Oakhill Secure Training Centre

Inspection report for Secure Training Centre

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Inspection date 7 December 2009 Lead inspector Linda Christie HMI Additional inspector(s) Ian Dickson Malcolm Stannard Gwen Buckley Shaun Common Martyn Rhowbotham HMI Charles Clark HMI Type of inspection Key, announced Type of registration Secure Training Centre

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Service address Oakhill Secure Training Centre Chalgrove Field Oakhill Milton Keynes MK5 6AJ Telephone number 01908 866000 Email address John.Parker@uk.g4s.com Director John Parker Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 2 of 29

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This document may be freely reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided the source and date of publication are stated. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 3 of 29

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About this inspection

The purpose of inspection is to provide assurance to the Secretary of State that secure training centres (STCs) provide an environment that promotes the safety and welfare of young people and that will help prevent children and young people offending in the future, and in particular that:

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About this inspection

ƒ the safeguarding of children and young people is effective ƒ programmes exist to tackle offending behaviour and meet the citizenship and resettlement needs of children and young people ƒ the performance of the STC provider meets the quality of service expected in the inspections standards ƒ there is a purposeful regime in which children and young people are encouraged to take part ƒ there is effective security and control within the STC ƒ high standards of social care, health care, education and training are provided for children and young people ƒ the individual needs of children and young people are fully assessed and there are plans for meeting them as far as possible.

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About this inspection

The inspection was conducted in accordance with the Statutory Rules inspections of secure training centres made under Section 47 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, and in line with section 37(1) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 which states that: It shall be the principal aim of the youth justice system to prevent offending by children and young persons.

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About this inspection

This was a key announced inspection carried out in accordance with the service level agreement between the Youth Justice Board (YJB) and Ofsted. The standards used during the inspection were those agreed between the YJB and Ofsted.

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About this inspection

The last full inspection was carried out in December 2008 with an interim inspection in June 2009.

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About this inspection

A team of social care inspectors spent four days on site and two HMI education inspectors spent two days reviewing standards and the impact of the service on young people. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 4 of 29

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Not judged: this aspect of the provision was not judged

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about Ofsted inspections, please see Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 5 of 29

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Brief description of the service

1. Oakhill Secure Training Centre (STC) is one of four purpose-built secure training centres across the country. It is managed by Rebound which is part of the corporate G4S Care & Justice Services Limited.

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Brief description of the service

2. Oakhill is situated in Milton Keynes and offers secure provision to young people aged from 12 to 17 years who meet the criteria for a custodial sentence, or who are remanded to a secure setting.

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Brief description of the service

3. Oakhill is designed to accommodate up to 80 young people. During the period of the inspection there were 69 young people in residence. In agreement with the Youth Justice Board, the centre currently provides accommodation for boys and young men. This has coincided with a higher percentage of 16 and 17 years old young men being admitted. This is a temporary change in the population profile.

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Brief description of the service

4. The centre does not have an agreed upper level for remand admissions, and is therefore able to take more remand placements than the other secure training centres. At times almost half of the group of young people can be on remand.

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Summary

The overall quality rating is outstanding.

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Summary

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Summary

5. The director and the management teams have made remarkable progress in all aspects of practice and service delivery and have achieved sustained and measurable success. In June 2008 this centre was judged as inadequate and many aspects of practice are now judged to be outstanding.

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Summary

6. The centre has embedded and consolidated the improvements identified during previous inspections in its strategic management. Managers at the centre and Rebound as an organisation have set ambitious targets for further improvement. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 6 of 29

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Summary

7. Policy and procedural guidance for staff have continued to evolve and improve. Managers at all levels have continued to ensure policies and procedures have been consistently adhered to. This has resulted in a very high standard of care for young people.

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Summary

8. The frequency and quality of staff supervision have improved significantly and result in a well-managed and well-supported staff group who ensure performance is achieved and maintained.

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Summary

9. The senior management team and the external manager from Rebound have ensured that the best practice from each of the three Rebound secure training centres has been adopted at Oakhill. Staff training and development have been given a high priority and morale is high.

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Summary

10. The promotion of equality and diversity is outstanding. The management and staff teams are culturally and racially diverse, and reflect the ethnic and cultural heritage of the young people. The promotion and celebration of different cultural, racial and religious groups is an integral part of every aspect of the centre’s operations. The care of young people, including those from ethnic minority groups is monitored extremely well to ensure that all young people are treated appropriately.

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Summary

11. Managers have worked hard to ensure young people have been consulted about changes. The views of young people are taken into account wherever possible.

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Summary

12. The quality of education is outstanding and there are very good support mechanisms in place for teaching and care staff. The behaviour of young people in school is exemplary with teaching and residential staff working extremely well together.

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Summary

13. School attendance is outstanding. Most young people attend school regularly and have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. The level of training and individual support for teaching staff have improved significantly.

