School for disabled being investigated by police

The Dame Hannah Rogers School for Disabled in Ivybridge is being investigated by the police over concerns of safeguarding.

Ofsted temporarily suspended services, which will last at least until the 16th of September. The school’s trust said it followed a referral it made about the unit which is able to accommodate 40 students with both physical and learning difficulties.

A spokesman for the schools regulator had this to say: “We have suspended the children’s home registration while further enquiries are carried out”.

The Devon County Council said all social care and health authorities who funded placements at the school had been informed and “are working together to plan alternative care arrangements”.

The Dame Hannah Rogers Trust said it had “reported a potential safeguarding issue to the police and as a result there have been subsequent, multiagency investigations”.

The Trust said: “This is very upsetting for everyone involved and our priority now is to work closely with the agencies involved to ensure that it is resolved as quickly as possible and we are able to open the service again”.

However, it did add that all of its other services, including adult services, would continue as normal and remain open.