Children's Home, Residential special school run by Thornleigh Camphill Communities Limited in South Gloucestershire

The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 The leadership and management arrangements are inadequate. The chief executive officer is also the registered manager in respect of both the education provision and the children’s home. The dual responsibility he carries prevents him from being able to undertake the role of registered manager effectively. Similarly, the senior manager overseeing safeguarding and incidents of concern in the home has other conflicting priorities. As a result, leaders and managers fail to have an understanding of the day-to- day running of the home and the welfare of children and young people.  The use of physical intervention to manage children’s behaviour in the home takes place too frequently. The rationale for physical intervention is unclear. Some physical interventions have not been carried out safely. There is a failure to effectively monitor and review this practice. The home in which children and young people live is institutionalised. Padded rooms in each of

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

the homes add to this view. One young person is placed in this room when they are emotionally distressed and displaying challenging behaviours.  The systems in place to safeguard children and young people are not effective. Not all significant safeguarding concerns are identified. Information is not always shared with the appropriate agencies. As a result, one significant incident has not been investigated appropriately.  Internal investigations in respect of complaints about staff and poor practice are not always undertaken thoroughly. Not all significant information is considered as part of this process and children and young people who make complaints are not always spoken to as part of the investigative process. As a result, investigations fail to fully protect young people.

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The children's home strengths

Some of the staff working in the home know the children well. They are able to effectively communicate with them and ensure that their immediate needs are met. For example, inspectors observed positive conversations taking place between children and staff over lunch. Children and young people are provided with extensive outside space that offers a peaceful and rural setting for them to play in. Large trees, play areas and wildlife are all things that the children enjoy, supporting some of their therapeutic 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— (1) The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— (a) understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (a) understand and apply the home's statement of purpose; (b) ensure that staff— (i) understand and apply the home's statement of purpose; (ii) protect and promote each child's welfare; (iii) treat each child with dignity and respect; (iv) provide personalised care that meets each child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking account of the child's background; (v) help each child to understand and manage the impact of any

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Requirement Due date

experience of abuse or neglect; (vi) help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult; (vii) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; (viii) provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and (ix) make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child's relevant plans, which give the 25/11/2016 child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice; (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— (i) meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

7: The children's views, wishes and feelings standard In order to meet the children's views, wishes and feelings standard the registered person must— (1)(c) take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (a) ensure that staff— (i) ascertain and consider each child's views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child's best interests when making decisions about the child's care and welfare; (ii) help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; (iii) help each child to understand how the child's views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; (iv) regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home's care;

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Requirement Due date

(b) ensure that each child— (i) is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives; (ii) has access to the home's children's guide, and the home's complaints procedure, when the child's placement in the home is agreed and throughout the child's stay in the home; and (iii) is given appropriate advocacy support; (c) keep the children's guide and the home's complaints procedure under review and seek children's comments before revising either document; (d) ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child's arrival about— (i) the children's guide; (ii) how to make a complaint or representations in relation to the home or the care the child receives and how any such complaint 25/11/2016 or representations will be dealt with; and (iii) what advocacy support or services are available to the child,

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Requirement Due date

how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision; and (e) ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child.

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Requirement Due date

10: The health and well-being standard In order to meet the health and well-being standard the registered person must ensure— (1)(a) the health and well-being needs of children are met; (2)(c) that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. 25/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard In order to meet the positive relationships standard the registered person must ensure— (1) that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— (a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and (c) positive responses to other children and adults. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans; (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child's behaviour, in accordance with the child's age and understanding; (iv) help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; (v) communicate to each child expectations about the child's behaviour and ensure that the child understands those

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Requirement Due date

expectations in accordance with the child's age and understanding; (vi) help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate 25/11/2016 according to the child's age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; (vii) help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; (viii) strive to gain each child's respect and trust; (ix) understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; (x) are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; (xi) de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or

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Requirement Due date

potentially violent behaviour by children; (xii) understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and (xiii) have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and (b) that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others.

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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— (1) ensure that children are protected from harm and 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; (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from 25/11/2016 harming each other; (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

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Requirement Due date

about a child's welfare; and (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 from harm; (c) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded; (d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health; and (e) that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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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 must— (1) enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children's home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (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; (b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (e) ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and

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Requirement Due date

25/11/2016 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— (i) research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and (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.

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Requirement Due date

14: The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard the registered person must ensure that children— (1)(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose; (e) that the child's placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child's relevant plans is requested, if— (i) the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child's needs. 25/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

16: Statement of purpose In order to meet this requirement— (1) the registered person must compile in relation to the children's home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (2) The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI and make a copy of it available upon request to— (a) a person who works at the home; (b) a child, or a child for whom accommodation in the home is 25/11/2016 being considered; (c) a parent of a child, or a parent of a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered; (d) a child's placing authority; and (e) in the case of a qualifying school, the Secretary of State. (3) The registered person must— (a) keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and (b) notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (5) Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure

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Requirement Due date

that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

19: Behaviour management and discipline In order to meet this requirement the registered person must ensure that— (1) no measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. In particular, children and young people should not be moved to padded rooms as a method of behaviour management. 25/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

20: Restraint and deprivation of liberty * In order to meet this requirement the registered person must ensure that— (1) restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing— (a) injury to any person (including the child); (b) serious damage to the property of any person (including the child). (2) Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. 25/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records In order to meet this requirement the registered person must— (1) prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out— (a) how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's 25/11/2016 home; and (b) the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. (2) The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (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

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Requirement Due date

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 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.

