A RESPITE care service run by Autism Wessex closed suddenly this week following a poor Ofsted report.

Parley-based Wessex Lodge, part of the service offered by Portfield School, received an 'inadequate' rating following a recent inspection.

The facility is used by around 70 Bournemouth families, as well as others from Dorset and elsewhere.

It shut to families on Monday, November 23, and will be closed until February of next year.

Robert Lowndes, chief executive officer of Autism Wessex, said: "With much regret it has proven necessary to suspend the short break service at Wessex Lodge until February 1 2016.

"This decision has been made in light of a recent Ofsted inspection of our children’s home in which it was found to be ‘inadequate’.

"Our children’s home is made up of six homes, of which Wessex Lodge is one. The other five homes provide full-time care to children and young people and we have therefore decided to prioritise our energy and most experienced staff in quickly addressing the weaknesses that Ofsted found in those five homes.

"This has necessarily involved drawing on the experienced staff from Wessex Lodge and, rather than risk any failings to the children and young people who use this short break service, after careful consideration, we decided it was safer to suspend the service until the new year.

"I understand that this will be very disruptive for those families we support with respite and for which I offer my sincere apologies.

"We are fully committed to the provision of a range of supports to people with autism and their families and will re-instate the short break service in February.

"This Ofsted judgement does not relate to Portfield School or any of our other social care services all of which are judged as ‘good’ or better by their respective regulators."

The Ofsted report has not yet been made available to view.

In 2013, Wessex Lodge received a 'good' rating from inspectors.

The facility supports youngsters aged between three and 19.

Marion Burgess, chair of the Bournemouth Parent Carer Forum, said: "There is nothing in place for those who used Wessex Lodge.

"Families received letters telling them it would be closed, but no further information on what they should do. It's had an absolutely huge impact. A lot of the children using this service have complex needs, and their parents rely on respite care to make life easier."