Children's Home, Residential special school run by Cambian Autism Services Limited in Dorset

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection Managers have driven improvements in practice and have improved outcomes for young people. At the previous inspection four requirements and one recommendation were made.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A requirement was set concerning the quality of the accommodation provided for young people; this has vastly improved. Young people have been involved in helping to choose the décor and furnishings. A significant number of doors with keypads and locked cupboards have been removed as these were unnecessary. The manager said ‘there is further work they wish to do, it is a work in progress’. There are a number of health and safety signs in the houses which do not contribute to the homely atmosphere.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Care plans now provide guidance to staff about how to meet young people’s needs and provide direction in helping them develop positive relationships. Further improvements are needed to ensure young people plans clearly identify their targets and how these will be reached.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a decrease in the number of physical restraints and restrictive practice; namely door holds and physical interventions involving holding children on the ground. Managers have carried out work with staff to promote de-escalation and distraction techniques. Managers’ send out half termly behaviours support development briefings to all staff. Where ground holds are used, records of these events are subject rigorous scrutiny. Records indicate that these high level restraints are only used as a last resort and in extreme circumstances. The de- briefs with young people after a restraint incident are not being consistently carried out or recorded. Where they are happening, more detail is required.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Currently the records of incidents do not undergo the same level of scrutiny as restraint records. There has been an improvement in the information recorded but further work is needed in this area. This is to ensure the records tell the story of the event. There is evidence of lessons learnt from incidents being used to review and develop staff working practice, to try and reduce the risk of incidents reoccurring.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding records are detailed, these evidence that the appropriate professional are involved in a timely manner and that managers act swiftly on their advice. Reflective practice is seen as a crucial part of this work to develop staff practice and prevent reoccurrence. Leaders and manger have developed good working relationship with the Local Authorities Designated Officer.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff at the home benefit from a well-structured training programme which helps them to develop their practice and meet the needs of young people. The use of agency staff has reduced since the last inspection. Now across ten houses there are no more than four agency staff on duty at one time. Managers’ have arranged for staff transport from the nearest large town so as to expand their pool of people they could potentially employ; this has proved successful.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A new manager has been appointed and has applied for registration with Ofsted. The application will be given consideration is due course.

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Information about this children's home

This national private organisation provides care and accommodation for up to 60 students with autistic spectrum disorder and learning difficulties. It operates as a residential special school which also provides accommodation for a number of students requiring 52 weeks boarding and is therefore registered as a children’s home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

21/07/2015 CH - Full Requires improvement

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Recent inspection history

12/01/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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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

14: The care planning standard 30/06/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure the care provided meets each child's needs and promotes their welfare, taking into account of the child's gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, any disability, their assessed needs, previous experiences and any relevant plans. In particular where children has sensory issues how staff will work with these needs to be detailed in the child's plans. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 14, paragraph 3.2)  Ensure the children's homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children's homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however in doing so, homes should seek

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Recommendations

as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than 'institutional' impression. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Ensure the behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff, and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. In particular this relates to the use of door holds. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 46, paragraph 9.34)  Ensure any child who has been restrained should be given the opportunity express their feelings about their experience of the restraint as soon as is practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident, taking the age of the child and the circumstances of the restraint into account. In some cases children may need longer to work through their feelings, so a record that the child has talked about their feelings should be made no longer than 5 days after the incident of restraint.(The Guide to the Quality Standards page 46, paragraph

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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