Children's Home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Somerset

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1239953 1

p.1

Broadwood Education Services

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation and is registered to provide care and accommodation for four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the progress that leaders and managers have made towards meeting the requirements raised at the previous inspection.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The manager has taken steps to ensure that the necessary action is completed to meet all but one of the requirements. The manager has benefited from a period of reflection and is continuing to assess what is working well and what needs further development. He has been supported by his senior management team and is now keen to share responsibilities throughout the staff team with the development of key roles and responsibilities. The manager plans that this will then provide him with more dedicated time for reviewing and monitoring the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The one requirement that the manager identifies as difficult to meet within the required timescale is for all staff to have achieved the required residential childcare qualification. Persistent difficulties with changes to a qualification assessor and with the awarding body have hindered one member of staff’s progress.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This has been a settled period for the children, with no safeguarding issues. Children have not gone missing or been restrained by staff. The manager and the staff team have had important discussions about the role of the police in the home and the use of sanctions. As a result, the use of such measures has stopped.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Children get along well with the staff team and there remains a relaxed, fun and jovial atmosphere in the home. Children are trying new activities by themselves and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1239953 2 building up trust to visit their local area unaccompanied by staff. Two previously locked areas within the home are now open for all to use and staff are moving towards an open door policy for their office.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A second full inspection will take place to review all of the requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection and to assess the impact of the actions taken so far.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/11/2017 Full Inadequate 14/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1239953 3

p.2

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

(1) The positive relationships standard is 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 expectations in accordance with the child’s age and

p.3

Requirement Due date

understanding; (xi) de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children.

p.3

Requirement Due date

With particular reference to reducing the need to call the police to the home to help staff. 31/01/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

(1) The protection of children standard is 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 31/01/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1239953 4 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 on signs that a child is at risk of harm; (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (b) ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each

p.3

Requirement Due date

child effectively from harm. 13: The leadership and management standard

p.4

Requirement Due date

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads 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; (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 31/01/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

p.4

Requirement Due date

With particular reference to not imposing sanctions on young people for going missing. (Regulation 19(1)) 31/01/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

20: Restraint and deprivation of liberty

p.4

Requirement Due date

(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). (Regulation 20(1)(a)(b)) 31/01/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1239953 5 24: Monitoring and surveillance

p.4

Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if— (a) the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children. (Regulation 24(1)(a))

p.5

Requirement Due date

With particular reference to monitoring the frequency with which children’s bedroom door sensors are activated throughout the night. 31/01/2018

p.5

Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (2) The registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or (b) if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). (3) The requirements are that— (a) the individual is of integrity and good character; (b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; (c) the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule

p.5

Requirement Due date

2. (Regulation 32(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 31/01/2018

p.5

Requirement Due date

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained: (a) the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) (‘the level 3 diploma’) (b) a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the level 3 diploma. (5) The relevant date is: (a) in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls two years after the date on which the individual started working 31/01/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1239953 6 in a care role in a home, or (b) in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32(4)(a)(b)) 35: Behaviour management policies and records

p.5

Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out— (a) how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s 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— (iv) a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv)) 31/01/2018

p.6

Requirement Due date

(3) The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 31/01/2018

p.6

Recommendations

 When a child is found, they must be offered an independent return interview. Independent return interviews provide an opportunity to uncover information that can help protect children from the risk of going missing again, from risks they may have been exposed to while missing or from risk factors in their home. The interview should be carried out within 72 hours of the child returning to their home or care setting. This should be an in-depth interview and is normally best carried out by an independent person (i.e. someone not involved in caring for the child) who is trained to carry out these interviews and is able to follow up any actions that emerge. Children sometimes need to build up trust with a person before they will discuss in depth the reasons why they ran away. (‘Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care’, page 14, paragraphs 31 and 32)  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet

p.6

Recommendations

the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1239953 7 legislation (alarms, food hygiene, etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.6

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.

p.7

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Broadwood Education Services

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: New Hall Hey Road, Rossendale BB4 6HR

p.7

Inspector

Guy Mammatt, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1239953 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8