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Summary

14. There are good arrangements to keep people safe. An excellent behaviour management system is in place, which is very well supported by an experienced duty operational manager’s team. Behaviour management at the centre has continued to improve significantly. There is a very high level of consistency amongst the team in addressing behavioural issues which has resulted in the lowest restraint incidence within the secure estate in the last two months.

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Summary

15. Multidisciplinary working within the centre and with external agencies is excellent. For example, the safeguarding and complaints procedures involve close working between the local safeguarding team, police, health Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 7 of 29

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Summary

professionals and national advocacy service. These are very effective in protecting young people.

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Summary

16. The health care centre works as an integral and highly effective part of the Oakhill team. The young people are very well supported by health care professionals in the community who ensure that young people remain healthy and receive the care required when they are unwell.

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Summary

17. The centre has fully introduced the electronic ‘e-Asset’ recording system and has received positive feedback from the Youth Justice Board for the quality of the implementation. This has improved even further the quality of recording and the assessment of young people’s needs.

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What has been improved since the last inspection

18. Only two recommendations were made at the last interim inspection in June 2009. These have been dealt with, although there is still some improvement required on reflecting the individual targets for young people, as set out in their sentence plans.

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What has been improved since the last inspection

19. There are clear and effective procedures in place to ensure that local authorities’ children's services are reminded of their duty to plan for young people who are remanded to the secure training centre. Young people placed on remand at the centre are subject to regular review as looked after children.

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What has been improved since the last inspection

20. Managers maintain a detailed development plan which includes a range of areas for improvement that have been highlighted during inspections, but have not necessarily resulted in a recommendation. This demonstrates an organisation that is keen to improve and welcomes feedback from all sources, including inspections to inform practice and service delivery. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 8 of 29

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Helping children to be healthy

21. A well-managed health care team delivers services in a timely manner. There are very good working relationships with external providers which ensures young people’s health care needs are effectively and comprehensively met.

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Helping children to be healthy

22. A comprehensive medical examination of each young person is carried out promptly on admission and before release to identify any health or medical needs. A detailed care plan is formulated to ensure that health care issues are addressed at the centre or a young person has a record to take with them on release. The health assessment includes carbon monoxide testing for smoking cessation and substance misuse screening for focused intervention work. All screening is carried out with young people's consent and this process has identified several serious medical conditions that have subsequently been treated.

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Helping children to be healthy

23. Each young person is allocated a named and specialist nurse who works with them to develop their health care plan. This plan is reviewed regularly with the young person who is also consulted about the sharing of personal clinical information, so his rights are promoted and safeguarded.

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Helping children to be healthy

24. On completion of the health assessment, referrals are made to the specialist interventions team for ongoing support. Overall, an excellent service is provided by a multidisciplinary health care team. This includes two nurses who are qualified to prescribe medicines.

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Helping children to be healthy

25. Effective strategies ensure young people’s vulnerability, mental health and substance misuse needs are thoroughly assessed and addressed. Staff knowledge is kept up-to-date in order to deliver best practice, for example through the head of substance misuse regularly attending a local forum where colleagues share best practices and new developments. Staff attend smoking cessation sessions with young people, demonstrating positive role modelling and facilitating the sharing of experiences.

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Helping children to be healthy

26. Young people have access to a wide range of health care provision and resources such as dentist, general practitioner, optician, psychologist and other professionals through referral to local community health services.

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Helping children to be healthy

27. The centre delivers an immunisation programme for all young people to ensure their health and medical needs are kept up to date. Young people visiting an external health care service are accompanied by custodial, and Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 9 of 29

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Helping children to be healthy

where appropriate, health care staff. This means young people are fully supported at all times during medical appointments.

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Helping children to be healthy

28. Nursing staff attend incidents of restraint and see all young people as soon as possible afterwards. This helps to safeguard the young people’s health and well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

29. All staff are aware of the suicide and self harm policy and procedures to take in case of incidents. Health care staff contribute to multi-agency strategies to ensure individual risk assessments are in place to support young people.

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Helping children to be healthy

30. Quality auditing systems in the health care centre are excellent. In addition to internal auditing, there is external auditing from Milton Keynes Community Health Services and a community pharmacist. This ensures that practical delivery of policy and procedures and medication administration are of a high standard and help to promote young people’s health and welfare. A recent independent hygiene audit of the healthcare department by Milton Keynes Community Health Service found 100% compliance to required standards.

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Helping children to be healthy

31. The storage, recording and administration of medication are good. The ‘in possession’ medication policy is now well established. This enables young people, subject to a risk assessment, to self-administer certain medications. This encourages young people to develop understanding of, and to take responsibility for, their own health care.

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Helping children to be healthy

32. The medical and cultural dietary needs of young people are recorded and thoroughly addressed. The food provided is varied and healthy and the menus used are regularly reviewed by a dietician. The health care department liaise daily with the catering manager to ensure young people’s individual needs are known and provided for. However, opinions shared by young people and staff relating to food provision are inconsistent. These range from positive comments about the meals provided to negative comments about quality and quantity. Themed days provide opportunities for young people to experience a range of food and learn about different religions and cultures.

