Children's Home run by Bramley Care Limited in West Sussex

Inspection report children’s home: SC484133 1 SC484133 Registered provider: Bramley Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home can accommodate up to six boys and is owned and operated by a private organisation that specialises in the assessment and treatment of young men who may have experienced some form of abuse, and who have been involved in perpetrating abusive behaviour themselves.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 17 to 18 September 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account Outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected Good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 5 September 2017

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC484133 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/09/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/10/2016 Full Good 15/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC484133 3

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Recommendations

 It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4) In particular, ensure that therapists’ views on the potential impact that new admissions may have on the young people’s group are recorded clearly. Inspection report children’s home: SC484133 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people thrive at this home and enjoy the safety and nurturing it provides. They make exceptional progress and take advantage of the opportunities presented to them. They are appreciative of the high levels of support and the chance to be able to reflect upon their previous behaviours and learn how to address them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The culture in the home is open and encourages a shared group experience in which behaviours are openly discussed. This enables the young people to develop insight into how they are behaving and what strategies can be developed to help them progress. Young people are unanimous about how this process has helped them to develop their awareness and become more responsible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Open communication between adults and the young people ensures that the young people’s views are valued and encouraged. They have numerous adults to whom they can voice concerns if they do not wish to use the group meetings. Young people feel they have a meaningful role to play in the running of the home and in helping each other to make progress in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Attendance at school and college is an accepted part of daily life. Progress made by the young people is excellent, especially when considering their starting points. Most of the young people have been unable to attend school on a full-time basis due to concerns about their behaviours in their communities. Consequently, most have a disrupted educational history with poor attendance and achievement. The staff ensure that the young people all now benefit from full-time education at the school run by the organisation. As a result, many have passed exams and gone on to college for vocational courses. This has helped them to develop their self-esteem and confidence and improved their life chances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All young people receive the healthcare they need. Members of staff ensure that they attend routine appointments and support the young people in learning to look after themselves and live healthy lifestyles. Their emotional and psychological well-being is promoted to an excellent standard. Regular sessions with psychologists and therapists enable them to reflect on their past. In turn, they learn from this experience as a way to implement strategies with a view to integrating safely into their wider communities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Each young person has an individual plan on how they are to develop their independence skills. While the opportunities to be independent and unsupervised in the community are sometimes limited, they all learn life skills to prepare them for this eventuality. The sense of community and shared responsibility means that the young people will help each other in achieving tasks such as cooking and budgeting, especially if they see a peer is struggling. This enforces the sense that they have a responsibility for each other and that they can have a positive impact on each other’s lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Before each new admission to the home, the registered manager assesses the impact on Inspection report children’s home: SC484133 5 the group dynamics. While the assessment includes the views of staff at the school, the therapists who work with the young people have not evidenced their views in written form. This is a missed opportunity for members of staff to gain therapists’ views of the potential impact on the home when a new young person comes there to live. While this has not had an impact on the effectiveness of the staff, recording these views would provide greater insight and may influence planning of admissions.

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

The structures and routines of this home help the young people to feel supported and safe. Young people praised the efforts made by staff to help them feel secure and cared for. The culture in the home and the staff’s awareness ensure that young people’s safety is very well protected.

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

All staff are trained in safeguarding matters and know what to do and who to inform if there is a concern. This is followed in practice, and necessary agencies are promptly informed should any issues arise. Feedback from external professionals, regarding the staff communication and approach, is excellent. Additionally, group supervision of staff provided by therapists helps the staff to reflect on the behaviours and challenges of working with this group of young people. This ensures that the staff are aware of any potential risks and how they can manage them if they arise.

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

No young people have been missing from this home since the last inspection in September 2017. Staff are alert to possible risks should a young person be missing and provide high levels of support and supervision. All members of staff know what process to follow for each young person should they go missing.

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

Young people are very clear that members of staff offer them close support if they are struggling with any aspects of their behaviour. This ensures that any concerns and anxieties are addressed and, consequently, the behaviour of the young people is very settled. There has been one incident of physical restraint in a year and this was of a very minor nature. The individual support given to young people who self-harm has been highly effective. As a result, incidents have diminished significantly and when they have occurred they have been far less serious. ‘I have people here I can lean on,’ said one young person.

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

Young people understand the home’s behaviour management plans and this helps them to improve their behaviours and earn rewards. If sanctions are applied, these are fair and proportionate. The young people think that the rules in their home are fair and reasonable. The open culture of the home encourages young people and adults to discuss behaviours openly and this encourages honesty and an ability to reflect on how their actions can affect their small community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Inspection report children’s home: SC484133 6 Young people and members of staff spoke highly about the care and support they receive from the manager. ‘She is with us a lot, not in the office,’ said a young person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The excellent role modelling shown by the registered manager embeds a culture of high expectation and aspiration for young people and staff. As a result, high standards are achieved, and young people benefit immensely from living in a well-organised home which is strongly led.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff are highly motivated and enjoy working with the young people. They receive a wide range of training and enjoy the support given to them by the manager and by the organisation’s therapists. All receive regular supervision. This includes supervision with therapists which gives all members of staff a chance to reflect on their roles, the dynamics and behaviours of the young people and an increased awareness of working with young people who may have sexually harmful behaviours. Consequently, they are able to perform their roles with confidence and diligence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Some members of staff have not received the written records of supervision in a timely manner. While this has not had an impact on their performance or effectiveness, it does not always enable them to prepare sufficiently for their upcoming supervision sessions and to reflect upon their last session.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Each young person’s progress, and their response to the opportunities they have to address their past behaviours, is carefully and closely monitored. This means that interventions and strategies can be adapted and changed if needed. Each young person is a valued individual who has their needs planned for and met by a motivated and knowledgeable team. This results in young people feeling that they matter and that their progress is important to the adults, who genuinely care for them and about them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager works closely and effectively with external professionals and agencies. Feedback from these sources has been overwhelmingly positive. She has challenged decisions made by placing authorities and advocates strongly on behalf of young people in order to promote better outcomes for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of the home and motivates members of staff to address any shortfalls. For example, the whole team reflects on incidents to ensure that there is a learning opportunity and a willingness to learn from any mistakes. This approach ensures that staff are not complacent and that opportunities to develop practice are welcomed and shared.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC484133 7 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: SC484133 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bramley Care Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Paul Taylor, social care inspector Anne Marie Davies, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC484133 9 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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