How many more tragic stories will it take?

[Bluey203]

I recently read about yet another residential care home, Forge House Services Ltd in Cullompton, declared inadequate overall by CQC.

cqc.org.uk/press-release/cq...

This is no doubt the tip of the iceberg. Staff need to be properly qualified, properly paid, with ongoing specific training to care for those with profound autism and severe learning disabilities, many of whom are often minimally verbal.

I see advertised so many times ....' No experience necessary, training provided'. This is a recipe for disaster and suffering. They really do need to know specifically how to care for adults with such difficulties. Most behaviours are triggered by a cause, such as pain, a change to an expected routine, boredom, even constipation etc. But to an outsider the individual is out of control 'for no reason' and is either restrained or shut in a room for hours, totally inhumane.

It breaks my heart, as I know this may happen to my 20yr old son when I can no longer care for him, as many on here I know worry about too, ' lambs to the slaughter' as some say. Our children are as vulnerable as primary school children, especially when unable to communicate in any form.

Sorry to be so gloomy and unfestive! Hope you all have a lovely, peaceful Christmas and New Year ⛄🌲

[Lucacielle]

Hi

That was the best and most spot on post I have read on this site.

It said it all.

[Musicmad70]

I wish anyone working with vulnerable adults should be held to a PVG check. I recently found out that anyone hiring a PA does not need to ask for this as a law. It may be recommended but not a law. Care Homes for our elderly have had this issue for decades and the more I hear about residential homes for our family members the more worry comes. I need to get in place a new home so when the time does come I have the space to offer my aunt or we won't have an alternative but to look at residential care. My worse fear too. Let's hope the law does change somehow to reflect how special our loved ones are and show them they may different-abled but we will always protect them.

[Bluey203 in reply to Musicmad70]

Totally agree, all those who are so vulnerable and unable to communicate well, including our loved ones who have alzheimers /dementia should be more protected.

[Inside]

I feel the same about my son it’s Petrifying, my biggest fear and it’s not acceptable in any way shape or form. It’s on my mind everyday.

[Inside]

can I share your post on twitter bluey?

[Bluey203 in reply to Inside]

Yes of course that is fine😊

[BenjiB]

my son recently moved to a residential placement. They do all their own in house training. It’s just one of things we checked. It’s very thorough training and is ongoing. They have a centre on site specifically for training. They also train all agency staff themselves and only employ those agency staff that they have trained. I’m very happy with the level of training they receive. So yes I do agree with your post 100% but definitely when looking at potential placements ask to look at the training records etc.

[Bluey203 in reply to BenjiB]

If only all establishments were this thorough and vigilant, unfortunately the way things are its very much a lottery, and we are taking a gamble on how are loved ones will be treated, which is so wrong. I think it's time that all residential establishments looking after the most vulnerable in society, should have mandatory training with recognised qualifications.

[Tracidu in reply to Bluey203]

Yes I agree whole heartedly with your post , I am constantly worried about my son going into care were they dont understand him , he has very little repetitive speech . He is generally happy but can have challenging behaviour if something is wrong ? He has 1-1 support at his day care . It really worries me when I am out as I have often seen LD adults with so called support workers who are taking no notice of thier charge , I have also seen 2 carers laughing and mimicking a man they were supporting. He seemed very distressed. I have tried to ask what agency they were from ?

Better pay and stricter training is essential .

When I watch tv programmes or read about bad treatment in the care sector and the powers that be say it should never happen again I wonder were they are in the fist place to see whats going on .?

I am so happy for those that have found really good placements and hope it continues . Best wishes for the festive season too all.

[BenjiB in reply to Tracidu]

it is a huge worry. When my son left post 16 we looked at a residential college for post 19. He spent 3 very happy years there and I realised that he seemed to enjoy the residential side, sitting with his peers at the table, getting involved in food preparation and shopping etc. he had a very full life there, activities most days after college and always something fun at the weekend. In the holidays at home he got bored quickly and with boredom comes behaviours. I can’t take him out alone so the days were endless for him. I realised as college was coming to an end that living at home would be really boring for him. It took a year of searching to find the place he’s at now. We wanted an out of the way environment near to a beach. We also wanted no more than 5 others in the house with him among other things. It took a bit of back and forth to agree funding as it’s around £6k per week but we got there in the end. My argument was if anyone could do a cheaper package then he wouldn’t be getting the support he needed. He’s not verbal and has limited understanding but going by his moods he seems to be enjoying life there. There have been a few incidents which have been dealt with really well showing a real understanding of him. Massive decision to make but hopefully it’s the right one and it continues to go well. It doesn’t stop me worrying though and he’s never far from my mind. Can’t wait to pick him up next week for Christmas x

