Oakhill Secure Training Centre

Inspection report for Secure Training Centre

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Inspection date 2 June 2010 Lead inspector Linda Christie Additional inspector(s) Malcolm Stannard

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Type of inspection Random, unannounced 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 Philip.Headley@uk.g4s.com Director Philip Headley Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 2 of 17

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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 17

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About this inspection

The purpose of inspection is to provide assurance to the Secretary of State that secure training centres (STC) 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 random unannounced 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 2009 with an interim inspection in June 2009.

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About this inspection

A team of social care inspectors spent two days on site reviewing standards and the impact of the service on young people. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 4 of 17

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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 17

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Brief description of the service

1. Oakhill is one of four purpose-built secure training centres that between them offer secure provision to young people across the country. Oakhill is managed by Rebound ECD which is part of the G4S Care and Justice Services Limited. The centre is one of three secure training centres managed by the group.

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Brief description of the service

2. The centre is situated in Milton Keynes and offers secure provision to young men 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 79 young men were in residence. 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. As a result almost half the group of young people can be on remand.

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Brief description of the service

4. The centre was judged as outstanding in the key inspection of December 2009.

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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. This is an interim unannounced inspection of the centre, intended to assess progress against recommendations made following the last inspection undertaken in December 2009. All standards included under Every Child Matters outcome staying safe were assessed. Standards 13 and 19 under positive contribution and standard 6 under achieving economic well-being were also reviewed. A site inspection also took place to review the quality of the accommodation, security and building maintenance.

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Summary

6. This is a centre that is continuing to develop and improve. There have been a number of changes of personnel, but this has not had an undue affect on the stability of the centre. The director, who was on leave during the inspection, was the former deputy director. The former director is now the external line manager for Oakhill and the other two Rebound centres. He was present during the inspection and confirmed his commitment to ensuring consistency of practice and delivery across all three Rebound secure training centres. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 6 of 17

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Summary

7. Progress in all aspects of the centre's purpose and function during the past two years has been outstanding. Senior managers at the centre and Rebound as an organisation have set clear strategic ambitious measurable targets for further improvement.

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Summary

8. The centre was calm and well-ordered with purposeful activities taking place throughout the period of the inspection. Staff and young people took advantage of the good weather with a range of activities taking place outside of the residential units, providing opportunities for sunshine, fresh air and physical activities.

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Summary

9. Interactions between staff and young people are nurturing and caring. Of particular note was the way in which staff greeted young people when they left school at the end of the day. All available staff ensured they engaged quickly with the young people, asking how their day had been and quickly engaging them about plans for the evening routines and activities. The Chaplain was also available, greeting them and ready to provide guidance or support to individual young people if required.

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Summary

10. Practice in relation to dealing with potential safeguarding matters is excellent. There are effective links with the local safeguarding team. Despite a recent increase in complaints made by young people, the majority can and have been dealt with quickly and to the satisfaction of the young people without becoming formal complaints.

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What has been improved since the last inspection

11. Improvements have been made in response to all four recommendations highlighted during the last key inspection in December 2009. Education inspectors recommended the development of vocational courses to broaden the range of vocational skills gained by young people. This recommendation will be reviewed at the next key inspection.

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What has been improved since the last inspection

12. Two of the other three recommendations have been met in full. The remaining recommendation related to the improvement of telephone access for young people and their parents. Some progress has been made with an increase in telephone capacity and the availability of a receptionist during the evening. Young people are able to take private calls in a small multi- purpose room. However, phone jack points have yet to be installed in the young people's bedrooms which will provide enhanced privacy when making call.

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What has been improved since the last inspection

13. The issues raised in relation to the analysis of offending behaviour programmes and the chairing of reviews have been dealt with and practice in this respect is improving incrementally. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 7 of 17

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision was not judged. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 8 of 17

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them stay safe

14. The centre is operating at full occupancy and is currently working with some young people who are displaying particularly challenging negative behaviour. Staff and managers continue to operate good behaviour management practice. Staff are supportive to young people and display excellent appropriate professional relationships, whilst continuing to challenge inappropriate behaviour.

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them stay safe

15. There has been a recent increase in the number of physical interventions and removals from association taking place. Senior managers have moved quickly to address this and are carrying out work with all staff to look at alternative ways of dealing with some of the particularly difficult young people at the centre. The centre remains calm and well ordered with excellent embedded good practice in place which ensure the daily routines are completed appropriately.

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them stay safe

16. Removal from association is undertaken appropriately and staff attempt wherever possible to ensure that interaction is continued with young people who have being separated. Records are competed for each occurrence; these detail all monitoring of a young person during removal.

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them stay safe

17. The number of physically restrictive interventions has increased recently, although previously there had been a significant drop in the number of occurrences over an extended period. This type of intervention is used only when necessary and staff are extremely competent at attempting to diffuse situations using negotiation and diffusion techniques. All staff receive appropriate training in approved techniques and undergo regular refresher courses.

