Children's Home run by Wessex College Limited in Wiltshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the previous inspection, three recommendations were made. Two have been met. Visitors are now asked to present their identification to staff prior to entering the home, and the records of staff recruitment now include an explanation of the scoring system used and how the decision was reached to appoint or not. There has been some improvement in the information recorded following key workers’ sessions and house meetings, but there remain further improvements to be made, so this recommendation remains.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the previous inspection there has been an unsettled period at the home due to a new young person moving in. Because of the experience and the stability of the staff team, this has been well managed. The registered manager reports that the members of the staff team have ‘been great and have gone above and beyond for the young people and to support each other’. During this unsettled period there was an increase in serious incidents at the home, resulting in damage to the property. The staff ensured that damage was swiftly repaired, so that the young people could see the importance that the team placed on having a homely environment to live in. The number of incidents has now decreased.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Physical intervention is used as a last resort with young people. Where it has been used it is appropriate. Records of physical intervention do not consistently record if medical treatment is required, provided or refused.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are skilled at developing effective relationships with young people. These relationships have had a positive impact on the young people and their families. This has led to young people developing balanced and positive relationships with their families. This includes helping young people to understand the reasons they came into care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team sees an important part of its role as acting as an advocate for young people with the placing authority. This work has involved the team successfully challenging decisions made by the placing authority which it feels have not been in the best interests of the young person. In addition, where a placing authority has not, in the team’s opinion, fulfilled its duty of care to a young person, the team, with the support of senior managers within the organisation, has escalated its concerns to senior managers in the placing authority.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All of the young people placed are engaged in education. This ranges between attending a further education college, the organisation’s school and home tutors. Those who are receiving home tuition are those young people who have refused to engage with education for a long time. The long-term plan is for their reintegration into school.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The response of staff to incidents of young people leaving the home without permission remains strong. The staff have strategies in place that are personalised for each young person, and these are followed in practice when a young person goes missing. This includes staff following young people for as long as possible to monitor their safety, and to try to persuade them to return to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team works effectively with external professionals. They are adept at sharing information and intelligence they obtain with the relevant professionals to keep young people safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from having access not only to the organisation’s therapists but also to external support agencies. Staff work with the young people to develop their understanding of the risks of drug use and strive to enable them to lead a healthy lifestyle and make positive choices about the same.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Helping young people to settle into and move from the home is well managed. A young person has successfully moved from the home to an independence unit in their home area. The registered and senior managers operate a robust admission process, which includes impact risk assessment and pre-admission visits to ensure a positive move into the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager sees reflective practice as a key part of the team’s work. During the inspection this was evidenced in a handover meeting between the staff going off duty and coming on duty. The registered manager led this work, which led to a discussion as to what went well, what could have been done better and how. This approach helps staff to examine their own and their peers’ practice and this leads to the development of the service provided for the young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The independent visitor visits regularly but does not consistently consult with young people’s parents or social workers to gather their views on the care provided. This is a missed opportunity for service development.

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people of either sex with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is one of four children’s homes operated by a private organisation. The organisation provides an independent school that young people from this home can attend.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/05/2015 Full Good 06/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/10/2014 Full Good

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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

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. (2) When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person: (a) if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)) 30/11/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. These records should include whether medical attention was required, provided or refused. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies 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 that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, key worker records and the minutes of house meetings should reflect more detail of the discussions which take place. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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, 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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