Children's home run by Blackford Education (schools) Ltd in Somerset

Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 1 SC403493 Registered provider: Blackford Education (Schools) Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is experienced and qualified and has been the registered manager of the home since May 2016.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/11/2016 Full Outstanding 04/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/10/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the registered manager scrutinises restraint records to ensure that the staff’s de-escalation skills and approaches to manage children’s behaviours are effective. In addition, ensure that a plan is developed to reduce the use of restraint. 20/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that restraint records clearly detail the discussions held with staff following the use of an intervention. 30/09/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living at this home. They receive individualised care and support from a Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 4 team of staff who know them well. Staff develop positive relationships with children. Children are very relaxed in the home and value one-to-one time with the staff. For example, the inspector observed one child ‘snuggling’ into a member of staff when he was sitting watching the television. These positive interactions are akin to relationships in a family home. A child said, ‘It’s good here and the staff are nice.’ Another child agreed and said, ‘I like living here; we get to do lots of things.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thoroughly enjoy a wide range of activities, both in the home and in the wider community. An abundance of games and toys are available to children. Two children gave a rating of eight out of 10 for the quality of the activities. Children really like the new playroom and said that they enjoy using it. All of the children attend local clubs, based on their individual hobbies. One child spoke to the inspector about his recent holiday to Florida with other children and staff within the organisation. He said, ‘I loved it; it was the first time I had been on an aeroplane.’ The activities provided in this home benefit children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to be more independent. For example, children are encouraged to make their own snacks and drinks. A child said, ‘I can make my own breakfast; that’s good.’ Children like the food and have lots of choices. Children are healthy, and a healthy lifestyle is encouraged.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children attend the organisation’s school. Their attendance is good, and they are doing well relative to their starting points. Children receive specialist support according to their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have left the home. This was because leaders and managers identified that the home could no longer meet their needs. Leaders and managers worked closely with the children’s local authorities to support the children to stay living in other homes within the same organisation, until alternative accommodation could be found. As a result, children experienced a sensitive and well-planned move to another children’s home. These children continued to receive support from staff they knew well until alternative accommodation could be found.

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improvement to be good

Generally, the registered manager undertakes a thorough evaluation of restraint records and looks for triggers and trends. She evaluates the appropriateness of interventions used in order to ensure that the measure is only used as a last resort. Although there has been a significant reduction in the use of restraint in recent months, closer scrutiny of restraint records is needed to ensure that the de-escalation skills and techniques that staff use are always effective.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager ensures that discussions with children take place after restraint has been used. However, leaders and managers do not ensure that they keep a record of the discussions with staff after they have used restraint. This does not demonstrate that reflective practice has taken place following the use of an intervention or if any Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 5 lessons have been learned.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers take prompt action when safeguarding concerns arise. They communicate safeguarding matters to safeguarding agencies and other professionals effectively. Comprehensive records are kept and demonstrate an effective audit trail. All staff have received safeguarding training and have a good awareness of safeguarding processes.

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improvement to be good

If children go missing from the home, staff take effective action to ensure that they return safely. Children’s safety is paramount. Leaders and managers work diligently with parents and local authorities and act in the best interests of children. The registered manager ensures that children receive an independent return home interview. The outcome of these interviews assists staff to identify strategies to help children.

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improvement to be good

Children are safeguarded by an effective recruitment and selection process. Prior to prospective staff being appointed to the home, they undertake a ‘shadow shift’ and spend time with the children. The children then provide written feedback on the prospective staff members’ suitability. Before appointments take place, this information is taken into consideration.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager ensures that children stay in a safe and well-maintained home. Due to the remote location of this home, the locality risk assessment identifies actions to be taken in extreme weather conditions to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has the experience, qualifications and skills to carry out her role effectively. Overall, she has a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and has undertaken a review of the quality of care provided. A further review is due imminently. The registered manager responds effectively to recommendations made by the independent visitor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This inspection has identified that further scrutiny of restraint records is required to ensure that the de-escalations skills and techniques that staff use are always effective and eliminate the need to use restraint. A senior manager has recognised this matter and said that a review of behaviour management and the use of interventions is planned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with comprehensive placement plans, risk assessments and children’s personal targets that give them clear guidance about how to meet the needs of the children. These documents are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they address children’s current needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that staff receive regular mandatory training and specialist training that meets the needs of the children. Staff said that they feel well supported. Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 6 As part of the home’s quality assurance, leaders and managers seek children’s and professionals’ views and opinions about the quality of the service provision. Feedback is very positive from children and other interested stakeholders. The registered manager ensures that children’s complaints are dealt with effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, significant improvements have been made to the home’s environment. This includes redecoration of children’s bedrooms, new carpets in the main lounge and downstairs hallways and additional soft furnishings. The home provides a homely and welcoming environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The five requirements and three recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blackford Education (Schools) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Blackford House, Blackford, Minehead TA24 8SY

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Inspector

David Kidner, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 8 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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