Agenda item

Wendy Lucas – Newton House

Emily Massey, CEO of The Partnership Trust – Fosse Way House

Wendy Lucas addressed the Panel on the issue of respite care and Newton House. She stated that she was thankful for the support she had received since this matter had been first brought to the attention of the public.

She explained that should any changes in provision be required then this should be in place by September 2025 ahead of implementation in January 2026.

She informed the Panel that from the point of view of all the families who were currently in receipt of services from Newton House that it remains their preferred option to keep this facility open and providing its services.

She said that they were aware of the budget figures being discussed, but asked the Council to consider what the cost will be should this service be removed from the people currently accessing it. She added that these are real people who need support and certainty in their life.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if any meeting had taken place with the Council since January 2025 and had any other provision been considered.

Wendy Lucas replied that one meeting had taken place between the families, Dimensions and the Council and that this had been a little difficult / feisty. She said that there remained a feeling that they were being kept in the dark.

She added that she was due to meet the Director of Adult Social Care later this morning.

She informed the Panel that no alternative provision had yet been identified and that assessments had been carried out for most of the 22 service users. She added that her child had not received an assessment since 2017.

She stated that the need for the service is likely to remain, if not grow, as the parents become older.

The Chair informed the meeting that the Panel were due to be updated further on this matter at their meeting in April.

Emily Massey, CEO of The Partnership Trust addressed the Panel on the matter of Fosse Way House. She explained that the Partnership Trust is a Multi Academy Trust of 18 schools within the primary and special sectors, predominantly based in Bath and North East Somerset. 

She informed the Panel that Fosse Way School is one of their special schools located in the Radstock area of Bath and North East Somerset, and as part of the school, they currently offer an educational residential provision based on the school site; Fosse Way House. 

She explained that Fosse Way House offers a 24-hour curriculum for up to 11 students aged between 11-19 years with a diagnosis of autism.  Students are accommodated for 39 weeks a year (the school year) from Monday to Friday, returning home every weekend and holiday. 

She said that the aim of the residential provision is to provide a 24-hour educational curriculum that enables students to develop social and communication skills within a residential environment, develop independence skills e.g. personal care, develop community links and transfer educational learning into a different environment.

She stated that the provision has been rated as Outstanding by Ofsted for the past three years, most recently in January 2025 and is one of the strongest provisions, if not the strongest provision, of its kind in the South West.

She explained that the young people that attend take part in a wide range of educational and social activities they would typically not get the opportunity to benefit from, while simultaneously being able to learn and develop independence skills through activities such as shopping, using public transport and preparing their own meals. Students are encouraged on a daily basis to make decisions, both for themselves and for the group. 

She said that Fosse Way House seeks to breakdown the barriers to learning for these vulnerable young people and provides students with an environment where they are supported by a team of staff to learn fundamental independence and life skills that allows them to practice and feel safe to fail as they begin to establish these skills.

She added that Fosse Way House provides that missing link to their education in preparation for adulthood and that for the families who have young people with these needs it allows them to continue to stay together as a family, care for their other children, work within the area as well as support their child with these needs.

She informed the Panel that since 2008, 48 young people have resided at Fosse Way House, all of the students had a primary diagnosis of autism and lived in the provision for a minimum of one year (the longest being seven years and the average likely to be 3 years).

She stated that the average cost of a 52-week residential placement with SEND can be substantial, especially when their placement at school has broken down. According to a 2023 report by the Local Government Association, the cost of such placements can range from £3,000 to £10,000 per week depending on the specific needs of the child and support required. This means that the annual cost can be between £156,000 and £520,000.

She said that based upon a model of a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 11 students, Fosse Way House costs £30,000 a year per student for some of the most vulnerable young people in Fosse Way School.  She added that this is exceptionally low in comparison to other national figures and provides a 24- hour curriculum that upskills the young people to be able to generalise what is taught within the residential setting to reduce future levels of care and associated public funds in the longer term. She explained that the figure of £30,000 per student allows us to run the provision to a break-even point as this is not a profit-making provision.

She informed the Panel that the Local Authority have, for nearly 20 years, funded students to attend the provision and that funding has been allocated through their individual Education Health Care Plans or equivalent which are aligned with their needs.  She added that unfortunately, notwithstanding a number of needs assessments still requiring completion, the Local Authority have reached the decision that they do not feel that there will be any young people within the authority whose needs require a placement at Fosse Way House from September 2025.  We dispute this.  As an education provision which is wholly funded by the LA the provision will no longer be able to function.

She stated that they would welcome anyone to come and visit and meet our wonderful staff and students and that they want to continue running the provision so they can continue to change the lives of many more students and their families.

She said that like the Local Authority, The Partnership Trust and Fosse Way School are committed to improving young people’s lives and especially the most vulnerable young people and their families in our local authority.

Councillor Joanna Wright commented that there appeared to be some disparity on this matter as the Panel had heard of a backlog in respect of processing EHCPs and that they were now being told that there is no need for this provision.

Emily Massey replied that this was not an issue in terms of the backlog as all the current young people that attend Fosse Way House have an EHCP which states that they require a residential provision.

Councillor Wright asked if she believed that there would be a new cohort of young people who would need and benefit from receiving the support provided by Fosse Way House.

Emily Massey replied that she believed that there were young people who should continue to receive this provision and others that would benefit from beginning to receive it. She added that she felt that 6 out of the current 7 attendees should continue with the provision and was aware of 4 or 5 more that could begin to attend.

Councillor Wright said that she had been informed by a parent regarding this matter and that when she approached the Cabinet Member about it was told that it was not a decision based on the budget.

Emily Massey replied that they would not be able to provide the facility without the placements being funded (£30k per student) as they have been for the previous 20 years by the Local Authority.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if the provision was only available to students that currently attend Fosse Way School.

Emily Massey replied that this was the case currently, but it could consider allowing other students to attend following the end of their regular school day – transport provision allowing.

Councillor Hardman asked if a residential provision formed part of the EHCP for all current attendees.

Emily Massey replied that it does.

Councillor Hardman asked if there was any other provision locally that the students could attend should Fosse Way House be not able to continue.

Emily Massey replied that the students would be able to remain at Fosse Way School but only attend for regular hours of schooling.

Councillor Paul May, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services thanked Emily for making her statement and said that a response to it would be given at the next meeting of the Panel.