Children's Home run by Headway Adolescent Resources Limited in Bristol

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this unannounced monitoring visit was to assess the progress that has been made following the full inspection in August 2016, when the home was judged inadequate. Following that inspection, senior leaders and the registered manager quickly provided Ofsted with a detailed action plan documenting the work that leaders and managers were proposing in order to safeguard children and remedy the weaknesses.

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This monitoring visit

In the short time since the inadequate judgement senior leaders and the registered manager have conducted a full audit of the home’s recording systems. As a result of this audit, they have suspended the use of the home’s electronic recording system and reinstated the use of written records. These include significant events, causes for concern, complaints, and accidents and injury logs. Management monitoring and oversight have improved as a result of the introduction of daily checks. These checks provide the manager with the opportunity to review the accuracy and quality of records completed by the staff team. When omissions or deficiencies are identified, she consults the author and makes the appropriate changes. This process has enabled staff to develop their reporting skills and reflect on their practice, and ensures that records are legible, clear, concise and factually accurate. In addition, the organisation has recently

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This monitoring visit

commissioned a new independent regulation 44 visitor. He will undertake his first unannounced visit in September 2016. The manager has consulted with supporting agencies, who have subsequently attended a staff meeting at the home. They delivered a comprehensive presentation that outlined their roles and responsibilities. As a result, staff are more informed on the thresholds for referral and intervention. New and revised policies have been introduced and individual missing from home procedures that have been approved by the local police have been implemented. In addition, the home’s action plan identifies promising plans for the future development of the home. These relate to reviewing behaviour management plans, introducing new systems that advocate for the voice of the child, staff training, and reviewing and introducing new information sharing systems for staff. The learning and information sharing from the actions completed to date have yet

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This monitoring visit

to be tested for sustainability and effectiveness. A further full inspection will be undertaken.

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Information about this children’s home

This service is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities. It is owned by a private company that also operates other children’s homes in the surrounding area.

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the engaging with the wider system standard, the registered person must ensure that— (c) if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. 12/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that— (1) children are protected from harm and are enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe; (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and 12/09/2016 (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; (b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively

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Requirement Due date

from harm. 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 is required to— (2)(a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; (f) understand the impact that 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; (g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on- (ii) feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 12/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, relating to ensuring the welfare of young people during their free time, the registered person must— (2)(b) ensure that staff— (ix) make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. 12/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out— (a) how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and (b) the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. 12/09/2016

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Requirement Due date

(3) The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of 12/09/2016 any investigation. (5) The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding 12 months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. 40: Notification of a serious event

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must notify Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector and each other relevant person without delay if— (a) a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; (b) an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; (c) there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; (d) a child protection enquiry involving a child— (i) is instigated; or (ii) concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or (e) there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. 12/09/16

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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 that all staff are familiar with the home’s policy on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its previous Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. in 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 this guidance, please telephone 0300 123 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, 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,

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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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