Vinney Green Secure Unit

Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 1 SC035500 Registered provider: South Gloucestershire Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This secure children’s home is operated by a local authority and is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict young people’s liberty. Education is provided on site. The children’s home can accommodate up to 24 young people, who are aged up to 17 years. Up to 24 young people who have received a custodial sentence can be placed at this home by the Youth Justice Board. Other young people, subject of Section 25 of the Children Act 1989, can be placed by local authorities, with agreement from the Youth Justice Board. Admission of any young person under 13 years of age, subject to Section 25 of the Children Act 1989, requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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Good

How well children and young people are helped and protected Good

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Good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Requires improvement

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Good

Outcomes in education and related learning activities Good

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Good

Date of last inspection: 23 February 2017

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff form strong, trusting relationships with young people.  Young people make good progress in all aspects of their lives through effective assessment and planning, and by delivery of those plans by dedicated staff and managers.  Young people’s education attendance is good. They achieve well and make good progress. They develop their personal and social skills.  Safeguarding policies and procedures and practice are well defined and transparent. There are effective relationships with safeguarding professionals and good links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board.  Staff are well supported, knowledgeable and have access to good training. This translates into positive practices that deliver good outcomes for young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Management of behaviour is sometimes inconsistent, and the use of de- escalation requires consistent application.  Some records are not well kept, and evidence is lacking of the registered manager’s professional supervision.  Internal monitoring is inconsistent. There are shortfalls in records that are not being addressed, and there are some areas where staff could improve practice that have not been identified and actioned.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/09/2016 Full Good 12/01/2016 Full Good 04/08/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11(1)(b)(2)(a)(v)) 31 August 2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must 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 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)) 31 August 2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-relate supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(c) 01 August 2017

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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; the quality of care provided for children; any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provide for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(c)) 31 August 2017 Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 4

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that managers identify and record all highlighted risks in appropriate risk management plans.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working at the home must understand their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own initiative. There should be clear lines of accountability. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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Recommendations

In particular, devise and implement an escalation policy that guides staff on the processes and procedures for challenging authorities, agencies and services when they are not meeting their responsibilities to young people. This may be added to existing policies if/as appropriate.

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Recommendations

 Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Recommendations

In particular, reports of visits should be analytic and evaluative, demonstrating the visitor’s judgement about the progress and experiences of young people and the impact that living at the home has upon young people’s care, safety and well- being. Recommendations should clearly link to the report text so that there is understanding of the basis for any recommendations made.

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Recommendations

 Sufficient staff means a home having enough suitably trained staff on duty to meet the assessed needs of all children in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)

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Recommendations

In particular, the registered persons should carry out a review of staffing levels. The review should focus on whether current staffing levels, as set out in the statement of purpose, are sufficient to meet young people’s needs effectively, Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 5 including those who have significant complex needs, while also maintaining safety and security.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when restraint involves the use of force, it is necessary and proportionate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 48, paragraph 9.50)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that staff consistently use de-escalation methods and take steps to avoid, where possible, the need to use physical restraint.

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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. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

In particular, improve the consistency of recording of key-worker sessions.

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Recommendations

 The ethos of the home should support each child to learn. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

In particular, improve the scrutiny and oversight of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment to ensure consistently high standards.

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Recommendations

 The ethos of the home should support each child to learn. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