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them stay safe

18. Comprehensive and appropriately completed records are held of the use of any behaviour management procedure. There is excellent monitoring of these records. Removal from association, application of sanctions and physical restraint logs are all audited thoroughly by senior staff and managers. Data collated from these records is used to inform and develop practice as part of the quality assurance process.

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them stay safe

19. The incentive scheme has recently being amended to ensure consistency with other Rebound secure training centres. The scheme is understood by young people who are aware of the rewards which can be gained for sustained positive behaviour. Information about the scheme is available in the young person’s handbook and is also displayed in the living units. Group Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 9 of 17

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them stay safe

incentives can also be attained through a display of consistent positive behaviour by all young people in a living unit.

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them stay safe

20. Sanctions are used only when necessary and staff will use restorative practice techniques and negotiation where possible. Staff are aware of the permissible sanctions they may use and their implementation is appropriate. There has been an increase in the use of one particular sanction, where a young person looses some of the rewards they have gained for a period of 24 hours. However, there is not an overreliance on this sanction and it has been used fittingly.

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them stay safe

21. The complaints process continues to be robust. Staff receive training and young people are able to access the system easily and without recourse to staff if required. Complaints forms, which can be made available in differing formats where required, are widely available. An acknowledgement of a complaint is given to a young person within 24-hours of the receipt and an outcome response is provided extremely promptly, the majority being investigated and responded to within a week. The local authority designated officer looks at all completed complaints enabling external and transparent monitoring to be undertaken. There has been a large increase in the number of complaints made in the last month. However, many of these have been minor concerns relating to availability of juice and replacement toothbrushes for example, which could have been dealt with informally on the units. This has been recognised by the centre’s safeguarding manager, who is working

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them stay safe

with staff to bring about earlier resolution.

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them stay safe

22. Young people have regular access to visiting advocates; they are also able to request a further visit in between the planned ones if required or contact the advocates by telephone. The advocate's manager reports any matters which arise to the centre’s management and tracks the progress of any actions needed. Young people can contact a wide range of helplines through direct access from the living unit telephones. The Youth Justice Board performance monitor is available at the centre for at least two days every week and she makes herself available to speak with young people on a regular basis. A assistant monitor is also at the centre on weekdays and is available to speak with young people.

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them stay safe

23. The safeguarding procedures and structures in place are extremely robust. All staff receive safeguarding training which is regularly updated. The written procedures have been approved by the Local Safeguarding Children Board and are consistently adhered to. During the last three months there has been an increase in the number of safeguarding referrals. However, this is a proportionate increase in line with the rise in physical restraint and removal from association. The link with the local authority designated officer is exceptionally strong. All allegations are referred and discussed with the local authority officer. The working partnership in place with local child protection services is outstanding. A local authority safeguarding representative attends the monthly multi-disciplinary meetings at the centre, which reviews all Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 10 of 17

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them stay safe

incidents that have occurred. This practice is extremely transparent and offers protection for all the young people.

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them stay safe

24. There is an excellent approach to dealing with incidents of bullying. There are well-established procedures which include the completion of a tracking log and work booklets for young people involved. The logs are updated on a daily basis and are reviewed weekly by a multi-disciplinary panel. Young people know that a zero tolerance approach is operated and programmes are in place to address issues with those who may be involved.

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them stay safe

25. Risk assessments are completed for all admissions which contain details of risks a young person may present to themselves or others. Assessments are reviewed at a minimum on a weekly basis and if concerns are identified, plans are put in place to address them through a multi-disciplinary 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 or vulnerability.

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them stay safe

26. Robust and appropriate security measures are in place which ensure young people live safely in a secure environment. Well-established procedures and practices ensure that young people are only able to leave the confines of the secure facility with appropriate risk assessment, permissions and appropriate supervision.

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them stay safe

27. Well-established and thorough emergency contingency plans are in place to protect young people, staff and visitors from hazards, fire and major incidents. These are agreed with the local emergency services. There is regular monthly testing of these procedures and full practical testing is done periodically. A recent practical testing of night-time evacuation procedures raised some issues that the centre have actioned and used to improve practice and arrangements.

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them stay safe

28. Rebound has decided to train all relevant senior and middle managers to the 'silver command' level in dealing with serious incidents. A bespoke package is being developed with experts within the prison service to meet the needs of the secure training centres.

