Mum's anguish after autistic son left in emergency accommodation for FIVE months

Matthew Robinson was forced into emergency respite in Bromley, after the scandal-hit care provider responsible for his accommodation in Margate, Kent, closed following concerns over abuse.

Since November, Matthew has been left in limbo and his mum Gill Robinson, 56, fears he is losing his independence.

She claims the council’s slow action to permanently rehome her son, who was reportedly deemed a priority, has amounted to neglect.

Mrs Robinson, an HR director from Downe, told News Shopper: “My son is autistic so change is really, really difficult for him.

“It was November when the CQC came in and closed his care home down with 24 hours notice.

“My son was placed into what we all agreed was emergency respite which was a temporary location in Bromley.”

Matthew Robinson.

From the age of 19 to 22 Matthew was a student at Westgate College in Margate, run by the John Townsend Trust, which catered for deaf people as well as those with physical and learning disabilities.

Earlier this month the CQC revealed the shocking allegations which led to the college’s sudden closure in December, including residents allegedly being hit, pushed and humiliated.

Whilst he was at college Matthew was a resident at Thanet Lodge in Margate, also run by the trust, where earlier this month footage leaked from a whistleblower showed a care worker dancing naked around a severely disabled young man.

A total of four staff members lost their jobs in September 2014, when the video taken during an alcohol-fuelled party, was handed in.

After leaving college and Thanet Lodge, Matthew moved into another John Townsend care home, which was closed after the scandal-hit trust went into administration.

Earlier this year, Mrs Robinson had a breakthrough when she found a suitable home for Matthew in Worthing, Sussex.

She said the home would be able to cater to her son’s needs, providing him with the structure and routine he needs to get on with his life.

But her hopes for Matthew’s future were dashed last Friday, when the funding panel rejected the home.

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Ms Robinson said the panel wanted to explore supported living options to develop his independence, but she believes that decision is purely down to cost.

She said: “This is five months of a young person’s life and it takes him so long to settle in somewhere, where he can benefit from his surroundings.

“I’m losing so much of his time.

“Whilst he is sitting in this respite place he is not developing his independence skills, he is losing them.”

Mrs Robinson said moving from his previous home into emergency accommodation has been a “huge change” – something he struggles with due to his autism.

And she claims they only provide basic living comprising a bed, food, and two visits from a carer per day, all of which she is paying for.

She said: “He’s a 23-year-old young man, he needs more than that.

“For the first couple of months he had different carers going in.

“He was sitting in his room all day, every day, to me that’s like keeping him in a prison.”

A spokeswoman for Bromley Council said: “It would not be appropriate for the council to provide information on individual placements but we would like to offer reassurance that we always have the wellbeing of our clients at the forefront of what we do.

“We take time to assess people’s needs and to locate a placement to suit those needs. It can take time to find the right setting for an individual.”