In particular, review behaviour-management arrangements to ensure that young people benefit fully from their time in education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A good standard of care continues to be provided to young people. The staff team have varying degrees of experience. They understand their roles and form strong, trusting relationships with young people who are often challenging, anti-authoritarian and vulnerable. Young people settle into the home quickly and progress well as relationships strengthen.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A number of young people provided inspectors with positive views. Young people stated, ‘It’s alright here. I quite like it even though I thought I wouldn’t’; ‘It’s been a lot better here than I thought’; and, ‘Staff are alright and I feel I get on with most of them.’ Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 6 Young people make good progress. For some, the progress is quite significant. For example, a parent visiting their son told inspectors, ‘He is making amazing progress. He could hardly read and write when he came here, but now he is writing letters home.’ Professionals supported this view, with one stating, ‘He has come along really well. He had some difficulty settling and was asking to transfer, but everyone stuck by him and he is really progressing well and is now on platinum level.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are encouraged to maintain contact with people who are important to them. Many young people are a long way from home, but staff work flexibly so that appropriate contact can be maintained. For example, three staff members recently took a young person to Scotland to allow him to attend the funeral of a close family member. A parent commented to an inspector, ‘The staff are so helpful. They ring me every time there is anything to report. They keep me well informed.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Well-established group and one-to-one intervention programmes are designed to meet the needs of young people. Many benefit from taking part in a wide variety of programmes which include offending work, behaviour management and developing self- esteem. Progress and the impact that these programmes have on young people are monitored and evaluated effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Key workers identify areas of need under the direction of the senior staff responsible for programmes and care planning. Individual sessions take place with young people that are targeted to address specific issues. For example, some work includes addressing inappropriate sexualised comments, managing behaviour and family issues. Records of the completed sessions are kept, although the standard of recording is inconsistent. For example, some records are detailed and informative, containing a good level of evaluation and indicating the impact that the session had on the young person. Other records are very limited in content, detail and quality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The health needs of young people are being well met. This includes physical, mental and emotional health, with resources in the home continuing to improve. The team providing for the mental and emotional health of young people has grown, which is a significant development. Young people now have access to a range of professionals with specialisms, for example a full-time principal clinical psychologist.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consultation with young people is good. Regular meetings take place, giving young people a voice, allowing them to have and make choices, and providing a forum where suggestions and ideas can be aired. The quality of the minutes from these meetings has improved and they now contain evidence of how staff respond to the suggestions made by young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Evening and weekend activities are an area currently being revitalised. A senior staff member has been tasked with the job of consulting with staff and young people to produce a revised and updated range of activities. Some of the new activities identified include remote-control cars, regular sports days, an ‘It’s a Knockout’ competition, beauty and spa days, yoga and a ‘Come Dine with Me’ competition. Young people have access Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 7 to good facilities that are used effectively. Many activities are used purposefully to promote fitness and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transition planning includes early identification of where a young person will move to when they leave the home and what educational and health arrangements they are likely to need. Planning for transition is good and is well supported by an ambitious mobility programme (visits out into the community) that makes full use of community facilities. For example, recent mobility’s have made use of local allotments and a city farm. A young person recently completed a stage of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which is a fantastic achievement.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people feel safe. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s complex needs and their often associated challenging behaviours. This understanding means that staff concentrate daily routines in the home to prioritise young people’s safety, security and welfare. For example, when some young people are unable to interact safely with each other, staff organise movements around the home, to limit contact between these young people. Case managers and senior care staff regularly review these arrangements. They encourage and facilitate mediation sessions between young people to resolve these conflicts as quickly as possible. Clear anti-bullying procedures and implemented strategies further support this approach. Staff, as a result, manage incidents of bullying or intimidation well, and these instances continue to reduce. One young person said, ‘Bullying doesn’t really happen much. Staff will jump on it quick and

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

stop it.’ This helps promote young people’s emotional well-being and physical safety.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There are no incidents of young people absconding, either from the home, or when they are away from the home on authorised activities or released on temporary licence. The potential for such incidents is minimised because case managers devise detailed risk assessments. In addition, staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the home’s missing from home policy. These complement wider local authority and police authority procedures. As a result, staff know how to respond in these circumstances to keep young people safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers and staff regularly search young people’s bedrooms and communal areas in line with policy. This activity reduces the potential for young people to gain access to items or objects that may put them or others at risk of harm. On occasions, and when risk assessments or circumstances deem it necessary, young people are subject to personal searches. For example, these may take place when young people are at an increased risk of self-harm or when staff are aware that young people are concealing items that may cause harm or are a security risk. Staff complete these searches with sensitivity and understanding.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding policies and procedures are well defined and transparent. Referral processes relating to allegations of abuse or harm are clear and unambiguous. Staff have a good knowledge of child protection matters and regularly refresh their Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 8 safeguarding training. This training includes modules on child protection, safeguarding legislation, the management of allegations, child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. Staff demonstrated to inspectors that they can put this training into practice and can identify specific safeguarding concerns and know what actions to take to promote young people’s safety. Professional relationships between the registered manager, the designated officer in the local authority and the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) are positive. Formal partnership arrangements incorporate the statutory duty of the LSCB to report on the use of physical restraint in the home. This agreement provides