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Helping children to be healthy

33. Young people have the opportunity to contribute to menu development and can feedback in a number of ways about the quality of food provision. This includes speaking directly to the catering manager each mealtime, regular food forums where young people are represented and questionnaires are provided for feedback. While young people are able to attend the food forum those who attend may not be fully representative of the centre’s population.

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Helping children to be healthy

34. Health care and education staff work together effectively to deliver good health education to young people through personal health and social education (PHSE) programmes. Young people are able to engage in a range Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 10 of 29

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Helping children to be healthy

of physical activities and are also routinely assessed and tested in physical education lessons to identify fitness levels and guide health care intervention. Active lifestyles and the physical health of young people are well promoted at the centre. Young people have the opportunity to spend time outside in the fresh air every day and to take part in other activities that help keep them fit. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 11 of 29

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them stay safe

35. The efficient security systems in place at the centre are implemented robustly to ensure that young people are able to live safely in a secure environment. All members of staff receive appropriate training and there are good accessible written procedures to guide them in their work. There is good information sharing between all staff in relation to any possible breaches of security. Any event or incident which may indicate a possible breach is shared in a written briefing in addition to regular team meetings. Additional procedures are available to ensure that any possible breaches are fully investigated and that appropriate action is implemented. Movements of young people around the centre are well managed and reduce the opportunities for negative behaviour to occur.

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them stay safe

36. The closed circuit television system in place at the centre was upgraded to enable real time recording earlier this year. This enables all incidents to be reviewed to identify any training and development needs for staff or to evaluate any safeguarding issues which may arise. The comprehensive procedures in operation linked to risk assessments for all areas, ensure that the safety of all at the centre is promoted and that young people are prevented from leaving the secure environment without authority or supervision.

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them stay safe

37. Detailed contingency plans are in place to address any fire or security related events. The plans are comprehensive and have been drawn up with the cooperation of external emergency services. Desktop style exercises are undertaken on a monthly basis, each covering a different area of possible emergency. Positive working partnerships are in place with the fire service and the police who contribute to these exercises to test the effectiveness of the plans. All of the actions undertaken assist staff to ensure young people are aware of required actions should an emergency situation arise.

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them stay safe

38. Health and safety is robustly managed throughout all areas of the centre. A nominated person has responsibility for auditing systems and is well supported by an external health and safety manager. The management and staff at the centre have achieved a British Safety Council and international safety award for their practice and staff are able to undertake a relevant accredited course.

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them stay safe

39. There are good behaviour management practices in operation. Staff manage negative behaviour well and there is exemplary use of staff engaging positively with young people rather than enforcing any form of isolation. All staff receive appropriate and regular training in this respect. Written policies and procedures are in place with expectations made clear to the young Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 12 of 29

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them stay safe

people on admission and throughout their period in the centre. Individual behaviour management plans are in place for all young people and there is enhanced practice in relation to the plans for those young people who may have health or medical conditions which need to be accounted for during any physical restraint.

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them stay safe

40. Support is also provided to enable young people to engage in the daily routines as much as possible. There is limited use of removal from association when a young person is unsettled and cannot be with a group. Staff members usually accompany the young person and stay with them so that they are not isolated. This is good practice and is reflected in the reduced numbers of incidents.

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them stay safe

41. There is minimal use of physical restrictive intervention and it is only used as a last resort. Staff are adept at diffusing possible conflict. All staff who may be in a position to use physical intervention undertake appropriate training. The recorded numbers of removal from association and restrictive physical intervention have shown a dramatic decrease over the preceding six months. Removal from association has reduced from 15 in December 2008 to two in June 2009 and just one in December 2009. The number of young people restrained in October 2008 was 38; in June 2009 this had reduced to 22 and in November 2009 decreased further to 10.

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them stay safe

42. Sanctions are used in the centre sparingly and only if identified as appropriate. Staff members are provided with information on permissible sanctions and the occasions when they should be used. Commendably, a range of negotiation techniques are utilised in any initial conflict and reparation is instigated where this is a practical outcome. There is also recourse to restorative justice intervention if this is felt appropriate.

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them stay safe

43. Excellent comprehensive records are held of all occurrences and of the use of removal from association, physical intervention and the applying of sanctions. These records are extremely well maintained and monitored. All behaviour management records are scrutinised by an external professional to ensure all entries are appropriate. This is excellent transparent practice. Data collated from the records as part of quality assurance is used to inform and develop practice. This robust monitoring ensures any discriminatory practice would be identified.

