Children's Home run by Branas Isaf (Holdings) Ltd in Herefordshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 1 Registered provider: Branas Isaf (holdings) Limited

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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 home is owned by a private organisation. It specialises in providing therapeutic services for boys up to the age of 18 who present with sexually harmful behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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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 good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 2

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the oversight of restraints that the manager is involved in. 07/06/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is the home’s first inspection since it was registered in October 2017. This inspection was an aligned with an inspection of the school which is on the same site.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from individualised care that starts to be planned before they are admitted. For example, young people are supported to look round the home with their family and social workers. They are encouraged to meet the staff and are provided with information about the home. An independent reviewing officer commented, ‘I am very impressed by the excellent transition plan for [the young person], for his move to [the home]. This helped him to manage the move and feel really settled quickly. This was excellent child-focused planning.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with the on-site therapy team to make sure that young people have tailor-made support plans that inform everyday practice. Young people and their Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 3 families, as well as staff, all benefit from the input of the therapy service. As a result, young people are able to see the progress that they are making. A young person stated, ‘Yeah, I’ve made progress, my behaviours… I used to be as nasty as hell. I’m not now – I’ve had therapy. The staff are good. I feel safe, I know everyone.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s views and opinions are at the heart of the home. Their views and opinions are captured through being able to participate in young people’s meetings, the service’s young people’s forum and by attending regular key-working sessions. Furthermore, young people have access to an independent advocacy service. This additional service helps young people to exercise their rights and to shape the care that they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people attend activities of their choice. This includes doing voluntary work, going rock climbing and participating in fishing trips. Young people can also use the on- site resources, such as the games room and a contact room for when their family comes to visit.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from being able to access extensive grounds and being able to live in a house that is beautifully furnished and maintained. When young people are getting ready to move on to the next stage in their lives, the service offers them the opportunity to access an independent unit on site. This helps young people to prepare for independent living in the future.

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

Young people are helped to take age-appropriate risks. All planning for assessing risk is completed with professionals and the young people.

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

Young people benefit from clear structures and boundaries. However, there have been a number of floor restraints. Staff are working with the therapy team and other professionals to find new strategies to reduce the need to apply this type of hold.

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

The manager has not ensured that there is a clear monitoring system in place for the monitoring of all restraints. For example, on occasions, the manager has been part of a restraint, however these records have not had an independent person’s oversight to demonstrate openness and transparency to everyone practice.

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

Young people do not go missing from this home. There has been good partnership working with the local police to help keep young people safe.

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

Safe recruitment practice ensures that anyone employed in the home is safe to work with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The members of the management team are clear that this is a new and developing service. They are excited about the future and plans are in place to continue to develop the service. Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 4 Professionals, staff and parents all talk positively about the service, its environment and the level of care afforded to young people. A parent commented that staff are ‘fantastic’, ‘always approachable’ and very good at keeping her up to date about her son, adding, ‘I rest easy knowing he’s there.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff benefit from regular supervision and reflective practice sessions. Staff complete tailor-made training courses and use evidence-based research practice to keep their knowledge fresh.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although care plans are kept up to date, they do not consistently reflect the good work that staff put in place to support young people’s cultural needs.

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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 children’s home: 1257074 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Branas Isaf (holdings) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 6 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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