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

an additional level of scrutiny and monitoring with regard to the use of this measure of control.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Case managers and senior staff liaise with other agencies, such as health professionals, the Youth Justice Board, youth offending teams and relevant local authorities, prior to a young person’s admission to the home. This advanced planning means that key staff are able to identify young people’s specific risks and vulnerabilities at the earliest opportunity. Nevertheless, this collaborative approach does not result in the creation of clear or detailed risk reduction plans or risk management plans. Staff are aware of such information and implement the actions required of them to respond effectively to individual young people’s highlighted risks, such as self-harm. However, this information is not clearly recorded or available to all staff. The lack of detailed information to guide staff practice has the potential to compromise young people’s safety.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The home operates a rewards and incentives scheme aimed at supporting young people to take responsibility for, and manage their own, behaviours. The registered manager is aware that, at present, this scheme does not adequately motivate young people to behave in an acceptable way. Furthermore, staff do not consistently apply this scheme. For example, some behaviours such as verbal abuse, swearing and inappropriate gesturing were seen on occasions to go unchallenged. In addition, the home does not have sufficient focus on restorative practice. This means that young people are not fully supported by staff to reflect on the impact that their actions have on others. The registered manager is aware of this matter and, at the time of the inspection, was already taking action. She is currently consulting with staff, young people and other agencies to review the rewards and incentives scheme.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are trained in the use of physical restraint, and they understand the circumstances in which this measure of control can be used. However, inspectors noted that there were a small number of incidents where it appeared that staff had not exhausted all avenues of de-escalation prior to using physical restraint. Staff record all incidents of control, restraint and discipline. However, some records lack specific details pertaining to the actions taken by staff to avoid the need to use restraint. Managers use closed-circuit television (CCTV) to review all incidents of restraint. The designated officer for the local authority and the Youth Justice Board also view a sample of these incidents. This enables these key professionals to identify and address any concerns and indicate any learning points that can assist staff to improve their practice.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

In additional to physical restraint, staff use single separation and ‘managing away’ to prevent young people from harming themselves and/or others. There have been no Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 9 incidents of staff managing young people away from their peer group since the last inspection. However, single separation has been used in line with regulations. Some records lack detail. For example, some staff do not sufficiently record why this measure of control is necessary. Furthermore, these records do not consistently demonstrate the steps being taken by staff to reintegrate young people back into the group. There is no evidence to indicate that practice is inappropriate or contrary to regulations, therefore there is limited impact of this shortfall on young people.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

All staff are subject to appropriate recruitment processes. Young people are involved in the recruitment process, and their views form an active part of the selection process. Records kept indicate compliance with regulations. This means that managers have employed people using a process that ensures, as far as possible, that the right people are employed to work with vulnerable children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers ensure that, alongside relevant specialists and agencies as required, they complete a range of daily, weekly, monthly and annual health and safety checks, fire safety checks and security checks. These processes combine routine visual observations and practical tests. Records of these checks highlight any areas for action. Maintenance staff address any noted shortfalls in a timely manner. This means that young people live in an environment where their health and safety is a high priority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

The registered manager is suitably experienced and qualified. She is well supported by a senior management team that works together to deliver a positive culture in which staff provide appropriate and safe care to young people. The registered manager is directly accountable to the local authority’s director for children, adults and health. The manager states that she receives excellent support from the director. No evidence is available of regular formal professional supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

There is a detailed statement of purpose that sets out the range of services provided by the home and what it hopes to achieve for young people. The information in the document appears useful to professionals and placing authorities which may be looking to place young people. Inspectors judged that the services described in the document are delivered in practice. The registered manager is aware of some minor errors and is in the process of addressing these before sending a fully reviewed and completed version to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Managers are dedicated to improving provision for young people. Of the three recommendations raised at the last inspection that related to the education provision, two have been fully met and one partially met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

The home provides an appropriate environment for young people, with satisfactory standards of decor and furnishings that achieve a balance between homeliness and safety and security. Managers are aware that the building is looking worn and tired. They have plans in place that are about to be delivered, with a refurbishment project Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 10 imminent. Young people raised concerns recently with the independent visitor under regulation 44, about ants in their rooms and fungal growths in en-suites. Managers provided assurances that these issues are taken very seriously and were immediately addressed. Inspectors saw evidence of contracts with relevant providers to treat, and continue to treat as necessary, any future issues that arise. Young people did not raise any concerns about these matters during the inspection and inspectors did not see any matters of concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Staff speak highly of managers. They describe a positive culture in which managers are open to discussion and ideas, and provide effective support for staff who undertake a demanding and challenging role. Team meetings at various levels take place which helps to ensure that information is shared and decisions are made that impact positively upon the operation of the home and young people’s care. It also ensures that staff feel included, fully informed and can deliver their responsibilities. Formal supervision takes place regularly, and annual appraisals are completed. These are reflective and focused on supporting staff, reviewing their performance and assisting their development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Staff receive good induction and ongoing training. This assists them to deliver good- quality, safe care to young people. Staff stated that induction provided them with a solid foundation that prepared them well for the role that they undertake. Training covers a range of core and developmental elements. Core training includes safeguarding and child protection, equality and diversity, awareness of radicalisation and physical restraint, among important aspects. Records are kept that show the training that staff have undertaken. Planning is effective, with a dedicated training officer who is informed about developmental needs and monitors when staff require refresher training. The officer uses this information to ensure that training is booked in advance and that staff therefore attain the up-to-date knowledge and skills that they need to fulfil their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