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them stay safe

44. There is an effective incentive scheme in operation which rewards young people for sustained positive behaviour. There is a high number of young people who have achieved the highest attainment level due to their efforts. The scheme is evaluated on a regular basis to ensure that it remains valuable to young people. The workings of the scheme are understood and displayed around the centre and in individual packs. There is also the opportunity for the young people in each house unit to receive additional rewards as a collective group for their positive attainment throughout the Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 13 of 29

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them stay safe

week. The scheme is highly effective in modifying the behaviours of many young people.

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them stay safe

45. There are efficient procedures in place to quickly identify any shortfall in documentation accompanying a young person arriving at the centre. There are manual and electronic systems in place to request any missing information and a record is kept of every admission. The system helps to ensure that young people’s welfare and safety is protected.

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them stay safe

46. Effective strategies are in place to support and protect those young people who are identified as being at risk of bullying or self harm. There are well established and embedded anti-bullying procedures which include the immediate implementation of a tracking log following any concern being raised. These logs are reviewed on a daily basis and each log is presented to the weekly multidisciplinary safeguarding and effective practice meetings for consideration. Risk assessments are completed for all admissions which contain details of the risks a young person may present to themselves or others. Assessments are reviewed on a minimum weekly basis and if concerns are identified, plans are put in place to address them at the multidisciplinary meeting. The sharing of information between all staff within the centre is excellent. This enables support and supervision to be made available to all young people who exhibit signs of potential risk.

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them stay safe

47. Young people are able to access the complaints procedure at the centre without the need for recourse to staff. Complaints forms are available in a range of formats and languages, including widgit. They can be adapted and amended to meet the needs of individual young people as required. The system used to investigate complaints ensures a prompt response. There are varying stages of resolution which enable young people to make known their acceptance or otherwise of an outcome. Each stage utilises a different staff member enabling a transparent and comprehensive evaluation of the complaint to be made. The local authority designated officer also reviews all complaints records on a monthly basis. This excellent initiative ensures that there is external monitoring of all outcomes. All staff members receive training in the complaints system. The complaints system in place ensures that all young people are confident in being able to raise any concerns.

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them stay safe

48. The opportunity for young people to speak with professionals external to the centre is excellent. Members of an independent advocacy service visit the centre on a regular basis and are able to see all young people. In between visits should a young person wish to speak with an advocate there is a system by which they can do this. An overview of issues arising from conversations with the young people is fed back to centre management by the advocate's manager on a frequent basis. The Youth Justice Board monitor for the centre also speaks with the young people to collect their views on the care provided. There is unrestricted access to telephone help lines available for those young people who may wish to use these. During Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 14 of 29

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them stay safe

the inspection young people were encouraged to speak with inspectors and were confident in doing so.

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them stay safe

49. There are robust safeguarding procedures in operation which have been devised in conjunction with the local authority designated officer and approved by the Local Safeguarding Children Board. All staff, including those who work in education, catering and the facilities areas at the centre undertake regular child protection training.

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them stay safe

50. Any allegations are referred and discussed with local authority officers. This is excellent practice and reflects a well-developed partnership between the centre and the local child protection services. A local safeguarding representative attends the monthly multidisciplinary meeting which reviews all incidents which have occurred. The systems in place are transparent and ensure that practice protects young people. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 15 of 29

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Education

51. The educational achievements of young people at Oakhill are outstanding. All young people leave with accreditation that recognises their efforts during their time in custody. Most young people gain accreditation in a wide range of subjects including the core subjects of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. Those young people who were taking GCSEs prior to going to Oakhill are supported very well in continuing their studies and as a result obtain some very good outcomes. The young people on longer sentences gain more substantial qualifications at appropriately higher levels.

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Education

52. Young people make outstanding progress during their time at Oakhill, both in terms of their academic work and, very importantly, in their personal and social development. Young people discuss their work and achievements articulately and with enormous enthusiasm and maturity. They are keen to do their best and they enjoy meeting the challenges laid down by the appropriately high standards evident in the education department.

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Education

53. During the inspection, young people’s behaviour was outstanding. Inspectors saw no confrontational behaviour and heard very little inappropriate language. On the very few occasions that a young person did swear or use inappropriate language this was always challenged sensitively and skilfully by staff resulting in a sincere apology from the young person.

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Education

54. Young people’s behaviour for learning was outstanding. On the rare occasions where there was some poor behaviour this was managed extremely well by teachers and the young person concerned returned quickly and good-naturedly back to the task in hand. Relationships between young people and staff are outstanding and enable a very effective and productive ethos to prevail in lessons and in the department as a whole.

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Education

55. Young people gain valuable work skills through the vocational training they do around the centre in areas such as the main kitchens, the library, food technology and the PE and music departments. Not all of the skills gained through this work are accredited at the present time.

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Education

56. Standards of work are at least good and outstanding in many areas such as food technology, PE, drama and art. Young people’s achievements in art have been recognised nationally through many Koestler awards and the prestigious 'Arts and Minds' project. Young people also achieve well through various projects such as exotic corner, Black history month and fire awareness training. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 16 of 29

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Education

57. Attendance at education is outstanding at very nearly 100%. The very few unauthorised absences are monitored rigorously and highly successful actions are taken to support young people back into school. Punctuality to lessons is excellent. Movement to education and between lessons is exemplary. Many lessons are able to start before the official time as a result.

