I personally experienced serious safeguarding issues during a group holiday I went on in October, 2017. I am a service user but highly educated to PHd level, and from a professional background. In October 2017, I was on a group holiday in the Creative Support holiday home in the Lake District. I have been 7 times before, but with no previous issues. Never again will I pay 500 pounds on such a holiday that turned into a holiday from hell! The overworked and practically overwhelmed staff could not really cope with the complex needs of the group. Afterall, there were no additional support workers this time, unlike previous years. There were only two support workers for nine vulnerable adults with complex needs. My own needs were completely overlooked and service users were coming to me with concerns over the lack of supervision, and were quite confused as to who to go to with any concerns. As was I for the first time ever, after participating in SEVEN previously, excellent and supportive group holidays. One day, something very serious will happen if preventative steps are not implemented, and serious safeguarding issues continue to be swept under the carpet in such an impersonal and biased manner. I was almost hospitilised on my return due to the stress and anxiety which was a direct impact of the shambolic holiday. The two staff members in charge of us left us unsupervised to go and get us all a takeaway after a lack of planning meant there was no group meal to enjoy communally, and eat that night. They were gone for 50 mins!!! A fight almost broke out in their absence. I had to step between the two adults who were about to strike each other after a heated argument that had been brewing all day. It was horrible. Where were the risk assessments which clearly stated each client's complex triggers and preventitive action plans to avoid violent behaviours under stress?! A clear breach of safeguarding took place. I know this to be a true fact having experienced it personally .Yet an internal investigation took 7 months and much prompting to conclude. Conclusion. "Staff behaved appropiately". How in God's name is it appropiate to leave a group of nine vulnerable adults, some with violent behaviour, unsupervised for 50 minutes whilst the two staff members went for a takeaway, obviously to discuss things away from the clients? !! Huge cover ups going on. Creative Support seem to think this is acceptable! Would it be acceptable to leave any other Creative Support group houses or day centres unstaffed for 50 mins?! No, because the projects are monitored by senior, on site staff and such behaviour would be seen as grounds for serious comcern in any other supervised Creative Support environment. As a former teacher and lecturer, imagine if I had left my class unsupervised for 50 mins. Bad enough if it was a class of non disabled students. Now imagine, if that class was a class of vulnerable students with complex learning difficulties and mental health needs. But apparently, Creative Support seem to think that it is acceptable for their staff members to behave in this way. Away from direct management supervision this is acceptable on a client supported group holiday? In an unfamiliar and unknown enviroment for the clients entrusted to their care. Two staff members to nine often violent service users!!! Disgusting. I will definitely be informing QCC as to this breach of care. As an organisation, Creative Support clearly underestimate the intelligence of some of their service users. They clearly underestimated me. Yes I am a service user. But I managed staff teams in my previous employment, I worked as a professional employee in education, and I am highly intelligent and articulate. I am currrently looking into care agencies that deliver a much higher level of care and professionalism where I can access the support I need for all external care on supported holidays. Within my project, I cannot fault the care, dedication, and support I currently recieve. But I have to speak out for those people who have no voice. And I now have no confidence in the senior managers who investigated my complaint. Because despite very detailed e mails, written in a highly professional manner (I am physically now virtually housebound and autistic so I am not able to travel to meetings, and hate using the telephone), outlining everything that happened, they still fail to acknowledge the safeguarding issues that took place and seem to think the holiday was a failure because of " lack of planning each day". If only...it was that simple. Ten years of Creative Support membership, one official complaint, and yet they clearly do not understand that serious safeguarding issues were at the centre of my complaint, and concern for other clients who are unable to articulate their needs, as I can, not simply my dis satisfaction at unorganised group activities.Or perhaps they have understanding and insight of the whole complex issues I raised and are just trying to fob me off and hope the problem will just go away.
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