Grieving parents call for safer supported living

The grieving parents of a young woman who died in supported accommodation are calling for providers to be inspected and given ratings by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Karl and Emma Lloyd-Buckingham's 24-year-old daughter Chanté, who was autistic and had mental health issues, was found dead in her supported accommodation in August. An inquest to determine how she died is due to take place next year.

The couple, from Eastbourne, have launched a parliamentary petition which has so far attracted more than 7,800 signatures.

The Department of Health and Social Care said it was a "deeply concerning case", and East Sussex County Council said a safeguarding inquiry was ongoing.

Supported accommodation is housing where adults with physical or mental health issues live independently with 24-hour supervision, care and advice on site.

Currently, the local authority responsible for adult social care is regulated by the CQC, but may commission some of its services from private care providers, who are not independently regulated.

Providers need to register with the CQC if they carry out a regulated activity such as nursing or personal care.

Mrs Lloyd-Buckingham believes a lack of monitoring means residents do not always get the number of support hours their care plan entitles them to.

She said: "No one's walking through the door to see if that company is providing the support.

"If a provider has only got two members of staff, they'll know immediately. You cannot possibly be providing the amount of support that you should be."

Mr Lloyd-Buckingham added: "There's no experience or training required. Anyone could go straight in and work as a staff member.

"In reality you're dealing with vulnerable adults with very complex needs."

Chanté's parents described their daughter as a brilliant artist with a "wicked" sense of humour and a deep love for animals.

An East Sussex County Council spokesperson said it was aware of Chanté's death and shared its condolences with her family.

They said the authority was working with the supported accommodation provider through a statutory safeguarding inquiry and could not comment further.

The CQC said the government decides who it regulates.

In response to Emma and Karl's petition, the government said its "deepest sympathies" were with Chanté's family and friends.

A spokesperson said this was a "deeply concerning case" which showed "how important it is for there to be robust measures in place... to keep people safe".

They added: "The government is tackling poor-quality supported housing to ensure that residents get the support they need and is committed to the improvements set out in the Supported Housing Act."

A consultation on regulating supported housing closed in May having received almost 600 responses and the government said it would publish a response as soon as possible.

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