Children's home run by Wiltshire Council

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.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Systems in place to safeguard children and young people require improvement. Body charts that detail marks and bruises are not scrutinised robustly by senior leaders.  The registered manager does not recognise the use of a mechanical restraint for some children and young people as restrictive or record it as restraint. Records do not detail the use of wrist straps. Some break and release techniques that staff use during incidents are not recorded as physical interventions. Monitoring of these practices is weak.  Support plans to detail the needs of children and young people and how staff should meet them do not do this well.  There continues to be a challenge to ensure that the environment is homely for children and young people. Some parts of the home have files and night monitoring screens that would be best suited in an office environment. The main kitchen presents as an industrial kitchen rather than a domestic

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

environment that children and young people can access.  The monitoring systems to review the quality of care are not yet good. Systems are not effective and the registered manager does not have good oversight over all aspects of care delivered in the home.  The independent person does not routinely communicate with children and young people during the visits. Predominantly, visits have been undertaken when children and young people have not been at the home. The registered manager has not identified this as a shortfall in her monitoring.

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The children's home strengths

 Staff build positive relationships with children and young people. Staff are caring and nurturing. Staff treat children and young people with dignity and respect. Children and young people appeared happy and relaxed in the home during the inspection.  Parents and social workers provide positive feedback about the care that children and young people receive. Some describe the home as ‘amazing’. Parents report that staff communicate with them effectively.  Training and development are well planned and managed to ensure that training is refreshed regularly. Staff have access to specialist training designed to meet the needs of children and young people. This includes working with the National Health Service (NHS) that delivers training on complex health needs.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must— (2)(b)(iv) ensure that staff provide personalised care that meets each child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking account of the child's background; (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— (ii) enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. This specifically relates to ensuring that support plans clearly detail the needs of children and young people. To also ensure that the environment is homely, paying particular attention to dining areas and the main kitchen. 03/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure— (2)(b) that the home's day-today care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. This specifically relates to the system used to record marks or bruises on a child and the manager’s monitoring and oversight of this to identify concerns. 06/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person is required to— (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. In particular, that the registered manager has good oversight and monitoring of all activities in the home. Also to ensure that the 06/11/2016 independent person as described in Regulation 44 consults with children and young people during their visits.

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Requirement Due date

20: Restraint and deprivation of liberty The registered person must ensure restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2)) Paying particular attention to the use of wrist straps and the restrictions imposed in the physical environment. 03/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records (3) The registered person must ensure that—(a) within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— (i) the name of the child; (ii) details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure; (iii) the date, time and location of the use of the measure; (iv) a description of the measure and its duration; (v) details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; (vi) the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used; (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and (viii) a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; (b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered

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Requirement Due date

person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)— (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and (c) within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) In particular, that any physical intervention is recorded as described above. Children and young people have access to an 06/10/2016 effective debrief following any restraint.

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Information about this children's home

This is a local authority short break children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for no more than eight children, from five years to 17 years, at any one time. The home may provide care to children with learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/06/2015 Full Requires improvement 21/10/2014 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/05/2014 Full Good

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Requires improvement

Support plans that aim to provide staff with clear details about how to meet the needs of children and young people are poor. They do not consistently include information from risk assessments or behaviour support plans. The registered manager does not have good oversight of these records to identify these shortfalls. The appearance of the environment is improving and the registered manager has removed a number of unnecessary signs that were around the home. Some areas of the home still require further attention to make them more homely spaces for children and young people to enjoy. In particular, the main kitchen is adorned with signs and records that do not need to be on display. Staff do not have office space which means that part of the home also houses medication cabinets, night monitoring screens, filing cabinets and records. One dining rooms feels like part office/part dining room. There is noticeable progress in the decrease of restrictions around the home. Staff

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Requires improvement

have removed certain lockable gates that restricted children and young people from accessing parts of the home. Some restrictions still remain and require ongoing review to continue to move forward in reducing restrictions. Staff have successfully supported some children and young people to use beds that are less restrictive. These beds are no longer available at this home. Staff provide good-quality care to children and young people and build good relationships. They know children and young people well, their likes/dislikes and how they best communicate. There is a variety of activities and experiences on offer both in and out of the home. Some of which, children and young people would not get the opportunity to experience if it was not for their short break. Activities such as fishing, theme parks, picnics, swimming and walks fill the summer activity timetable. Staff consult with children and young people to plan

