Staff stole thousands of pounds from residents at a Kent school for the deaf, and used their motability cars for booze cruises, a report has claimed.

Now an MP is calling on the government to launch a full-scale review into the provision of care for ‘extremely vulnerable people’ in the UK.

The call comes after South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay released a report in response to what the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have described as “institutionalised failings and abuse” at Westgate College, part of The Royal School for Deaf Children in Margate.

South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay

In the document, Mr Mackinlay looks at allegations being made by people who worked at Westgate College and the John Townsend Trust.

It also explores fresh claims that staff took residents’ Motability Cars on booze cruises and stole thousands of pounds from residents.

The document read: “Two independent sources, one a former employee, the other a parent of a victim of abuse have both reported that large sums of money to the value of £2,500 was stolen from a resident.

“Furthermore, that staff took a Motability Car belonging to a resident to France and Belgium with family members to buy alcohol and cigarettes.

A protest was held outside of the Royal School for Deaf Children after it was placed into administration in December

“The staff member who came forward with this information stated that this occurred on at least two occasions and they were aware of the alcohol and cigarettes then being sold on to senior managers within the Trust.”

Recommendations by Mr Mackinlay on how to stop this happening again includes defining who is extremely vulnerable, considering greater powers for bodies like the CQC and Ofsted, encouraging committed people to apply to care jobs for the extremely vulnerable and making changes to criminal law to ensure those who fail in their duties of care face appropriate justice.

The Royal School for Deaf Children

The report concludes with a recommendation that the Government carries out a review into the provision of care for the extremely vulnerable.

It said: “Westgate College was a national tragedy and caused great scars in Thanet and beyond. We owe it to those residents to prevent a repeat of what occurred happening again.”