There are sufficient numbers of staff on duty to meet young people’s needs, though staffing at times appears stretched. Of late, the home has had some reported sickness. When casual staff have not been available, senior managers, including the registered manager, have complimented joined the staff team make-up. That said, there have still been occasions when staffing levels have fallen below those specified in the home’s statement of purpose, though there is no evidence that this has compromised the care of young people or their safety. Analysis of staffing levels, and discussion and agreement with the registered manager, indicate that a review is required. This is in order to ensure that the home is providing the right staffing levels in the future to meet the needs of complex, sometimes highly challenging young people who have diverse and significant needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

The registered manager deals with all complaints. Appropriate arrangements are in place when she is absent, for example on annual leave. The manager responds quickly and appropriately to all concerns raised by young people or others. Records show that appropriate responses followed up in writing, and concerns are monitored for any trends and patterns. As a result, young people say that their concerns are taken seriously and acted upon. Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 11 Managers have a range of systems and processes for monitoring various practices, activities and records in the home. Some processes are good and ensure effective operations. Some processes are less effective, have shortfalls and require improvement. For example, as noted earlier in this report, staff supervision, training, complaints, consultation with young people and communications are positive and monitored well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

However, monitoring of some records, such as single separation, physical restraint and sanctions, is not effective, with shortfalls not being identified and addressed. Oversight of physical restraint has a good structure, with managers at the home using direct observations, records and CCTV to scrutinise practices. A further level of scrutiny is also provided by a multi-agency group consisting of the designated officer in the local authority, the Youth Justice Board and, on some occasions, the independent visitor under regulation 44. Inspectors viewed one incident where practice fell short of expected standards, with potential associated risks. Monitoring undertaken by managers did not identify any shortfalls. Another incident that was assessed by inspectors had been reviewed by the multi-agency group. Inspectors identified shortfalls in practices that were not significant, but had potential to be serious. However, the multi-agency group,

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

including the registered manager, had failed to identify these concerns and no action had been taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

External monitoring of the home by an independent person under regulation 44 requires improvement. Monitoring has improved over recent months after concerns about the quality of reports were raised by Ofsted with the registered manager and the local authority’s director for children, adults and health. Recent reports are more focused on the safety and welfare of young people, reflecting their experiences and progress, though continue in some areas to lack analysis, evaluation and the visitor’s views and judgements. For example, the visitor reports on physical restraint, providing the numbers of incidents and how long they last, but does not make a judgement or give an opinion of practice and how this links to the safety, welfare and experiences of young people. Recommendations made in reports are difficult to understand as there is no link between the report text and the recommendations made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Young people’s needs are well known by managers. They strive to ensure that there are effective plans to meet young people’s needs that are known by staff and delivered in practice. Managers promote equality and diversity. They ensure that young people’s needs, opinions and views are understood, planned for and met. A positive culture of tolerance is promoted and delivered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Staff and managers work in partnership with professionals, agencies and services. Collaboration and positive relationships and communication ensure that services are tailored and delivered to meet young people’s needs. Where authorities or agencies do not deliver in their responsibilities to young people, the home provides appropriate and timely challenge. Although practice is well established and effective, the home does not have an escalation policy to support practice, which sets out the processes and timescales to be followed when there are any concerns. Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 12

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

Young people achieve well and make good progress relative to their starting points. Their participation in education and wider enrichment activities develops their personal and social skills effectively. Young people of differing abilities work together well, but a minority are less well engaged. Attendance is good.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

Effective teaching strategies enable young people to make good progress. In the best instances, teachers personalise learning to accommodate different levels in class, from entry to GCSE. In English, for example, there is good development of young people’s speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. They use dictionaries to define terms and research topics. Well-planned teaching in vocational programmes supports young people to develop new technical and practical experience and a range of generic and specific skills, such as ground-levelling and wall-building. Teacher and learning support assistants complement each other well and, as a result, young people make good progress.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

The quality of work produced in the majority of classes is good. In art, young people produce individual pieces of art and media that are of a good standard and compete for the ‘artist of the month’ prize. The use of practical tasks in science, such as dissections, help make learning real. Effective teacher explanation and modelling in hairdressing enable young people to develop their skills and confidence. Standards of practical and technical work in vocational programmes are good.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

Teachers and learning support assistants know the young people well and anticipate escalations of poor behaviour, removing young people from groups before possible behaviour has become a major issue and interventions are needed. One-to-one support given to young people in class, and on the occasions when they are withdrawn, is also effective.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