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them stay safe

29. Excellent health and safety procedures and practices continue to be in place and implemented. The detailed policy guidance and procedures are well- established and followed by staff who are well aware of their responsibilities in this respect. The centre has recently been awarded the British Safety Council International Safety Award. They also continue to hold the British Safety Council Five Star Award, which is valid for three years. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 11 of 17

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Education

The provision was not judged. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 12 of 17

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Welfare

The provision was not judged. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 13 of 17

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Helping children make a positive contribution

30. All standards under the positive contribution outcome area were inspected in full during the last inspection in December 2009. That inspection found that most standards were met and this outcome was judged as good.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

31. Managers have clearly reviewed the processes in place for the delivery and evaluation of the offending behaviour programmes (OBP). The detailed analysis, which has included young people's views on OBP, that of care staff facilitating the group sessions and of staff from the youth offending service as to the effectiveness, has proven useful. There has been an increase in the number of weekly programmes available, from 24 to 32. There are more specialist group sessions, including preventing violent extremism programmes on such topics as guns, gangs and knife crime. Key work staff continue to have regular sessions with young people on an individual basis and are provided with resources to support this work by youth offending service staff. Increased attention has been given to make sure individual young people have their resettlement needs considered as part of their OBP targets. This includes helping them gain practical vocational skills, work

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Helping children make a positive contribution

experience opportunities, and to develop interests that will improve their self esteem and give them options other than offending when they are discharged.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

32. Although efforts are made to ensure that offending behaviour sessions are meaningful to individual young people, the majority are generic. The initial assessment undertaken by teaching staff to identify the preferred learning style for individual young people is not used to inform the format of the programmes delivered to address offending behaviours and attitudes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

33. The processes for reviewing the programmes has included an OBP forum which is a multi-disciplinary group to discuss the practical aspects of delivery and developments. Reports have been written which provide an analysis of the comments received through the regular evaluation procedures and summarise the main issues and lessons learned. The centre recognises that the current format for providing OBP on a daily basis immediately after school during week days, and for an hour on both weekend days, is not the most effective way to deliver these sessions. Young people consistently indicate in the evaluation forms that they do not like the daily sessions which take place after school. They also once again repeated these views to inspectors. Young people enjoy and participate more actively in the weekend groups and in the one-to-one sessions they have with their key workers. These OBP sessions they describe as more useful, interesting and relevant to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

them. Any changes to the way in which the offending behaviour programmes are delivered require a contract revision and can only be done with the approval of the Youth Justice Board. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 14 of 17

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Helping children make a positive contribution

34. Action has been taken to improve young people's access to telephones to make and receive calls to their families or carers. A receptionist is now available during the evening period until 8.00pm to deal with incoming calls. Additional lines are also in use. 'Phone jacks' have not yet been installed in young people's bedrooms to enable incoming and outgoing calls to be made in complete privacy. The installation of these phone jacks with allocated pin numbers for approved calls had been delayed, although inspectors were informed this was imminent. As this recommendation has only been partly met it is repeated.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

35. Although young people are fully aware of the procedures for searching them and their bedrooms, some spoken with during the inspection were not clear about the circumstances when their private letters or parcels would be opened. The young people concerned confirmed that they had received a copy of the young person's guide when they were admitted and that staff explained the contents, but they could not remember with confidence the procedure for the checking and opening of mail. None of the young people in the group at the time could remember if they had kept a copy of the young people's guide and most said they thought they had thrown them away.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

36. The young person's guide indicates that mail will be searched and states that it will go through an X-ray machine. However, the circumstances when mail would be opened and searched more thoroughly are less clear. It is evident from discussions with staff and young people that if there are concerns and risk assessments to support the action, some young people's mail will be opened to ensure appropriate security. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 15 of 17

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

37. All standards under the achieving economic well-being outcome area were inspected in full during the last inspection in December 2009. That inspection found that all standards were met and services in this respect were judged as good.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

38. Staff involved in the chairing of reviews have recently received training in this process. The aim is to ensure that all staff involved in reviewing young people's progress and planning for their discharge are confident and competent to rigorously challenge external agencies about their contribution to resettlement planning.

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Helping children achieve economic wellbeing

39. Excellent training has been provided by an external trainer, which was specifically designed to meet the needs of staff at the centre involved in this process. The training was attended by a multi-disciplinary group of staff, including care staff. In addition, senior staff within the youth offending service are carrying out observations of the chairing of reviews and are feeding back in a similar process to that of lesson observations for teachers in the classroom. Three young people spoken with during the inspection, all of whom are due for discharge in the next few weeks, said they have clear plans in place for accommodation and education or training. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 16 of 17

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Management

40. The management of the centre was assessed as the last inspection as being outstanding. Although there have been changes in the senior management team due to promotional opportunities elsewhere in Rebound, this has not had a significant impact on the quality of leadership or management. The management team has addressed the recommendations from the last inspection with the usual rigour expected from the centre. Inspection report Oakhill Secure Training Centre Page 17 of 17

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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

• improve the systems currently in place for young people to have telephone contact with their family members (Positive contribution - Standard 19) • ensure that young people's assessed individual preferred learning styles are used to inform programmes delivered to address their offending behaviours and attitudes (Positive contribution - Standard 13) • revise the young people's information guide to ensure it adequately describes the circumstances when incoming mail will be opened. (Positive contribution - Standards 3 & 19)

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