Children's home run by Wiltshire Council

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers are failing to improve the quality of care provided to children and young people at a fast enough pace. Some of the requirements from the previous inspection have not been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There continue to be shortfalls in staffing. Until recently leaders and managers were unable to recruit for the vacant posts due to a wider organisational policy. Recruitment for the vacant posts has recently taken place, to strengthen the care team, but these staff are not yet in post. Leaders and managers continue to fill these shortfalls. While this prioritises the direct needs of caring for children and young people, it has a significant impact on the leaders and managers’ ability to drive forward improvements. This was identified at the previous inspection six months ago.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of the home requires immediate attention to bring it up to a good standard that meets the needs of children and young people. A refurbishment plan for the bathrooms has been ongoing for over a year, progress of this is slow, and there is no date planned for when work will commence. This impacts on the quality of care that children and young people receive as the layouts of the bathrooms and the equipment do not meet all of their needs. Living areas and bedrooms also require refurbishment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are other environmental issues that require review, in particular those that restrict children and young people. Leaders have made some progress by removing some of the internal ‘gates’ that restrict young people. The gate remains on the kitchen door, there is a door with a keypad at the top of the stairs and children and young people cannot access the garden independently as it is locked with a keypad.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has a variety of monitoring and surveillance equipment that requires further scrutiny to ascertain if it is essential to keeping children and young people safe. All bedrooms are fitted with door alarms and have visual monitoring equipment, but these are only turned on for the children and young people who need this level of monitoring. The visual monitor output screens are in communal areas of the homes and this impinges of the privacy and dignity of children and young people. Leaders and managers have not reviewed this and the impact it has on the quality of care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records about children and young people are not sufficient. Support plans are ineffective and do not detail the needs of children and young people. This is a requirement from the previous inspection and leaders and managers have failed to make any progress in this area. In addition, leaders and managers could not locate the register of children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers are not monitoring the quality of care effectively and the review of the quality of care is overdue by two months. There has been some progress with visits by the independent person as they now consult with children and young people, professionals and parents during their visits. The quality of these reports, however, remains poor. Leaders and managers have not developed the role of the independent visitor for them to ensure that they monitor the quality of care effectively.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children and young people look relaxed in the home. Staff are attuned to their needs and they are warm and caring towards children and young people. Children and young people smile when they arrive for their stay. They get to access a wealth of opportunities both in and out of the community. They have access to yoga and sports clubs, and enjoy visits to local attractions when they are not at school. Parents provide exceptional feedback about the quality of the care their children receive; one parent said, ‘It’s amazing, I am confident my child is safe here’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have good relationships with children and young people. They use calming strategies to de-escalate any anxieties, which is reducing the number of incidents when behaviour becomes challenging. There has been a significant decrease in restraint with only one low level guide used since the last inspection. Leaders and managers have effective oversight of records relating to behaviour management.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers implement the child protection policy and report any concerns they have about a child’s welfare to the appropriate professional. The new system to record marks on body maps is more comprehensive and provides outcomes to any concerns raised. Leaders and managers have good oversight of safeguarding systems.

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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 and young people, from five years to 17 years, at any one time. The home may provide care to children who have learning and/or physical disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

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

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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 with the given timescales.

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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 the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

2(b)(iv) provide personalised care that meets each child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking into account of the child's background

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Requirement Due date

(vii) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably.

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Requirement Due date

(c) Ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to–

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Requirement Due date

(ii) enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular ensure that support plans clearly detail the needs of children and young people.

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Requirement Due date

In particular ensure that the all bathroom facilities are upgraded so they meet the needs of children and young people.

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Requirement Due date

To also ensure that the environment is homely, paying particular attention to the main kitchen. 22/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

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:

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Requirement Due date

2(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

In particular that the registered manager addresses the poor quality of the independent visits completed under Regulation 44 22/03/2017 to ensure that they effectively monitor the quality of care provided. 20: Restraint and deprivation of liberty

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate.

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Requirement Due date

In particular continue to review restrictions imposed on children and young people, such as the key-padded door at the top of the stairs, the wooden internal gate to the kitchen that can be locked and access to the garden. 22/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if:

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child's need for privacy.

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Requirement Due date

In particular review the use of door alarms and visual monitoring devices including the location of the output screens of visual monitors to ensure the privacy and dignity of children and young people. Remove any unused monitoring and surveillance equipment. 22/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry.

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Requirement Due date

In particular ensure there is a record in the form of a register for each child. 22/03/2017 45: Review of quality of care

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating:

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided to children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)) 22/03/2017

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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 that 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 whom 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 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, workbased 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

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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