Sheffield. I'd probably argue from the view point that the building is not fit for purpose not only for your child but any of the clients if it has gas pipes sticking out and is in an obviously poor state of repair.I'd also be asking if a child is hurt or injured because of issues that you will of raised in writing then who exactly is responsible.

[Lucy-Lastic 10]

Is this also an educational establishment or just a residential home? Have they contacted the council member in charge of children and young peoples services?

[FairyNormal 10]

It's just a residential home. They also want to send another boy there who is non verbal and his only form of communication is Makaton. Guess what? None of the staff know Makaton!

 

I intend contacting Blunket first thing wednesday on her behalf and mentioning the recent panorama programme on the care system! Doesn't hurt to push a gentle reminder about how ****** off people are.

[Lucy-Lastic 10]

So where are they planning on educating the boys then? It really does not sound like they have checked out that the provision is adequate for their needs. Good luck with Mr Blunket!

[FairyNormal 10]

As far as I know they are planning on sending him to Talbot School.

[DBConstituen 10]

The Sheffield office of David Blunkett MP was closed due to staff holidays (5-12 July inc), however Mr Blunkett was not away - he was working from London.

 

When the Sheffield office is closed, clear instructions are left on the office answer machine directing constituents with urgent enquiries to our London office where, during office hours, enquiries will be taken. Outside office hours, a message can be left and calls will be returned.

[Sheffcares 10]

I work in the care sector and live locally and the home has bedded in really well after some adverse publicity before it opened. The staff appear very child focused and passionate about what they do. They look after one youngster with complex disabilities and seem to have done a smashing job with him. The home will be regulated and inspected by OFSTED who are much more effective than CQC. I am guessing the home will have an ' open door ' policy so the home won't be a secure unit [but rather more influenced by delivering social inclusion for disabled youngsters which is someway more progressive than these large 'out of sight out of mind ' Care and education Institutions for Disabled children which run the risk of being Quasi secure settings]. As a local tax payer I think if our schools like Talbot, which is fantastic can Educate these youngsters successfully we should look after our children in Sheffield. Some of the posts on here are borderline libellous and do not reflect well on the integrity of folk posting them.

[Sotonowl 10]

I work in the care sector and live locally and the home has bedded in really well after some adverse publicity before it opened. The staff appear very child focused and passionate about what they do. They look after one youngster with complex disabilities and seem to have done a smashing job with him. The home will be regulated and inspected by OFSTED who are much more effective than CQC. I am guessing the home will have an ' open door ' policy so the home won't be a secure unit [but rather more influenced by delivering social inclusion for disabled youngsters which is someway more progressive than these large 'out of sight out of mind ' Care and education Institutions for Disabled children which run the risk of being Quasi secure settings]. As a local tax payer I think if our schools like Talbot, which is fantastic can Educate these youngsters successfully we should look after our children in Sheffield. Some of the posts on here are borderline libellous and do not reflect well on the integrity of folk posting them.

 

You for real,the thread is discussing the health and well being of the children of Sheffield,go poke your libel law where the sun don't shine.

[Sheffcares 10]

Sotonowl, The youngster at Bridge House lives locally to me and seems to be doing very well, getting out and about and getting to the school my council tax pays for. Judging from your location [ Southampton ]you neither know much about the service or contribute to the running of our excellent local education and care services Sheffield has. And spare me the false piety of waffling on about health and Wellbeing of children. If the youngsters are cared for and educated in Sheffield I am sure we can keep a better eye on them and spend our resources more sensibly

[Sotonowl 10]

Sotonowl, The youngster at Bridge House lives locally to me and seems to be doing very well, getting out and about and getting to the school my council tax pays for. Judging from your location [ Southampton ]you neither know much about the service or contribute to the running of our excellent local education and care services Sheffield has. And spare me the false piety of waffling on about health and Wellbeing of children. If the youngsters are cared for and educated in Sheffield I am sure we can keep a better eye on them and spend our resources more sensibly

 

I wasn't waffling on about the health and well being of the children,I only inferred that you ought to get your priorities right.As for taxing and funding of health care and education?,most of which comes from central government,of which i pay my taxes,and even if that wasn't the case?Well pardon me,we live in a democracy,well did last time i looked

[Sheffcares 10]

Sotonowl, the simple fact is you know very little about the quality of Sheffield SLD schools like Talbot and what appears to be a fairly decent and accessible local care service. Youngsters cared for and educated locally who get out and about in the city will benefit from far more scrutiny than disabled children living in so called integrated settings which run the risk of being quasi institutions. Your case does not stack up. And my priorities are right, decent, accessible and accountable local health, education and care services, thank you very much.