Children's home run by Bristol City Council

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged to require 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

The home admitted one young person six weeks ago. Prior to this, there were no children on roll while the home was refurbished in readiness to accommodate child refugees. This accommodation was ultimately not needed and so the home was re- opened to admit a young person with extremely complex care needs. This was an emergency placement, as the young person was given notice by their previous children’s home, as the needs of this young person could not be met there. The young person was assessed as needing somewhere to live without other young people while further assessment was carried out to ascertain how best the young person’s care needs could be met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On the day of the inspection, the young person decided, as they are 17 years old and not subject to a care order, that they wished to move out and live with a friend. This was agreed by the young person’s placing authority. The staff at the home will continue to provide support and the home will remain fully staffed. This is in case the young person’s new living arrangements do not succeed and they need to return to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff succeeded in supporting the young person, in the six weeks when they lived at the home, to make progress in most areas of their life. The young person’s placing social worker’s manager said: ‘The young person has made more progress in six weeks than in the eight months they were at their previous home. They will now look you in the eye when speaking to professionals and they don’t hide under a cap any more. They have begun to accept a hug, engage with education and their personal hygiene is improved’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The placing social worker added: ‘They did what they could here, but the young person just wanted to leave.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have made great efforts to try to ensure that the home presents a homely and well-decorated environment for young people. This is difficult to achieve, because the house is a large, purpose-built children’s home and does retain an institutional-type appearance in some areas, such as the entrance hall, the stairs and the corridors. The young person has caused substantial damage during their time at the home. To remedy this, the manager is employing professional cleaners and has arranged for contractors to mend the broken windows and replace the damaged cooker and fridge.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have at times struggled to manage the behaviour and meet the care needs of the young person. The staff have needed to use restraint and call the police on occasion in order to promote the safety of the young person and themselves. One incident of restraint is not comprehensively documented in the record of restraint. It is not possible to determine from the records whether the restraint was necessary and whether it could have been avoided.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home does not currently have a registered manager. A manager from another home operated by the provider is undertaking the role. The staff, who are experienced and well trained, are employed on short-term contracts. They are either from other homes operated by the provider or are bank staff who work in the other homes when needed. The future of the home is uncertain. The local authority which runs the home will make a decision in the near future.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural care needs. It is situated on the outskirts of a large city and is operated by a local authority.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/12/2016 Full Requires improvement 13/09/2016 Full Inadequate 28/06/2016 Full Inadequate 25/01/2016 Interim Declined in 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that, 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 a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)) 31/03/2017

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Recommendation

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that the home seeks as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than institutional impression. In particular, ensure that the young people’s showers are refurbished and updated to make them more efficient and domestic in style. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, April 2015, paragraph 3.9)

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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. Whenever 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, 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

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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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