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Education

58. Teaching and learning are good. The observations of teaching and learning carried out by education managers show a profile of good teaching which is supported by observations made by inspectors. Lessons are planned carefully and they engage young people in a variety of challenging and interesting activities. For example, in food technology, young people adapted recipes in order to discover the effects various ingredients had on the finished dish. Teachers use praise and positive feedback well to encourage and motivate young people. Excellent teamwork with learning support assistants and care staff promote good behaviour in lessons and enable the needs of young people with widely differing abilities to be met within the group.

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Education

59. Classrooms are well resourced and teachers use information and communication technology to good effect in most lessons. Challenging debate is encouraged and young people learn to express their views and listen to others. Classrooms are decorated with educational materials and celebrations of young people’s work. Displays of young people’s work in the corridors and around the centre are excellent. In a very small number of lessons, activities were less innovative and relied too heavily on the completion of printed worksheets.

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Education

60. The curriculum is outstanding. Young people benefit from an extremely well- planned timetable of subjects based on an appropriately adapted version of the national curriculum. Young people who are returning to mainstream school on their release are catered for exceptionally well by this provision. A good range of academic, practical and some vocational subjects enable young people to gain knowledge and skills that make a very significant contribution to their transition back into the community and mainstream education. Subjects such as leisure and tourism provide opportunities for vocational learning but more vocational courses would enable young people to gain skills and knowledge in a broader range of work-related areas. Daily PE lessons play a major role in young people’s health, fitness and enjoyment. Work experience within the centre is planned well and provides young people with the opportunity to experience 'work-related learning' to

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Education

complement their academic studies. The Every Child Matters outcomes and equality and diversity are promoted very well throughout the curriculum.

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Education

61. The curriculum is enhanced by a good range of projects and inputs from external partners. Of particular note is the well-established and visionary partnership with Bury Lawn School where young people from the school Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 17 of 29

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Education

come to Oakhill for paired reading and to work alongside young people on the Sports Leaders’ Course.

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Education

62. The quality of guidance and support is outstanding. Induction is timely and extremely well planned with very thorough assessment of young people’s literacy and numeracy needs. Particular attention is paid to assess any other specific needs and also to make note of any personal factors which could affect a young person’s capacity to learn. This initial assessment is followed up with an initial planning meeting within the first 10 days. Target setting is very good and targets are monitored after each lesson and reviewed weekly. The formal tutorial programme is highly effective both in terms of a vehicle for monitoring progress and facilitating individual pastoral work. Detailed notes are kept to inform the individual education plans and these are shared between all staff. Monitoring of progress is extremely thorough and when a young person leaves the centre they take with them a portfolio of completed

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Education

work, a list of every qualification achieved and detailed reports from staff.

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Education

63. Individual support from teachers, learning support assistants and care staff is excellent. All staff work extremely well together and support learning by the sharing of information. Care officers in particular play a very significant role in lessons by supporting young people to stay focused on the task in hand. Support for young people is very well organised and is provided discreetly through a variety of ways including one-to-one support outside of the classroom where appropriate. Specialist support for particular needs is readily available and young people with additional needs achieve as well as their peers. Support for young people whose first language is not English is outstanding and enables them to participate fully in lessons. The Connexions service is promoted well within the centre and the Connexions worker attends tutorials and also some classes. The number of referrals has increased significantly and continues to increase, especially the number of

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Education

64. Strategic management is excellent as evidenced by the significant changes effected over the last 18 months and the resulting behavioural and cultural change. This is also reflected in the high standards of work and in the number of qualifications gained. Plans are well developed to improve the library provision, increase the opportunities for vocational training and work experience, and also to develop further links in the community. Operational management and communication are outstanding, resulting in staff having an excellent understanding of the difficulties facing young people.

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Education

65. Quality improvement is excellent. Meetings at the beginning and end of each day ensure that all staff are brought up to date and important information is shared. Training for teaching staff is of very good quality and takes place regularly with very careful monitoring to ensure that all staff have completed the appropriate training. Data and information are kept meticulously and are analysed and used effectively to improve the provision. Self evaluation is very thorough with staff involvement at all stages of the production of the Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 18 of 29

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Education

report which is critical and largely accurate in the identification of strengths and areas for improvement.

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Education

66. Equality and diversity are very well promoted in the learning centre through a variety of activities such as Black history week, cancer awareness, and preventing violent extremism courses. Young people feel safe in an environment where discriminatory behaviour is not accepted and is always challenged. The centre has an ethos of mutual respect between young people and all staff and a clear focus on helping young people to develop their full potential. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 19 of 29

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Welfare

67. Young people receive good support to improve their knowledge and skills through the activities and enrichment opportunities provided.

