Children 'exposed to harm' at Coventry RNIB children's home

The Pears Centre was a specialist children's home run by the RNIB

A "catalogue of serious failings" at a charity exposed vulnerable children to harm, a government watchdog has found.

An investigation into the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) found serious issues at the Pears Centre children's home.

The review found the now-closed home in Coventry put children with complex needs at risk of harm and distress.

The RNIB apologised for the findings, which it said "represents the low point in our 152-year history".

In March 2018, an investigation was launched after concerns were raised about the home and education regulator Ofsted issued a notice of intention to deregister the facility.

The Charity Commission investigation found a "culture that was too insular and dismissive of external criticism" as well as poor staff training and recruitment.

It also found a "disproportionately high number of basic medication errors".

On one occasion, a child at the specialist children's home suffered an increase in epileptic fits after their medication was altered.

Another child did not get new boots for three months, despite having shoes that were too small, causing them injury.

Many children had needs and disabilities so complex their placement could be an alternative to a hospital stay, the report said.

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The boss of the Charity Commission called the findings "one of the worst examples we have uncovered of poor governance and oversight having a direct impact on vulnerable people".

Helen Stephenson said the "catalogue of serious failings were allowed to occur, because the charity's governance was simply too weak".

RNIB chief executive Matt Stringer said: "It is clear that we seriously let down children and their families, staff, volunteers, supporters and blind and partially sighted people who make up the RNIB community."

He said the charity was working to implement the report's recommendations and was making "good progress".