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Requirement Due date

36: Children's case records In order to meet this requirement— (1) the registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which— (a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; (b) are kept up to date; and 25/11/2016 (c) are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

40: Notification of a serious event In order to meet this requirement— (4) the registered person must notify HMCI 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. (5) A notification made under this regulation— (a) must include details of— (i) the matter; (ii) the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or

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Requirement Due date

which have been notified; and (iii) any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter. 25/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a statutory requirement notice.

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Information about this children's home

 There are two children’s homes under this registration that are situated on a large site with a school on the grounds. The children’s homes are close to each other.  The home was registered in April 2016 following a change in registration from a residential special school.  The home is registered to look after up to 12 children and young people; six in each home.  The home is registered to take children and young people who may have a learning disability.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement None

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Inadequate

Not all children and young people are provided with a nurturing and caring environment in which to live. Padding on walls and floors found in a number of areas in each of the two homes adds to this view. Some young people’s rooms are sparse and do not reflect the identity of the occupant. One young person has only a bed, a mattress and a cupboard in their room. Another young person has minimal items in their room. Leaders do not have plans in place to improve this situation. Other children and young people have comfortable and personalised bedrooms. Good attention has been given to improve the bathroom facilities for children and young people; these rooms have been renovated this year. Physical intervention is used regularly to manage poor and challenging behaviours. Some of these interventions have been used in dangerous circumstances, for example, while children and young people are in a moving vehicle. This poor

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Inadequate

practice has not been identified by managers and, as a result, it has not been appropriately challenged. Not all children have their basic healthcare needs met. Staff looking after one young person were unsure whether two outstanding health appointments had been attended. Evidence to confirm attendance was not provided during this inspection. Some young people have developed good relationships with staff who know them well. Some staff demonstrate good skills in terms of communicating with and understanding young people, some of who cannot communicate verbally. This allows young people to make their wishes and feelings known. Children and young people enjoy a peaceful and rural location that supports the therapeutic needs for some of the children and young people. Children and young people enjoy a wide and varied healthy menu that is based upon fresh produce. As a result, they are encouraged to try different foods.

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Inadequate

Children and young people enjoy mealtimes.

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Inadequate

Leaders, managers and staff fail to identify safeguarding concerns. They do not routinely refer concerns to the appropriate agencies. For example, they have failed to refer, in one instance, an unexplained injury noted on a child. Safeguarding processes were not followed and the actions taken did not consider the ongoing safety of the young person. The young person was not given early medical treatment as child protection procedures were not followed. Staff did consult with the general practitioner, but they did not recognise that the injuries to the child could have formed part of a formal investigation by external agencies. Other safeguarding concerns have not been progressed in a timely way. Subsequently, children and young people have been left in potentially risky situations. Both of the homes have padded rooms which were reported to be used as quiet spaces for children and young people to use. However, these rooms were being

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Inadequate

used inappropriately with one young person routinely being physically moved by staff into this area when their behaviours escalated and became challenging. Concerns raised by children and young people are not effectively addressed. Not all internal investigations of allegations made by children and young people in respect of staff are robustly investigated. Inspectors found examples of investigations where children and young people had not been consulted. Staff are not always able to identify when children and young people are bullied by others. Not all incidents are recorded effectively and therefore it is difficult to track and monitor threatening and abusive behaviours between children and young people. Concerns in respect of children and young people displaying sexualised behaviours are not always well managed. These behaviours continue with insufficient strategies in place to reduce the risk or prevent harm.

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Inadequate

The arrangements in place to safely care for one young person with a significant health need are not effective. A lack of clear care planning and direction from leaders and managers results in an inconsistent approach to care that places the young person at risk of harm.

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Inadequate

The current management arrangements in place are ineffective. The registered manager is not in day-to-day control of the home. This is due to other conflicting commitments for which the manager has responsibility. He lacks the knowledge and oversight of the homes that is required to effectively monitor care practices, the management of behaviours and to regularly review the standard of care provided to children and young people. The registered manager had identified this prior to the inspection and has taken steps to address this. Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that care plans and risk assessments in place for children and young people are clear and concise. Not all risks are identified and care planning does not translate into day-to-day practice. The current system is cumbersome and it is difficult to see how some worrying behaviours are being managed. This has led to an inconsistent approach by staff in

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Inadequate

meeting the care needs of the children and young people living in the homes. The arrangements for the monitoring and review of progress for children and young people are ineffective. While there are monitoring systems in place to allow managers to scrutinise emerging patterns and themes, these systems are not used. In addition, there is a lack of effective action, challenge and learning following significant incidents. As a result, incidents in the home continue without a review. Leaders and managers fail to communicate with children and young people about incidents and understand their feelings in a meaningful way. Records offer little reassurance that a reliable approach to this area of practice is adopted in the home. There is no evidence that children’s and young people’s experiences inform future practice. Not all staff understand trauma and demonstrate the ability to support children and young people coming to terms with past experiences. Therefore, the home’s

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Inadequate

statement of purpose does not reflect the service provided. There are a number of statements about the care that children and young people receive that were found to be inaccurate. Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that staff receive regular supervision in line with company policy. When supervision is provided by the registered manager, it is reflective and the quality is good. However, some staff have not received supervision for a number of months. Leaders and managers have failed to understand the requirements and regulations linked to the running of a children’s home. For example, serious incidents have not been notified to relevant parties, including Ofsted.

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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

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

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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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