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Requires improvement

their stays around their interests. Children and young people make progress during their stays. Staff work in collaboration with families and education to provide consistent care and strategies that increase the opportunity to achieve and develop. Targets, goals and reward charts are very much part of the ethos of the home. A young person explained their reward system to the inspector and said ‘at 10 I get an activity and certificate’. Children and young people have the opportunity to express their views about the care that they receive. Children’s meetings take place and an advocate visits the home and engages with children and young people. The registered manager has effectively dealt with one complaint since the last inspection. Parents and professionals speak highly of the home and the service that it provides to children and young people.

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Requires improvement

Staff record marks and bruises seen on children and young people but the records fail to detail what happens to that information. The registered manager’s oversight of these records is poor and this puts children and young people at risk. There is no outcome recorded on the form or what impact, if any, this may have on the care that staff provide to children and young people. Staff have read the child protection policy and understand the procedure to report safeguarding concerns. Risk assessments are in place and these are on an individual basis for each child and young person. Staff manage disclosures appropriately that children and young people make. They take effective action to report concerns to social workers, police and the local area designated officer when necessary. The registered manager does not expect staff to record all physical interventions as required. Break and release techniques are not recorded in the physical

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Requires improvement

intervention book. Some children and young people also have signed parental consent for the use of a wrist strap. There are no records in place to detail the use of this restrictive equipment. The registered manager is therefore unable to monitor the use of physical interventions effectively. Predominately, behaviour support plans are effective documents that provide clear detail about how to support children and young people when they struggle to manage their behaviour. The exception is that the use of wrist straps for some children and young people do not form part of these plans so it is difficult to see a rationale for their use. When children and young people self-harm, staff seek the appropriate support for them. Risks are assessed and proportionate. Staff work with the child and adolescent mental health team (CAMHS) to introduce strategies that aim to minimise this risky behaviour and meet the emotional needs of children and young

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Requires improvement

people. Children and young people have protocols in place that will protect them if they go missing. These protocols detail information about the immediate support that children and young people require should they go missing. Similarly, protocols in the event of a fire are in place with the same purpose to safeguard children and young people. Staff are adequately trained to safeguard children and young people. Additional training around child sexual exploitation is to take place to detail the risk posed to children and young people with disabilities. Some staff have awareness of the ‘Prevent’ duty. However, training for this is yet to be completed. The registered manager has assessed the immediate area in relation to risks posed linked to the location of the home. There is clear evidence to show how they have attempted to work with other agencies to gather intelligence and information to inform this assessment.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager is established in her post and has the suitable qualifications and experience for her role. The deputy manager supports the registered manager in her day-to-day management of the home. Suitable arrangements are in place for the supervision and development of the registered manager. The senior leadership team prioritises the needs of children and young people well. Shortfalls in staffing have resulted in managers providing direct care to children and young people. The registered manager identifies this as being a positive experience to observe care and identify areas to improve. However, this has impacted on her ability to drive the home forward as quickly as she would like. Monitoring by the registered manager is yet to reach a good, consistent standard. The registered manager’s review systems have not picked up shortfalls identified at this inspection, which would be expected relating to safeguarding and physical

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Requires improvement

intervention. The registered manager recognises that ‘there is a lot to do’. The independent visitor fails to consult with children and young people effectively during their visits and the registered manager has not recognised or challenged this. The home is making progress to improve, systems and recording are better than they have been previously. Senior leaders have developed staff to improve their awareness of safeguarding, legislation and recording. The development plan indicates that this piece of work is ongoing. Key areas such as quality of supervision, the environment and restrictions remain in the development plan. The six-monthly monitoring report has not evidenced some of the progress and achievements well. Staff receive regular supervision which has a focus on children and young people. Staff performance is appraised annually. The training package covers key subjects relating to caring for children and young people. When children and young people

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Requires improvement

have a specialist health need, training is sourced so that staff can meet this need. Regular refreshers keep staff up to date with their core training. The registered manager has not yet established a workforce plan to detail the induction and training for staff. The registered manager maintains good relationships with professionals whose services support the children and young people in this home. This includes links with education, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and social workers. Staff work with agencies to support children and young people to move on successfully to other services.

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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 that 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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