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Welfare

68. Activities are well planned and organised by dedicated staff. Young people are supported to work hard on behalf of various charities such as a local hospital. Some young people recently undertook a 24 hour cycle ride for charity, with two young people completing over 100 and 200 miles each on an indoor exercise bicycle.

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Welfare

69. Careful evaluation of the use of enrichment and recreational activities informs the positive development of future provision with new activities replacing those not well attended. Young people report they enjoy attending the new youth club at the centre. They are rightly proud of their art work which is displayed in the dining area and other parts of the centre.

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Welfare

70. Close links with a range of local community forums provide very positive initiatives. These enable young people to maintain links with people external to the centre. Many of the activities, for example, the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and Preventing Violent Extremism programme, offer accredited qualifications. Other activities linked with the local council and fire and rescue department provide positive experiences of working with adults from the local community both in the centre and, subject to risk assessment, in the community.

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Welfare

71. The quantity and variety of structured and unstructured activities available for young people to enjoy during evenings and weekends are good. They have access to, and participate in, a range of activities providing them with new skills and interests. Attending activities is not dependent upon incentive level achievement.

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Welfare

72. Although some facilities in the learning centre are used outside of school times, access to other facilities that would further develop in-house enrichment opportunity is presently limited. Plans are in place to further develop the range of activities available both in the centre and local community and have more of the externally provided activities on a repeating rolling programme.

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Welfare

73. Equality and diversity is very well promoted at the centre. Staff from all departments work together and with the young people to celebrate diversity in different ways. Young people are supported to follow their religious beliefs through a chaplain who works with centre staff to ensure different religions Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 20 of 29

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Welfare

are catered for and young people's spiritual needs are met. For example, links are forged with the local Imam who visits twice every week for prayer with young people who are Muslim. Religious festivals are celebrated across the centre and themed days arranged whereby all young people can learn about different religions and cultures.

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Welfare

74. The chaplain provides help to young people to work through any loss or bereavement they may have suffered and plans are in place to further develop the ‘peace garden’. Young people have the opportunity to apply for work experience at the centre and one post available to them is to act as a verger assisting the chaplain as required.

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Welfare

75. The Preventing Violent Extremism programme enables young people to gain a greater awareness and understanding of difference and a better insight into the impact of their behaviour and the feelings of others. External providers contribute to the development of the young person’s understanding; for example the local football team undertake a programme with the young people called ‘show racism the red card’ and others deliver programmes on ‘guns, gangs and knives’. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 21 of 29

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Helping children make a positive contribution

76. Young people enjoy good, positive and supportive relationships with staff that promote their emotional health and well being. Young people say ‘staff care for them’. All young people confirmed that they can approach staff for support, and to discuss issues of concern at any time.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

77. Good systems are in place to ensure young people are supported to maintain contact with relevant professionals external to the centre such as their legal advisor, advocate or the Youth Justice Board monitor. Young people told inspectors that they receive support and have opportunities to contact people outside of the centre when they feel this necessary.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

78. Suitable systems ensure a young person’s belongings are appropriately stored, logged in and out of the centre and made available, if safe, to the young people when required.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

79. The decision-making process for placing young people new to the centre on house units is effective taking into account vulnerability and particular circumstances and of those already in the respective living groups.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

80. Young people’s vulnerability and individual circumstances are considered throughout the admission process which is child focused. Good consideration is taken of the individual’s anxiety and assessed risks to themselves or others. The detailed assessment takes account of individual needs and circumstances including social, religious and cultural requirements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

81. A multi-disciplinary team with specified named staff provide effective ‘team around the child’ support to individual young people. The centre ensures young people with learning or language difficulties receive effective support to communicate throughout their stay. For example the written materials for a sexual health workshop were translated into a minority south Asian language for a young person who could not speak English.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

82. There is an effective multidisciplinary approach to working with and supporting young people work towards their targets which are set at reviews. Staff are clear about their individual roles and responsibility towards supporting young people. Although comprehensive assessments identify individual needs and set targets the programmes available for key workers to use with young people are limited in range. This is particularly problematic for young people who are serving long sentences. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 22 of 29

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Helping children make a positive contribution

83. Each young person, and their family or carers are fully and actively involved throughout their assessment, planning and review process. The needs of young people regarding resettlement are considered from the point of the initial planning meeting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

84. An effective multidisciplinary approach is evident and enables a young person’s progress to be monitored and reviewed while they are at the centre. The young people are confident staff will regularly review their care and consult with others as needed to ensure their care needs are met. Health staff, teachers, key workers, the chaplain and youth offending team staff all play an active part in and contribute towards the care of young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

85. Offending behaviour programme sessions run daily Monday to Friday after school and at weekends on the units. Staff delivering sessions on offending behaviour receive support from line managers and specifically trained offending behaviour champions. The range of interventions available to help young people address offending behaviour has been enhanced and developed. Six new programmes are now available and delivered at weekends for those young people specifically assessed and referred as in need of these specialist interventions.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

