Children's Home run by Bristol City Council in Bristol

Requires improvement

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.2

The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

 The home does not yet provide an environment that is of a domestic appearance and is homely. Extensive improvements are planned and are under way. The office doors have an institutional appearance. They are fitted with double locks and an eye-level small window. Areas of the home are damaged and awaiting repair. Institutional-type signs are displayed in the home and all internal doors have locks fitted. The front door is operated with a key fob system, which means that young people are not able to open it at night without asking staff first.  Staff were heard to use institutional-type language, such as referring to the home as a ‘unit’ and if a young person goes missing from the home they are referred to as ‘being put out with the police’. One young person also referred to the home as ‘the unit’.  Young people’s complaints are not always addressed in a timely manner in accordance with the home’s complaints policy and procedure.

p.3

The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

 Return to home interviews are not yet conducted by an independent person and have been undertaken by the police. An independent person has now been appointed to undertake these interviews.

p.3

The children’s home strengths

 The registered manager and registered individual provide strong and effective leadership. They are in the process of implementing a robust development plan that will further modernise and strengthen practice in the home. The manager and registered individual have a clear focus on improvement.  All young people are making progress with their diverse educational needs. Staff are proactive in securing educational placements. Young people who previously resisted attending education are engaged in appropriate educational activity and have completed their examinations.  Relationships between staff and young people are trusting and nurturing. Staff provide consistent boundaries and implement them in a calm and patient manner, which young people respond to positively. As a result, the behaviour of young people improves and they learn to manage their emotions.  The consistent staff team receives comprehensive training and supervision

p.4

The children’s home strengths

that enables them to care effectively for young people. The manager has implemented robust and effective systems. These systems ensure that all staff know their roles and feel confident to care effectively for the benefit of the young people living at the home.  Keeping young people safe and well is a priority for the manager and the staff. The well-established and effective partnership working arrangements with safeguarding agencies and health care professionals help to protect each young person from harm and ensure their well-being.  Placement stability is strong. Young people have diverse care needs but are carefully matched to ensure compatibility and to ensure that staff have the skills and experience to meet their identified care needs.

p.4

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 within the given timescales.

p.5

Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that, as far as possible, the home offers a nurturing and supportive environment, by means of providing a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ environment. In particular that office doors are domestic in appearance, unnecessary signs and locks on internal doors are removed, the use of key fobs to lock doors is discontinued and the damage apparent on the lounge wall and one bedroom wall is repaired.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) 1 September

p.5

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  The registered manager should ensure that complaints made by young people are responded to in a timely manner, in line with the home’s complaints policy.  The registered manager should ensure that an independent person undertakes return to home interviews when a young person returns after being missing.

p.5

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural needs. The home is operated by a local authority.

p.6

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.6

Recent inspection history

18 February 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.6

Recent inspection history

10 October 2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.6

Requires improvement

The registered individual and registered manager have undertaken a programme of improvement in order to modernise and improve the appearance of the home and some staff practice.

p.7

Requires improvement

This plan is underway, but not yet completed. This means that although improvements have been made, there is work to do and the home has an ‘institutional’ appearance in some areas. Work has commenced in addressing this shortfall. During the inspection, workers were completing modernisation of the bathrooms to a high standard. An area of the home yet to be updated is the office door that is fitted with double locks and has an eye level small window. All interior doors have locks fitted, although staff and young people confirmed that these are never used. Unnecessary signs, such as signs stating ‘hot water’ and ‘fire exits’, are displayed throughout the home. Some areas of the home have been damaged by the young people and not yet repaired, including areas of missing plaster in the lounge and one bedroom. The front door is locked using a key fob system, which means that young people are unable to leave the home without asking staff once

p.7

Requires improvement

the key fobs are activated at night, rather than a domestic lock where they are able to have their own keys if risk-assessed as appropriate.

