Children's home run by Bournemouth Borough Council in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC031980 1 SC031980

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Bournemouth Borough Council

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a local authority and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. As the result of a policy decision on the part of the local authority, the home’s managers have applied to Ofsted to resign its registration as of 31 August 2017.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place two days before the home was due to close. The purpose of the visit was to:  clarify arrangements for the young people moving on from the home  check progress against the requirements of the interim inspection. The home’s statement of purpose says that it cares for young people up to the age of 18 years. That was the original intention with the present residents, who are both 16. On 10 March 2017, the local authority’s senior leaders informed the registered manager and staff of the decision to close the home. Senior leaders made a commitment to keep the home open until 31 August 2017. This allowed time for the two remaining young people to complete their GCSE exams. However, the closure announcement came just eight weeks before the young people were due to sit their exams. This must have proved very unsettling for them. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC031980 2

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This monitoring visit

The young people’s plans for the future depended upon achieving a certain number of passes at GCSE level. The fact that they had to move home immediately afterwards added to the pressure. The exam results were issued on 24 August. Under these very difficult circumstances, the young people did well, but not quite as well as they had hoped. The local authority’s tight timescale left only a few days for them to finalise their plans. Placing vulnerable young people under this degree of stress could have been avoided. A requirement has been made. One young person moved out, to a town some distance away, on the day of this monitoring visit. The other young person was due to move within the locality the following day. One young person had the opportunity to practise independence in a flat above the home for four weeks, but the other did not. The young people commented that the staff within the home had helped them a lot. However, they felt ill equipped to deal

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This monitoring visit

with all the challenges of the outside world. Both young people have made good progress since their admission to the home, just under a year ago. One is better able to deal with their anxieties than they were on admission. Their health has improved. One has been resilient enough to no longer need their prescribed medication. The young people are listened to by the staff. Some young people are assertive and articulate, challenging educational establishments to help them achieve their ambitions. They have made good use of advocacy services. Some have also participated in the local authority’s children in care and care leavers’ participation group. This provides young people with a voice and helps other children who are looked after. The young people have very positive relationships with the staff. Staff have supported them well with their education plans. They have helped them to prepare for living on their own, as far as possible within the tight timeframe. The young

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This monitoring visit

people have no criticism at all of the staff’s quality of care, but feel let down by the decision to close their home. Both young people have made very good progress in their education. They have done well, considering that both missed a great deal of school when they first arrived at the home. The staff obtained home tutors for the young people, in line with their wishes. This was good practice at the time, but had the unintended result that the young people became less willing to go to school. When this happened, the staff worked well with the virtual head teacher and both schools. This helped the young people sustain their education places. The staff also helped the young people to understand that their GCSE results could determine their futures. As a result, their attendance improved and they revised hard for their exams. The young people now intend to go to college to continue their studies. There has been one complaint since the last inspection. A senior leader refused a

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This monitoring visit

young person permission to go on holiday to Germany. This was due to the perceived terrorist threat. The young person successfully challenged this decision. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC031980 3 They have now benefited from an overseas holiday with their family. This shows that the local authority acts on matters that the young people raise. The young people have become increasingly safe in the home. At the interim inspection, the three young people were incompatible. They sometimes went missing and placed themselves at risk. The third young person moved out in March 2017. The present residents have positive relationships with each other and with the staff. This has helped to provide a stable and happy environment. Incidents involving the young people, including going missing, have substantially reduced. One young person made an allegation about a safeguarding incident in the

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This monitoring visit

community. The home acted correctly and this was investigated appropriately. The registered manager is qualified and very experienced in his role. He and his deputy manager have supported the staff team well during the recent uncertainty. The responsible individual attended the inspection and explained some of the wider policy decisions and developments since the last inspection. There is no doubt that the young people and the staff have been adversely affected by the decision to close the home. The responsible individual said that some young people had turned down viable accommodation options. This contributed to the late planning for their move from the home. However, it is understandable that such an important move must feel right for the young people. The registered manager has acted upon the three requirements from the interim inspection. At the interim inspection, the fire risk assessment was out of date. It had

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This monitoring visit

not been amended for over two years. This meant that the young people were not fully protected from risk of fire. The document was brought up to date on 10 April 2017, so the requirement made in relation to fire safety is now met. The second requirement concerned a medication error. This was a serious matter which could have had an adverse effect on the young person’s health. The local authority has conducted a full investigation. Senior leaders took strong measures to prevent any further incidents. There has been extra staff training in medication administration. The manager conducts audits with increased frequency since this incident. There has been no repetition. The third requirement concerned the punctuality of notifications to Ofsted. The home has made very few notifications since the interim inspection. They have made these notifications within the timescale. This helps Ofsted to remain aware of

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This monitoring visit

matters affecting the young people’s safety.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC031980 4 13/10/2016 Full Requires improvement 10/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/10/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC031980 5

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Statutory Requirement

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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. In particular, senior leaders should ensure that, when a decision is made to close a children’s service, or for young people to leave care, sufficient time is given to make proper plans for them. (Regulation 13 (1) (a) and (b)) 15/10/2017

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC031980 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bournemouth Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth BH2 6DY

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Inspector

Heather Chaplin, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC031980 7 to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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