In the weaker lessons, activities do not meet the needs of young people. There is insufficient coverage of topics; teachers are not displaying the skills needed to curtail poor behaviour, leading to the rest of the class being drawn into disruptive activity. Too often, activities planned do not link well to the subject being taught; there is an overreliance on word searches and other low-level activities. As a result, young people do not achieve as well as they could be capable of. In vocational programmes, instructors do not always display industry standards, for example by not being sufficiently vigilant in all aspects of health and safety, such as protective footwear.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

The curriculum, including core subjects of English and mathematics, and vocational opportunities in food technology, agriculture and horticultural studies, provides young people with a good range of options. Managers and teachers respond very well to individual needs by enabling young people, especially those who have a longer sentence, to extend their learning by following a course in, for example, Spanish, textiles or drumming. Consequently, young people maintain their interest and enthusiasm. Young people’s progress is effectively monitored

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

Behaviour in classrooms, and in particular in corridors, requires improvement. Incidents Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 13 in corridors by a minority of young people distract others from learning and are frustrating for teachers. There is no clear behaviour strategy to ensure that care staff and teachers take an agreed and consistent approach to dealing with such poor behaviour. Teachers and managers do not challenge sufficiently young people’s use of expletives and their unacceptable language and tone. Expectations in this respect are not high enough.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

Young people are assessed well on entry, including for English and mathematics, dyslexia, special educational needs and mental health. Staff seek information from previous schools which is used well to inform the initial assessment. The resulting user- friendly ‘student passport’ includes targets for young people and identifies strategies for teachers to support young people’s learning in the classroom or workshop. The targets place a good emphasis on personal and emotional development. This information is used generally well used to inform teachers’ practice. However, initial assessment in education and centre-wide induction arrangements are not sequenced well enough and mean that, on occasions, young people enter education without having been properly prepared. This is unsettling and disruptive to them and their peers.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

Managers have attended to most of the recommendations from the previous inspection. Staff cover is now sufficient to ensure that English and mathematics can be provided consistently throughout the year and that young people are able to access a good range of vocational courses. Instructors are deployed flexibly and at weekends to support the activities and enrichment programme. A structural review of management arrangements in education is well advanced, with a view to providing subject teachers and other specialists with improved support and supervision.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

Formal education operates over a 50-week period, interspersed by activities and non- uniform days when young people can experience, for example, a visiting theatre company. The 50-week arrangement has clear benefits and enables young people, particularly those serving longer sentences, to continue with their studies. It also ensures that days are structured. However, it provides fewer opportunities for young people to enjoy less-formal activities during ‘holiday time’. Managers are aware of this issue and agree that it merits further review.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

The headteacher plays a key role in the centre’s senior management team. However, tutors and subject teachers do not have sufficient involvement in young people’s personal review meetings, resulting in education not always featuring sufficiently in overall care planning. Performance management and supervision processes are in place, and the quality of teaching and learning have improved gradually. However, managers do not sufficiently identify teacher underperformance or put in place plans to address these. Managers’ self-assessment and quality improvement plans remain too descriptive and do not identify succinctly the key actions needed to improve outcomes for young people. The local authority school-improvement partner provides the headteacher with effective support and challenge.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

Mobility arrangements, whereby young people are supported to take part in activities in the community, are generally well applied. A Duke of Edinburgh’s Award group is Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 14 operating, and there are current examples where mobility has enabled young people to secure employment on release. It therefore plays an important role in young people’s resettlement, but there is greater potential for it to be linked to courses that they are following, or with work placement opportunities.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

Twice-daily teacher briefings are highly effective in ensuring that information about individual young people is shared between care staff and education staff. The meetings alert teachers to any concerns and help them prepare or amend lessons accordingly. The meetings also enable young people’s progress to be logged and for them to be allocated reward points for their efforts.

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Outcomes in education and related learning activities: good

In conjunction with resettlement staff, support workers provide eligible young people with good information, advice and guidance to enable them to progress to college, an apprenticeship or work. Managers act as excellent advocates for these young people and robustly challenge, for example, colleges which may resist enrolling young people on a course on release without properly risk assessing the case.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 15

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: South Gloucestershire adults and health, PO Box 2083, Castle Street, Thornbury, Bristol BS35 2BR

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Inspector(s)

Shaun Common, lead professional, secure estate Graham Robinson, social care inspector Jo Stephenson, social care inspector Tony Gallagher, further education and skills HMI Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones, further education and skills HMI Inspection report secure children’s home: SC035500 16 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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