Email response from Morfa Bay:
The teachers accommodation is adjacent to the children's.
It would take a child less than 1min to reach the teachers block.
The children are accommodated in friendship groups boys/girls separate.
We have bed allocation for well over 200.
The dorms are varying in size 24 beds down to 6 bedded rooms.
All are key coded for safety and only visiting staff access the
accommodation blocks. All the accommodation throughout the centre has
interlinking heat and fire sensors in the event of this system being
activated an alarm will sound throughout alerting both children and visiting
staff and also ourselves.
On arrival the children are briefed what to do and where to assemble in the
event of this happening and they all participate in a drill on their first
evening at the centre.
The centre has security camera's operating 24hrs and night lighting
throughout the accommodation area.
I have been running the centre for over 20 years and we have never had a
problem with this arrangement.
I know once the children are told lights out there is no need for them to
come out of their accommodation as they all have toilets/wash hand basins in
their rooms.
In the event of a pupil being ill I would envisage their friends alerting
their staff with no problem.
I know the teachers patrol throughout the night to check the children have
settled etc In past experience if a child has been not well during the
day/evening the visiting staff usually move the child to their accommodation
so as to monitor them and I am also available if they have any concerns.
The main log cabin is divided into 8 accommodation bunkhouses.
If necessary although it hasn't happened before a teacher could I guess
sleep in the rear smaller dormitory where there is an interlinking lockable
door.
It would of course be down to each school to make that decision as we as a
centre have strict guidelines regarding this.
It is very difficult for me to explain the layout of the centre via email.
However if you would like to visit the centre and have a look around you are
more the welcome and I am sure would put your mind at ease regarding this.
We pride ourselves with the care we offer and the family welcome given by
all the staff who work at Morfa Bay.
Many years ago in the early development of the business teachers did used to
have small rooms attached to the children's bunkhouses however following the
onset of CRB Enhancement checks and guidelines we were advised this was no
longer suitable.
I do hope this has helped.
