National Charity
Supported Living Access Control Upgrade (SEND Environment)
Project Overview
Oxen Installations were appointed to design and deliver a comprehensive access control upgrade within a supported-living residence for autistic adults and individuals with additional needs.
The project focused on improving safeguarding, security, and operational control while maintaining a calm, accessible environment appropriate for a SEND setting. A key requirement was full compliance with DDA and life-safety standards, with all controlled doors configured to fail safe during fire alarm activation or power loss.
A Paxton10 on-premise access control system was deployed across multiple internal and external doors, enabling clear separation of staff, resident, and restricted areas. The system provides secure fob-based access, remote management, detailed reporting, and future scalability, while installation was carefully planned to minimise disruption to residents.
The result is a robust, compliant, and intuitive access control solution that enhances safeguarding, supports resident independence, and gives staff greater confidence in the day-to-day operation of the building
Testimonial
“We recently worked with Oxen Installations to upgrade the access control system across our supported living service, and the experience has been outstanding from start to finish.
Given that the service supports autistic adults with varying needs, safety, reliability, and minimal disruption were essential. Oxen took the time to understand how our staff and residents use the building day-to-day and proposed a Paxton10 solution that has completely transformed how we manage access throughout the home.
The installation was carried out professionally and respectfully, with clear communication at every stage. Their engineers were considerate of our residents' routines and the unique sensitivities of a SEND environment.
The new system gives us enhanced safeguarding, better control of internal and external doors, and peace of mind knowing that everything fails safe in the event of a fire alarm. The ability to manage the system remotely has also been a huge benefit for our team.
We now have a modern, scalable, and compliant access control solution that genuinely supports both the people who live here and the staff who care for them. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Oxen Installations to any organisation looking for a specialist provider they can trust.”
Jen W. - Site Manager
Why This Project Stands Out
This project stands out because of the careful balance required between security and sensitivity. In SEND supported-living environments, access control must protect residents without creating barriers, stress, or confusion. The system was therefore designed not just around doors and hardware, but around daily routines, staff workflows, and the individual needs of residents. By combining fail-safe life-safety integration, discreet vandal-resistant hardware, and intuitive system management, the solution delivers strong safeguarding while preserving a calm, dignified living environment — a balance that requires both technical expertise and genuine understanding of care-based settings.
