Families in Bromley have been left uncertain about overnight respite options after Hollybank Children’s Short Break Service in Orpington was closed permanently following an Ofsted inspection that identified multiple safeguarding concerns.
Ofsted findings and service status
The service, run by Bromley Healthcare Community Interest Company, was rated inadequate by Ofsted. Inspectors recorded a range of serious issues including medication errors, a child declared missing from the premises, an unexplained head injury, concerns about restraint and the use of a camera in a child's bedroom without parental consent.
"It was just a bit of respite for all of us as a family really. We really needed a bit of a break,"
said Lisa Ferguson, whose 13-year-old son Jack—who lives with cerebral palsy, autism and learning difficulties and is a full-time wheelchair user—had been offered an overnight stay at Hollybank. She said she was left blindsided when the planned visit was cancelled.
The centre was suspended from carrying out services in March. A later monitoring visit by Ofsted recorded improvements and the suspension was lifted; however, Bromley Council has since confirmed the service will close permanently. Council representatives state the closure was due to concerns over the suitability of the building rather than a direct outcome of the inspection. They also said that alternative support arrangements would continue to be provided.
What inspectors found
- Medication errors — including an incident described as an insulin overdose.
- Missing child — a child declared missing from the centre during the inspection period.
- Unexplained head injury — a child was noted as having such an injury while at the service.
- Restraint concerns — questions over how and when restraint was used.
- Privacy breach — a camera found in a child's bedroom without parental consent.
The findings prompted immediate action from regulators and renewed scrutiny of local overnight respite provision for children with complex needs.
Impact on families and next steps
Parents say overnight short breaks are a rare and valued resource: they give children the chance to experience time away from home and allow families to rest or support other children. For families like the Fergusons, the loss of Hollybank's service has removed one of the few borough-based options.
Bromley Council has assured families that alternative support arrangements will continue, but details of what those alternatives are and where overnight places will be provided have not been specified publicly. Parents and carers may wish to contact the council’s children’s social care or the local NHS trust for up-to-date information on available short-break provision and waiting lists.
| Event | Detail / Status |
|---|---|
| Ofsted inspection | Rated inadequate; multiple safeguarding concerns recorded |
| Service suspension | Suspended in March; monitoring visit noted improvements and suspension lifted |
| Current status | Closed permanently; council cites building suitability as reason |
For now, families who were due to use Hollybank must seek alternative overnight support—either through the council’s arranged services or by contacting local charities and providers that support disabled children. The closure has reignited debate in Bromley about the sufficiency of local short-break capacity and the oversight of services for vulnerable children.
Further information about replacement arrangements and any review into how the decision was reached may be sought from Bromley Council and Bromley Healthcare CIC.
