Children's Home run by Bridge Communities Limited in Gloucestershire

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people start to make progress in this home when this has previously been a challenge for them. Young people choose to settle in this home following a number of previous placement breakdowns. Bespoke education packages are developed in collaboration with young people this has increased attendance and attainment at school.  Staff care for young people and provide them with warmth and nurturing. Staff respect young people’s uniqueness and work with them to meet their needs. As a result young people build strong relationships with staff; a trusting rapport develops.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The quality of relationships with staff increases the safety of young people. Staff aid young people to recognise the impact of risk taking behaviour such as going missing, drug misuse and self-harm. Over time young people make safer choices about their lives and learn to keep themselves safe in the community.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The statement of purpose clearly describes the ethos that staff work to in the home. Simple values enable staff to provide instinctive care to young people which has a positive impact.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The responsible persons are tenacious in their demeanour and stand firm to protect young people. Strong links with the police enables vital information sharing to take place that safeguards young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people benefit from a range of specialist services on hand to support them. Young people choose what to do in their recreational time which includes spending time with family and friends. Other activities they enjoy include shopping, cinema and eating out.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The registered manager is well established in her role and she is an effective leader who knows young people well.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture that:

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Requirement Due date

2(f) understand the impact the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home 20/01/2016

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Information about this children's home

This private children's home is registered for up to five young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home provides individual support and preparation for independent living and offers an educational outreach service to support young people.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

31/01/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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Recent inspection history

25/03/2013 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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Good

Staff encourage young people to take control and responsibility for their lives. The quality of care provided enables young people to build their self-esteem. Consultation with young people about their care is common and builds a strong partnership between young people and staff.

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Good

Engaging in education is a challenge for young people living in this home. Despite this the ethos has enabled young people’s views to be pivotal around their education packages. Attendance is increasing as education is centred on young people’s needs and interests. An education professional said ‘they are very focused on the young people, and they give the right level of support’.

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Good

Staff are honest with young people about expectations. They provide realistic, practical parenting and good nurturing. Young people talk to staff and relationships develop where they can be open and confident to talk about feelings and future plans. This level of communication enables staff to identify young people’s vulnerabilities and provide the right support.

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Good

Young people have a sense that this is their home. Most bedrooms are personalised to taste and staff respect young people’s privacy. Young people have choice in how the home looks; a shopping trip to purchase new furniture is due. This will enhance the quality of the home. One young person said ‘I absolutely love living here’.

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Good

Staff encourage young people to integrate in the community and make friends. Young people feel comfortable in their surroundings and get to know the area in which they live. Staff facilitate planned activities at the young people’s request. Young people invite their friends over and staff embrace this. Young people keep in contact with their friends and family independently. Staff do not pose any restrictions on this unless a safeguarding concern is identified. Young people have access to the home phone, internet and their personal mobile phones.

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Good

Staff ensure young people’s health needs are met to a high standard. Access to local health professionals is a priority and all young people are registered with GP’s and dentists. Young people utilise specialist health services to meet their emotional needs or to tackle habits of drug misuse.

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Good

Healthy relationships remain with some young people who have moved on. Staff enjoy phone calls from young people who share news about their lives. Some continue to pop over for dinner when invited and maintain relationships with the home and young people.

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Good

Young people develop skills for adulthood through individually tailored packages of support and training. Each package is well thought out and give each young person good opportunities to acquire the practical skills they will need for future independent living.

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Good

Young people’s views are listened to and at the forefront of the care provided. Staff listen to young people and plans are frequently changed or negotiated to accommodate feelings or preferences. One young person said ‘We're like a big family, and I wouldn't want it any other way, there is no place like home’.

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good

The systems to admit young people in to the home are very good. The manager ensures that the needs and presenting risks can be met by the service. She works jointly with local police to manage risk and to devise strategies around young people going missing and child sexual exploitation.

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good

Young people do go missing from this home. These incidents are well managed by staff and there has been a decrease for one young person. The majority of young people have individual written protocols in place which direct staff when a young person goes missing. However, one young person’s protocol is incomplete and this is a shortfall. In practice staff demonstrate that they act with care and determination to ensure that young people return home safely. Collaborative working with the police and other agencies, along with an open dialogue with young people about risks, help to keep young people safe. A social worker said ‘they keep them safe and have managed their risks, it’s the most stable placement they have had’.

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good

The staff team takes a proactive approach to helping young people who misuse drugs. They engage the support of specialist service outside of the home, and support young people to stop by engaging them in on a one to one basis, to provide support and information. The responsible persons go above and beyond to keep young people safe, they work in collaboration with the police to share information with a view to preventing the illegal misuse of drugs.

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good

The registered manager has strategies in place to support young people who self- harm. Staff manage this behaviour sensitively and are attuned to the needs of the young person. Risk assessments are proportionate and review by the registered manager daily.

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good

Physical intervention is not used in this home; a young person said ‘I’ve never seen that happen here’. Behaviour management techniques focus on de-escalation, giving space, time out and talking, this approach is effective and demonstrates an ability to engage young people in a meaningful and respectful way. The responsible individual spoke about the homes positive approach and said, ‘we don’t sanction, we reflect, look at ways to help manage emotions, encourage them to feel empathy for people’.

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good

Threshold for recording incidents is high. Incident records provide suitable information about the behaviours displayed and action of staff but there is no written evidence reflection or analyses of practice takes place. Therefore there is no audit trail and no recorded means of measuring and analysing the success of the approach taken.

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good

Staff are confident in their responsibility to safeguard young people and know which professionals to report to including the Local Area Designated Officer (LADO). The registered manager is competent at recognising safeguarding concerns to be notified to Her Majesties Chief Inspector (HMCI).

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good

The registered manager has worked in this home for a number of years. Her skills and experience are evident in her knowledge of the home and young people. The registered manager is suitably qualified for her role. In addition the responsible individual has daily input into the running of this home. They are a duo who are passionate about safeguarding young people and providing them with positive life experiences.

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good

The registered manager has sound knowledge of young people in the home. Young people often chat with her about daily goings-on in their life. The registered manager plays a key part in supporting young people, developing their self-esteem and resilience. The manager models positive practice in her aspirations and advocacy for young people. A parent said ‘I am over the moon to be honest; she has made so much progress’. The register manager provides staff with regular supervision that focuses on young people. All staff are qualified to the appropriate level in this home. Training is extensive and built around the needs of young people. Staff receive specialist training on child sexual exploitation, drug awareness, self-harm and safeguarding. The registered manager supports staff to develop their skills. One member of staff has recently completed a counselling course whilst another trained in portable

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good

appliance testing (PAT). Staff commit to the young people in this home and staff retention is high. Young people benefit from consistency of care and this aids the positive attachments to form.

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good

The registered manager establishes strong links to the community. These relationships encourage young people to engage in services that can offer them support outside of the home. The registered manager shares information with services young people are engaged in such as youth offending team, local police, child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS).

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good

The statement of purpose describes the care young people receive well. Its unequivocal message provides straightforward information that clearly describes the ethos they are trying to achieve. Young people respond well to the delivery of their care in this manner. A social worker said ‘I think the expertise and the way in which staff respond to young people with these issues is excellent’.

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good

The registered manager has some systems in place to monitor the quality of care provided however some of these are ineffective. The registered manager recognises this is an area for development. The registered manager did not identify lack of keyworking records for one young person. Staff do not evidence the regular consultations they have with young people well. One young person’s missing protocol was incomplete. The registered manager does not monitor incident records critically to facilitate reflection and learning.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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