86. Offending behaviour programmes form a key part of life at the centre and the role of key workers in addressing individual targets for young people has improved considerably. Young people are well supported and key workers now undertake two individual sessions a week with young people, one session is related to offending behaviour and one is more focused on personal circumstances. Young people say these sessions help them consider why they are in a secure setting and how things could be different on release.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

87. Good systems are in place for the views of young people to be sought enabling them to influence development at the centre including the quality of offending behaviour programmes The centre also undertakes exit interviews with young people to find out how they feel about their stay at the centre. Plans are in place to ensure the evaluation of the young person’s comments, given over the last year, influence the development of session planning and future delivery of the programme. This is a performance objective that has not yet been fully addressed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

88. Young people are able to phone family or carers at the point of admission to let them know they are safe and being well cared for. Young people are able to make calls to family members and to receive incoming calls if approved, which is not the case in some other secure establishments. However, the telephone facilities available, outside office hours, are insufficient to enable incoming calls from families to be transferred to a young person in a timely manner. This was confirmed by visiting family members during the Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 23 of 29

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Helping children make a positive contribution

inspection. The director said that six additional phone lines have been made available at the centre, but these are not operational in the evenings.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

89. Young people and their families are encouraged and supported to attend and contribute to reviews and to make their views and wishes known. Young people are confident staff will take part in and facilitate initial planning and ongoing review meetings. All reviews take place within appropriate timescales. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 24 of 29

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

90. Young people are well supported to prepare for discharge or transfer through a wide and varied range of appropriate programmes that prepare them for the next stage of education, training or employment. They include an improving range of work experience opportunities for young people within the centre, some of which are accredited and count towards recognised qualifications. These are an embedded part of routine practice.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

91. There are detailed plans in place to construct and adapt workshops to offer improved training in house repair, building and construction. Implementation of these vocational resources are currently under discussion with the Youth Justice Board.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

92. Opportunities for young people to engage in work experience outside of the centre in the community has increased but remains limited. There is however a clear commitment from the centre to develop these further.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

93. There are good and improving initiatives in place at the centre to identify and address the resettlement needs of young people so that they are able to gain appropriate placement, education, training or employment when they are released. These include close working and support for young people from outside agencies such as Connexions and the Heart of England Training, to support their reintegration into suitable education or training in the community.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

94. Although young people receive a well produced record of achievement portfolio from the education department at Oakhill, this does not currently include all the achievements from a wide range of challenges and opportunities provided by other agencies or departments within the centre which are not coordinated through school. Their inclusion in the portfolio would more accurately demonstrate the work done, and could support them to engage with projects and services in the community.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

95. There are also very effective measures in place to support young people to gain the skills to look after themselves when they are released or transferred. Young people are very well supported and encouraged to learn how to keep themselves and their bedrooms clean and tidy and share the cleaning of communal space on the residential unit with their peers. This is recognised as part of their individual incentive programme, and supports the life skills training given to them to prepare them for semi independent life when they are released to the community.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

96. Progress in meeting discharge plans is regularly reviewed through a range of multidisciplinary forums, ensuring that appropriate outcomes for young people are achieved through timely interventions and good joint working. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 25 of 29

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

Progress is also additionally reviewed during the weekly resettlement meetings. These meetings have greatly strengthened and improved procedures to support young people due to be discharged.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

97. Young people’s youth offending team workers and social workers are actively encouraged to be fully involved and participate in the development, review and improvement of training, care and resettlement plans from the point of admission and during each subsequent review.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

98. Although there is an effective partnership between staff at the centre and responsible authorities that ensures good discharge planning for most young people some local authorities are not finding appropriate placements until very close to the date of discharge. These have not always been identified and challenged quickly enough to ensure a good outcome for young people. This has been attributed to a lack of experience on the part of some staff in rigorously challenging external agencies about their contribution to discharge provision for young people.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

99. The centre has a commitment to the use of carefully assessed and agreed mobility where possible to support young people to prepare for release or transfer, and there are good examples of young people being involved successfully in community projects. Young people have also been able to visit future educational placements where possible. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 26 of 29

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Management

100. Leadership and management at the centre are outstanding. A well established senior management team is clearly working closely and coherently for the ongoing development of the centre. Effective management is evident from the wide range of improvements made during the past 18 months.

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Management

101. Leadership and management in the learning centre are also outstanding. The head of learning and skills with senior managers has implemented a tried and tested model of provision which has proven to be highly effective in changing the culture of the centre.

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Management

102. The director and his team are clear about the purpose and objectives of the centre, and place the welfare of young people at the heart of service provision. All department heads and their teams are effectively and efficiently taking greater responsibility for setting and meeting service objectives and targets. Each of the departments at the centre has a well- written and detailed development plan that is regularly reviewed.

