Children's home run by Tumblewood Project Limited in Wiltshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC028435 1 SC028435 Registered provider: Tumblewood Project Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

 The home can provide care for up to 15 children aged between nine and 17 years old. At the time of this inspection, six children were living at the home.  Care is currently provided in two houses, although four houses are available. The houses are located on the same site as the school.  The home provides an integrated, systemic programme of care, therapeutic work and education to address early developmental trauma and attachment difficulties.  The deputy manager was appointed to the manager’s role to cover a period of leave and she has applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the inspection in July 2018, inspectors noted that incidents when children went missing together and were causing harm to one another had decreased significantly. Since August 2018, four new children have moved into the home. Although leaders and managers followed individualised plans to introduce these children to the home, there have been incidents during this time when children have been at risk of harm, including Inspection report children’s home: SC028435 2 incidents of children going missing together, harming one another and damaging the environment. Actions taken to prevent incidents from occurring have not been sufficiently effective.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers notified Ofsted that on eight occasions children had gone missing from the home together. On too many occasions, children have verbally and/or physically harmed one another. Incidents of children joining together to disrupt the home and damage property have also occurred. These incidents have a detrimental impact on children, as they place them at risk of harm and at risk of increased police involvement.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not always implement effective strategies to protect children and to prevent them from harming one another. On two separate occasions, three children grouped together to intimidate, threaten and attempt to physically harm a fourth child. Staff interventions to prevent the incidents from occurring were unsuccessful. On each of these occasions, the child being targeted was unable to sleep in their own bedroom that night. During one of these incidents, a child told staff that she was scared and threatened to harm herself.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection in July 2018, inspectors noted that police involvement in the home had reduced. However, since the last inspection, inspectors noted eight incidents when staff called the police to the home because they were unable to successfully manage the children’s behaviours.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

On one occasion, police made three arrests resulting in children spending time in police custody. Two incident records also provide examples of staff advising children that they would phone the police to manage their behaviours yet not carrying out this action. Although children had complied with staff’s requests without the police being called, this approach indicates to children that staff are not in control of the situation. While there is a joint policy in place to work with the police, leaders and managers have not been effective in maintaining minimal police involvement in the home. Leaders, managers and staff have been unable to maintain the progress seen at the previous inspection to prevent children from harming one another.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff respond effectively when children go missing from the home and in response to disclosures made by children. On two occasions when children said that they would hurt themselves on the nearby railway track, staff liaised promptly and appropriately with the police to safeguard the children.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

When children are not making progress, leaders and managers take remedial action to help them to get back on track. For example, additional support is being provided to a child to help her to use her mobile phone safely once again. Leaders and managers are appropriately reviewing the placement of another child who is not fully engaged in the therapeutic programme.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the previous inspection, three children have moved out of the home. These moves were planned appropriately as part of children’s care plans and were successfully Inspection report children’s home: SC028435 3 executed. Children who have left the home keep in touch to maintain the relationships that they had with staff.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s bedrooms and living spaces, including the lounges and dining areas, are homely and personalised. When damage occurs to the home, leaders and managers ensure that it is repaired swiftly.

p.3

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since October 2018, the registered manager has been on leave. The deputy manager was successfully appointed to the manager’s role, and she has applied to register with Ofsted. Staff say that they feel supported by leaders and managers.

p.3

and young people since the most recent full inspection

A social worker who provided feedback to inspectors spoke positively about the progress that they feel their child is making since living here. The social worker also spoke positively about how effectively staff worked with the child, family and placing authority to move the child into the home.

p.3

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The two recommendations from the previous inspection are met.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/07/2018 Full Good 01/11/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 04/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/01/2017 Full Requires improvement

p.3

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on–

p.3

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. 29/03/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC028435 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff–

p.3

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.4

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.4

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

p.4

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

p.4

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

p.4

Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying Inspection report children’s home: SC028435 5 and how to deal with them; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c), (2)(a)(i–xiii)) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff–

p.5

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.5

Requirement Due date

(b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(iv)(b)) 29/03/2019

p.5

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 difference 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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.5

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: SC028435 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Tumblewood Project Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 The Laurels, Hawkeridge Road, Heywood, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 4LF

p.6

Inspector(s)

Nicola Lownds, social care inspector Paula Lahey, regulatory inspection manager Inspection report children’s home: SC028435 7 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.

p.6

Inspector(s)

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector(s)

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector(s)

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

p.7