p.7

Requires improvement

Some remnants of institutional-type practice remain, such as the use of language from some staff calling the home a ‘unit’ and referring to young people missing as ‘put out with the police’. Managers are addressing this outdated practice by inviting staff to training on the use of appropriate language. Signs on the wall in the staff office were observed to instruct staff to lock the kitchen and lounge at night and to activate door alarms. This is not correct, and the manager immediately removed the sign. However, this information could have been confusing for new or temporary staff.

p.7

Requires improvement

Complaints from young people are usually immediately addressed and resolved by the manager, in line with the timescales documented in the comprehensive complaints policy and procedure. On one occasion, a complaint was made by a young person and left in a drawer. The manager was not aware it had been made and therefore it was not addressed and resolved in a timely manner.

p.7

Requires improvement

Relationships between staff and young people are trusting and positive. One young person said ‘staff do care about me’. Staff were observed to manage any challenging behaviour from young people in a consistent, calm, patient manner. Staff use appropriate humour to engage with young people and to de-escalate difficult situations. Young people living at the home are a settled group, who generally get along well together despite their diverse care needs. Any incidents of bullying are immediately and effectively dealt with. Staff will not tolerate any racist behaviour and educate young people to learn from, understand and respect other cultures and religions.

p.7

Requires improvement

The views of young people are taken into account in the home. Regular house meetings are held where young people can offer ideas and say if there is anything they would like to see changed. Key worker sessions are regularly undertaken where young people are able to speak privately about any concerns. Young people are able to choose the decoration of their bedrooms and have been involved in the ideas for the redecoration of the home. One young person said, ‘I love the new decoration, I chose it.’ All young people are provided with an independent advocate they can contact with any concerns.

p.8

Requires improvement

The staff effectively promote and embrace diversity. For example, a young person who did not have English as their first language and was finding it difficult to communicate, was taken to an ethnic food market in a major city some distance away, so that he could identify what food he liked to eat and help staff to understand what foods they needed to buy for him. An interpreter service has been found and the staff have taken time to understand different faiths and religious observance and helped the other young people also to understand these.

p.8

Requires improvement

The progress young people make in the home enriches the quality of their daily lives. Placement plans that are regularly updated detail targets and high aspirations for young people. Independent living skills are taught to young people, so they are able to open bank accounts, budget, shop, manage bills and cook meals. One young person is in the process of moving into their own flat and staff are actively supporting them in this process after equipping the young person with the skills they need. The young person said, ‘I will come back and visit everyone, they are like my family.’ The manager is clear that she will only admit a young person to the home following careful consideration and planning, to ensure that there is an appropriate mix of young people.

p.8

Requires improvement

Working relationships between the staff, schools, and other relevant professions ensure that all young people at the home are making progress with their education. For example, one young person now has a school attendance rate of 68%, from 9% attendance when she came to live at the home. She has taken all her GCSE examinations this summer, when it was previously thought that she would not do, due to her refusal to engage with education. The staff act as ‘pushy parents’, making sure that all young people have a college place to go to when they leave school, and challenge any decisions by schools that they believe are not in the best interests of their young person. Young people whose first language is not English have now learned sufficient English so that they are able to communicate effectively. Health care needs of young people are fully met. Staff offer advice and support to help young people to reduce any drug habits they have, and also provide smoking

p.8

Requires improvement

cessation advice. Staff encourage young people to maintain a healthy weight and take part in physical activity, such as swimming sessions and horse riding. Staff encourage healthy eating, for example by making and offering healthy vegetable snacks to the young people.

p.9

Good

Young people are safe living in this home. Risks are well managed and as a result of young people’s trusting relationships with staff, risk-taking behaviour is reduced and young people learn to keep themselves safe.

p.9

Good

The staff effectively and consistently implement behaviour management plans that are robust and effective. Staff know and understand individual young people really well, and can tell if there is any change in the behaviour of a young person that may indicate something of concern. Challenging behaviour is dealt with through the use of appropriate humour and by staff using effective de-escalation strategies. The use of restraint is very rare and is only used as a last resort to keep young people or the staff safe. The young people learn through the use of restorative practice. For example, if they break something, they are expected to pay for it. This also teaches them the consequences of their actions. If they achieve something positive, they are rewarded by, for example, being taken out for a meal. This approach is successful as all young people have improved their behaviour and are learning to regulate their emotions.

