Children's Home, Residential special school run by Cotswold Chine School in Gloucestershire

Unique reference number SC030367 Inspection date 26/03/2013 Inspector Thomas Webber / Sharron Escott Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Residential special school (>295 days/year)

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Date of last inspection 10/09/2012 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This independent, charitable school is also registered as a children's home. The school follows the principles of care and education developed by Rudolf Steiner. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to a maximum of 42 children with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making good progress .

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Progress

The overall rating for this home was judged as good at the last full inspection carried out in September 2012. However, the quality of care and outcomes achieved for young people were rated as outstanding. One requirement and five recommendations were identified for improvement at that inspection.

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Progress

The requirement relates to ensuring that the school establishes and maintains a system for reviewing the quality of care provided. Although this has been complied with, the reports produced do not always contain relevant content, they are not sufficiently evaluative and do not identify action points to improve the overall service provided to young people. As a result this requirement has been downgraded to a recommendation. The school has taken appropriate action to address four of the five recommendations. Comprehensive records and robust systems are now maintained in the recording and management of dealing with complaints, restraints and incidents where young people go missing. In addition, the school's 'Guide for Children and Young People' has been reviewed and revised to ensure that it is produced in a more user friendly format. However, the fifth recommendation relating to external monitoring reports undertaken by the provider’s representative is still not of a

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Progress

sufficient quality to ensure that the overall care of young people is of a high standard.

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Progress

This inspection was undertaken during the Easter holidays so the number of young people accommodated was lower than in term time. Young people continue to receive a high level of care from a very committed and enthusiastic staff team. Relationships between staff and young people continue to be extremely positive and supportive. Young people are extremely relaxed and at ease within the company of staff and within their environment.

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Progress

Excellent staffing levels are maintained throughout the day and night to ensure that the individual and collective needs of young people are met. Enhanced staffing levels are deployed during the holiday time which enables young people to benefit from a very well-planned range of enjoyable activities, such as horse-riding, making dens and Easter craft making. Young people and staff were very enthusiastic about the activities they were involved in.

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Progress

Staff are very well supported and are provided with good quality supervision in line with best practice: receiving both formal one-to-one and reflective supervision. These practices ensure that their performance is effectively monitored. Staff continue to receive an excellent range of training opportunities to enhance their knowledge, expertise and competence.

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Progress

Young people were being accommodated in one of the two houses as it was half term. Overall the houses are maintained to a good standard, although some aspects are not reasonably decorated and maintained. Young people are, however, provided with their own bedrooms, which are personalised to their own tastes. The premises also provide young people with excellent communal facilities to meet their individual and collective needs as well as excellent bathing and toilet facilities. Suitable locks are fitted to these doors to promote the privacy and dignity of young people.

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Progress

Young people live in a warm, caring and nurturing and supportive environment which is extremely well managed. This ensures that young people continue to receive a very good standard of care and support. However, some of the monitoring practices of the school require further improvement to ensure that the quality of care and support provided is reflected in the reports produced.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure that there are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the home by ensuring that the reports written by the registered manager contain relevant information, are evaluative and produce action points to improve the overall quality of the service provided (NMS 21.1)  ensure visits carried out under Regulation 33 include relevant checks set out in regulations and guidance and checks of any disciplinary measures and the use of restraint and records of missing persons reports, by ensuring that these records identify patterns, trends and action points. (NMS 21.7)

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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