Children's home run by Bramley Care Limited

Inspection report children‟s home: SC013553 1 SC013553 Registered provider: Bramley Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children‟s home caters for children who have sexually harmful behaviours which require specialist support. Every child must agree to engage with the home‟s therapeutic services in order for them to come here. Education is provided at a school run by the organisation. The manager of the home was registered with Ofsted in December 2017.

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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 to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC013553 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC013553 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 registered person must ensure that all employees— (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33(4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

1. the staff are trained within appropriate timescales when they commence employment; 2. relevant retraining occurs within appropriate timescales for all employees; and 3. training regarding gay, bisexual and transgender matters supports the staff to help children understand, and build, appropriate relationships with others. 13/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— (a) seek to involve each child‟s placing authority effectively in the child‟s care, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that any significant information is passed to relevant professionals in a timely manner. 13/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. Matters to be included in the statement of purpose: (5) The arrangements for supporting the cultural, linguistic and religious needs of children. (7) Details of how a person, body or organisation involved in the care or protection of a child can access the home‟s child protection policies or the behaviour management policy. (9) A description of the home‟s policy and approach in relation to— (a) anti-discriminatory practice in respect of children and their 13/07/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC013553 4 families; and (b) children‟s rights. (Regulation 16 Schedule 1(5)(7)(9)(a)(b))

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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, the registered person should:

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Recommendations

1. satisfy themselves that the independent person covers a sufficiently wide range of topics during their visits; and

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Recommendations

2. consider whether the timing of the visits allows the visitor to see practice at differing times of the day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff fully involve children in decisions about coming to live here. The children settle well and remain living here for some time. The organisation only allows children to move into the home following a week-long assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children recognise the progress that they make and are positive about how the staff support them in achieving change. Discussions about difficulties are initiated by both staff and children and relate well to the particular needs that a child has.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff‟s relationships with children are extremely positive. Many children rated the staff‟s care at nine out of 10 or above. The staff know the children well and spend time with them. The staff are adept at monitoring children‟s relationships within the home and they are very vigilant in spotting behaviours that may indicate inappropriate relationships are developing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children‟s health is supported well. Effective therapeutic support is integral to children‟s care and staff support. The staff encourage children to lead healthy lifestyles, take part in regular sporting activities which they are interested in and ensure that children‟s medical needs are identified and monitored effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Greater emphasis by the staff to support children‟s education has improved the learning environment within the home. There are good plans to help children to study before Inspection report children‟s home: SC013553 5 exams and they are supported to undertake any homework set each night. Children clearly enjoy their education and talk about it regularly, including their aspirations for their futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Contact with family and friends is promoted effectively. The staff work well with families and professionals to improve appropriate and enjoyable contact with people who are important to the children. The impact that contact, or lack of contact, with family and friends has is well understood and managed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Independence is promoted in many ways by the staff and there is a well-organised package of support which considers children‟s needs. These programmes do not always record the individual needs a child may have which could affect their independence and any return to living in their home area. This is a missed opportunity to build both resilience and skills which a child will need when living independently or leaving the home for other residential care.

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

Children say that they feel safe and that the staff help them to keep safe. The staff understand how to deal with difficult safeguarding concerns and manage well the rare incidents when children go missing or are restrained.

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

Records of how the staff and children review incidents that occur are learning opportunities which support the staff to improve practice. The de-briefing sessions that occur after an incident help the staff to manage children‟s behaviours more effectively and promote how they can support children to behave well and understand their emotions.

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

The staff help children to understand the impact that their past has on them and how each child can manage their emotional responses better. Any allegations relating to past abuse are referred appropriately. Staff are fully aware that speaking out about past issues may mean that children find it difficult to behave at that time and afterwards. The staff plan well for these eventualities, which supports children well through difficult circumstances.

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

Good, regularly updated risk assessments support the staff to know how to keep children safe. Some actions that staff were taking to minimise risks were not recorded within risk assessments. This may result in the actions not being taken consistently, although no evidence of this was found. The manager confirmed that she would review all risk assessments to ensure that the details of all actions that the staff are taking are clear.

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

Behaviour management is well understood by the staff, who know the children well and take quick action to understand changes. The manager is working to instil a more restorative approach to sanctions and this is having a positive effect on children‟s engagement in changing some difficult behaviours. Children are extremely proud of their achievements, which are regularly recognised and rewarded. Inspection report children‟s home: SC013553 6 Weekly premises checks identify a range of issues which require repair. The checks in the garden do not identify the risk of falls from tripping on rabbit holes. This was rectified during the inspection and this is now included in the checklist that the staff must monitor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leadership and management have improved. There is a stronger management team whose members are working together to develop consistent practice. This has resulted in improvements to recording, availability of information and monitoring and reviewing systems which identify and rectify concerns. However, the issues identified below were not picked up by the management or by the monthly independent visitor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Some important training has not been programmed appropriately. While this was being rectified at the time of the inspection, it has potentially been detrimental to children. For example, some staff‟s restraint training is not up to date. In one instance, a new member of staff had been in post for six months without restraint training being provided. There is no training for the staff on how to support children to build appropriate and positive relationships if they are gay, transgender or bisexual. Active links to other agencies to support the staff in developing this aspect of care are lacking. However, the staff effectively support children to develop their tolerance and empathy for others and to explore their religious beliefs and racial identity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff work positively with other professionals. They make sure that their views about decisions that local authorities are taking regarding children‟s futures are considered and noted. However, leaders and managers have not consistently ensured that significant information is passed on to appropriate other agencies in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff supervision supports individuals and the team to work together effectively. The open and inclusive nature of the management team has developed the staff‟s ability to work collaboratively, make appropriate challenges to each other‟s work practices and feel that their contributions are valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The statement of purpose is well written but does not contain the detail required about all aspects of the service.

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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. Inspection report children‟s home: SC013553 7 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

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Information about this inspection

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: SC013553 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bramley Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nicholas House, Riverfront, Enfield, Essex EN1 3FG

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Inspector

Ruth Coler: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC013553 9 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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