p.9

Good

The staff educate young people to learn to look after themselves, such as coming back to the home at agreed times in the evening and letting staff know where they are going and who they are with. The staff act as a responsible parent would, in making sure that they know who young people’s friends are and whether they are suitable people to have friendships with. The staff are vigilant, and intervene if they feel it is necessary to keep a young person safe. For example, a young person wanted to buy a mobile phone from a friend and staff made sure it was a legitimate sale before providing the young person with money to buy it.

p.9

Good

The staff undertake comprehensive risk assessments that clearly document any known risks and how these are to be managed. The manager has produced a location risk assessment for the home that identifies any local concerns or areas that staff should be aware of that may pose a risk to young people. Incidents of young people going missing from the home have reduced. Young people said, ‘There is no point going missing as staff just come and get you back.’ Staff are tenacious in following up where young people are going and who they are with, and do not give up. They follow the home’s missing procedure and involve other professionals, such as the police or local projects that offer support to young people who may be at risk of child sexual exploitation. One social worker said, ‘Staff have been great, proactive when my young person has gone missing and this has reduced. She knows if she goes missing it will trigger the procedure and staff

p.9

Good

will bring her home.’ Return to home interviews are offered. These have been undertaken by a police officer. The manager realises this is not in line with the relevant guidance and an independent person has recently been appointed.

p.10

Good

Staff recruitment procedures are robust and comprehensive. These ensure that only suitable persons are recruited to work at the home. Health and safety is a priority in the home and all checks relating to appliances and electrical systems are up to date.

p.10

Good

The experienced registered manager has been in post since 2012. She is suitably qualified and experienced. She has a social work degree and is working towards a level 5 qualification in leadership and management along with a Master’s degree in social work. This demonstrates her commitment towards continuing professional development.

p.10

Good

The manager has high aspirations for young people and is described by staff as ‘inspirational’. She clearly understands the strengths of the home and the areas for improvement. As part of the home’s development plan, she has visited children’s homes graded by Ofsted as outstanding in order to inform her development plans. It is a period of transition for the staff at the home, as old practices are being challenged by the manager and the registered individual. It is a strength of the manager that she has been able to successfully communicate her vision to the staff and support them to embrace the proposed changes to practice and the home. For example, she proposes to reduce the two offices currently in the home to one office that has an open door for young people and contains minimal files and paperwork.

p.10

Good

All staff are effectively supported, supervised and trained. One member of staff said, ‘We are a happy and consistent staff team.’ Staff who have been recently appointed commented that the induction training was the best they had ever experienced. The staffing levels are currently minimal but sufficient, as the current group of young people in the home are settled and most are very independent. Young people said they thought there were always enough staff on duty. One young person said she thought staff should spend less time in the office and more with her. If the needs of young people change, additional staffing can be found. The staff team is stable and consistent. They cover each other in the event of an absence and the use of bank staff is minimal. If bank staff are used on shift, these staff members are known to the young people and therefore this provides continuity.

p.10

Good

The home is achieving its aims as stated in the statement of purpose and is providing effective care for young people on a medium- to long-term basis. The staff and manager strive for continually improving outcomes for young people and many were identified at this inspection.

p.11

Good

The manager has implemented effective recording systems and rigorous systems in order to monitor the quality of care being provided in the home. Staff are delegated with ‘champions’ roles to improve their learning and skills further. They are tasked to go and find out about a particular topic or quality standard and report back to the other staff. Staff meetings are used to discuss young people’s care needs and progress and to delegate tasks. This helps to ensure that all staff know their roles and that systems and routines in the home run smoothly.

p.11

Good

An independent visitor is now visiting the home regularly and provides detailed and helpful monitoring reports that highlight any shortfalls and which set actions that the manager must complete.

p.11

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’.

p.12

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 children looked after 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

p.12

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.12

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

p.13

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 .

p.13

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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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,

p.14

Information about this inspection

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

p.14

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.14

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

p.14