Children's Home, Residential special school run by The Sheiling Special Education Trust in Dorset

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472485 1 SC472485

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The Sheiling Special Education Trust

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is part of an independent residential special school which is registered as a children’s home. The school is run according to principles inspired by Rudolf Steiner. The home provides accommodation and personal care for up to 31 children and young people who have learning disabilities. Some may also have a physical disability.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was conducted because Ofsted received whistle-blowing concerns about the service. These concerns relate to one child and the difficulties that the staff team is experiencing in managing this child’s behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

The staff team has successfully engaged and cared for the child concerned for many years. However, recently, the child’s behaviour has changed. As a result, frequent, volatile incidents occur. The staff team members report feeling scared and unsupported by senior managers. As a result of these incidents, staff team members have sustained injuries, some of these injuries are of a serious nature.

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This monitoring visit

Staff members report feeling ill-equipped and unable to protect themselves. On two occasions, difficult incidents have resulted in staff resorting to the use of unauthorised physical restraint techniques. These techniques fall outside of the method of less restrictive restraint that is ordinarily used at this service. Restraint records lack the required information. The length of time that the child is held is not always included in the restraint record.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to notify Ofsted about the child’s escalating behaviour and the associated injuries to members of staff. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472485 2 Managers recognise the seriousness of the situation and are working with the child’s placing authority to find the child a new home. Managers will review their approach to dealing with this difficult situation and will provide Ofsted with a copy of the review.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/11/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 23/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472485 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

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)) 28/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (3)(e)) 28/02/2019

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472485 4

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Sheiling Special Education Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Horton Road, Ashley, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 2EB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Corine Van Barneveld

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Inspector(s)

Michelle Oxley, regulatory inspection manager Paula Lahey, regulatory inspection manager Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472485 5 to 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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