[Tracidu in reply to BenjiB]

Thats great to hear you had a good result from your search . When my son left school at 19 he went to a menap college in somerset. He was there for 3 years , he came home after as the social worker who attended his transision was terrible, too long to go into what she said ? . The head of the college said she was the worst she had ever met and advised me to take him home . He is a very young 38yr old now so getting suitable residential placement which is what he needs is proving hard to find ,. The place your son is at sounds just like what he needs but I also want him too be close . Have a lovely christmas with your son x

[BenjiB in reply to Tracidu]

some social workers are shocking aren’t they. My son is funded by continuing healthcare so we don’t have a social worker we have a care manager who really only deals with the money side of things. She was helpful putting us in contact with the local placement team who were amazing. I was getting 2 or 3 possible places a day, most we discounted because they were in busy areas or too near a road. Every council should have a placement team. I hope you find somewhere lovely for him. It really is such a worry x

[Tracidu in reply to BenjiB]

Thankyou , yes it really is a worry . X

[HolisticMum in reply to BenjiB]

That should be the case nationwide with training. Because I pay my carers a little more. They have worked for us for over a decade, I've been told I can't, despite the money being in the budget and I could be accountable to pay the extra. I said they'd had great training due to them working for a great children's charity years ago. The social worker reckoned this didn't count. They throw every obstacle in our way. A previous Director of the services used to tell me if I wanted to pay more and it was in the account, it was fine to do so, as long as I wasn't going over the budget allowed. When she left it all went downhill.

[learner01]

It’s not just training. I think character may be more important and a genuine desire to care with a compassionate, patient and loving nature. Someone can know the right way of doing things but have no warmth towards the person they are caring for. Nurse training changed so that nurses have degrees but it hasn’t necessarily made care better. Someone who genuinely cares will want to have training so as to be better able to care. And one would hope that someone seeking to work in care is doing it because they do actually want to help.

[49Twister in reply to learner01]

Unfortunately most care workers (not all) are people who just see it as a job. Unlike nurses it was a vocation, especially in my day, I trained in 1967 as an SRN and then as a midwife. You did it for the love of the job and not for money. As you say nurses have to have a degree now which I don't believe makes you a better nurse. We worked on the wards as Cadets as messengers basically at 16 till 18 when we did our training. This gave you an insight into whether the job is for you or not. This is what's missing today as all nurses aren't always caring. As for care workers, it is just a job, minimum wage, they don’t have any proper training, because our loved ones don’t have any value in society unfortunately. Until this attitude changes in those in higher places nothing will change and it certainly won't in my lifetime, we can only hope it will further down the line.

[Tracidu in reply to 49Twister]

Yes Im finding it very difficult getting support for my son outside building based daycare . When Mencap cancelled his care package with them over a year ago I havnt been able to get another agency to fill the position . It was just for a few hours on a Saturday to take him to a special needs sports club which although he didnt join in, he enjoyed watching and seeing the other members . I paid mencap from direct payments .He was only able to go there because he had 1-1 support from an outside agency others went on thier own but my son needed support . He had Mencap for 12 years but out of the blue I had a very uncaring new manager call to say that they couldnt suport him anymore as he lived 20mts away ?? I was shocked and upset for months over the way he was treated mainly because I thought Mencap was there for LD people , he had good carers , usually retired men who loved having him but had no say. Getting carers who drive and who have to use thier own car is impossible now , my son gets stressed on public transport. The pay is so bad .

I wish there was building based places and proper homely fun respite centres , that could be trusted so parents and carers could feel confident and get a break but care in the community and Direct payments took over which would be ok if the care agencies were better staffed and thier was places to go .. I allways had to find things for them to do as I didnt want him just wondering around the shops in all weathers there was no help .

He is at home with me all weekend and now his day centre he attends 3 days a week have decided to open later and shut earlier for administration??

I use a Special needs holiday company which are very good for respite and use the direct payments , I have to explain it to Social workers every financial assessment which is a worry but I worked out it was cheaper than respite care in a home and he enjoys it . I am not giving up on it and if I cant use it they would be paying 6k a WEEK for full residential for him to move into for ever , I was shocked to find that this is the price now for residential but I have spoken and read about it and its the norm , it works out about £35per hour which sounds understandable for 24 hour full living care . Its not for everyone but its the only alternative for some LD people. Scares the life out of me though .....

its always approved after a fight .

[HolisticMum in reply to learner01]

Well said. Agree.