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Management

103. There is an excellent and consistent cycle of change and improvement in all departments at the centre. Managers also demonstrate an awareness of how change has to be consolidated so that young people benefit from its implementation and in order to maintain stability.

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Management

104. The centre is very well supported by an external manager who is actively involved in the ongoing development of the service. The managing director for children’s services within Rebound visits the centre frequently. His monthly visits and subsequent reports provide an additional quality checking process which ensures a high standard of service for young people.

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Management

105. All staff within the centre work well as a team and are committed, enthusiastic, highly motivated and focussed totally on meeting the needs of all young people. Care staff are fully engaged in lessons and participate fully and enthusiastically in all activities. The new working procedures, such as the new initial assessments and reviews, were implemented rapidly and are now well established providing a very effective and stable department.

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Management

106. There are highly robust quality assurance mechanisms in place to evaluate practice. Service delivery is adjusted to address shortfalls and further improve outcomes for young people. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 27 of 29

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Management

107. Managers seek transparency and welcome feedback from all relevant stakeholders and partners. The views of young people and their families are considered to be of particular importance.

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Management

108. Effective systems are in place to ensure good communication across all departments throughout the day. Duty operations managers are highly effective in ensuring that the daily routines of the centre are extremely well managed.

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Management

109. The centre has worked well to build strong links with a range of partners and there have been some excellent results, particularly those with local schools and community groups providing enrichment opportunities for young people.

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Management

110. Rebound places a high priority on succession planning particularly for management positions. Many managers in senior positions across all three Rebound secure training centres have developed their skills and expertise in a range of roles within the centres, prior to successful promotion.

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Management

111. Staff training and development are given a high priority. There has been an extensive amount of training provided to all staff and the targets set for the current year have been exceeded. The commitment to ensuring staff have opportunities for professional training, post graduate training and a wide range of other opportunities to obtain qualifications is impressive. A group of 21 staff from the centre have registered to commence the National Vocational Qualification at level 3 training in work with children and young people, which is a new development for this secure training centre.

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Management

112. Managers are clear with staff about what is expected of them and processes are in place to manage and monitor performance. Staff performance is now formally and consistently evaluated through an effective annual appraisal and development objectives are identified. Managers are committed to celebrating achievement and recognising staff who have gone the extra mile Staff sickness absence and punctuality are consistently challenged and as a result have improved.

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Management

113. Care staff are now being supervised consistently and the average frequency during the past eleven months is 95%. This is commendable. The quality of supervision is excellent. Staff are appropriately held to account and support is provided as identified.

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Management

114. Rebound has stringent recruitment and selection procedures in place. The centre had been successful in attracting applications from staff from diverse backgrounds and more applications from professionally qualified staff. Managers are confident that the improving reputation of the centre has resulted in a higher calibre of applicants for a wide range of posts at the centre. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 28 of 29

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Management

115. The work of the centre and the obvious improvements have been recognised by a number of external bodies and several prestigious awards have been given. These include awards for excellence and team work by the parent company G4S. The centre has recently achieved the Investors in People award and the British Safety Council five star award.

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Management

116. The promotion of equality and diversity is good. There are highly effective and robust equality and diversity procedures and practice which ensure that young people's needs are well met, irrespective of their racial, cultural or religious origin. Equality and diversity is intrinsic in all areas of practice throughout the centre. The staff team reflects the cultural heritage of young people.

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Management

117. There are outstanding practices, such as ensuring worksheets in education are translated into different languages and extensive use of interpreters. A young person with the help of an interpreter assisted education staff in redesigning the widgit system to improve and understand the impact of particular translations. A variety of activities take place that ensure young people are engaged in learning about equality and diversity matters.

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Management

118. The centre has a detailed Statement of Purpose which clearly describes the overall objectives. This is translated into a number of different languages including Romanian and Arabic. Parents or carers of young people receive an information pack, which provides them with details about what they and their child can expect at the centre. Detailed information is also available for young people. This is available in a DVD or widgit format and is translated into a number of different languages.

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Management

119. A building improvement programme is in place that ensures the residential living areas are maintained to a high standard and are homely and less institutional. Efforts are made to create a more comfortable and homely environment without compromising the requirements to maintain safety and security. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 29 of 29

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Recommendations

The following recommendations are made to the Director of the secure training centre unless otherwise stated.

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Recommendations

• develop more vocational courses so as to broaden the range of vocational skills gained by young people (Enjoying and achieving - Standard 3/4) • ensure a detailed analysis is undertaken of the evaluation by young people and staff of the offending behaviour programme, to measure the effectiveness of the interventions (Positive contribution/Management - Standards 13 & 10) • improve the systems currently in place for young people to have telephone contact with their family members (Positive contribution - Standard 19) • ensure that staff chairing reviews are sufficiently trained and experienced to challenge external contributors rigorously about their contribution to discharge provision for young people (Achieving economic wellbeing - Standard 6).

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