Children's home run by Bristol City Council

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061232 1 SC061232

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Bristol City Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home is registered for up to five children aged up to 18 who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned in March 2019. She has recently returned to manage the home and her application to register with Ofsted is in progress.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as inadequate at the last full inspection on 8 and 9 July 2019. A compliance notice under regulation 6: the quality and purpose of care standard was issued. This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the actions taken by the provider to improve and to comply with the notice.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, Ofsted judges that sufficient progress has been made in a number of areas and that the compliance notice under regulation 6 is met. However, insufficient action has been taken to prioritise the well-being and safety of the children. As a result of this visit, a further compliance notice is issued under regulation 12: the protection of children standard.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not applied sufficient rigour to addressing some of the high- risk/concerning shortfalls. Concerns remain about the serious risk-taking behaviours of one child. As a result of these behaviours, other children in the home do not feel safe. Progress to review and revise important documents relating to risks and behaviour management is too slow. Care plans have been updated but these documents fail to set out the pertinent issues and do not provide sufficient direction to staff.

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This monitoring visit

Missing-from-home protocols, although updated, remain weak in terms of the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061232 2 specific actions required to keep children safe. However, recent missing-from-home incidents demonstrate that staff are taking more action to search for children and return them to the home. Return home interviews are not always carried out in a timely way; a more proactive approach to pursuing these is required.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken some positive steps towards addressing other concerns raised by Ofsted. Repairs to the building have been carried out and a system has been introduced to ensure that future damage to the property is repaired quickly.

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This monitoring visit

Until very recently, one child was spending time away from the home, including overnight. Clarification has been sought from social workers to confirm that this child is to reside at the home and not elsewhere. However, the details of this arrangement remain unclear and these are not set out in the child’s care plan.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have started to introduce measures to ensure that the staff team understands and implements boundaries for children. Some very positive work has been carried out to engage and support the children. Overall, key-working sessions are proving to be helpful in terms of driving the team to be more effective in their engagement with children. Ongoing work to develop and embed these areas is required.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have developed their approach to supervising and training the staff team. Although further work is required, opportunities for reflective practice and developing the team’s approach to providing care are apparent.

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This monitoring visit

A further full inspection will be undertaken to review the remaining requirements and recommendations, and to assess the actions taken to address the compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061232 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/07/2019 Full Inadequate 26/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/08/2018 Full Good 17/01/2018 Interim Not judged Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061232 4

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv)(vi)(ix)) 09/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard 09/10/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061232 5 The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; and

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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.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a) (ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(x)) 12: The protection of children standard*

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to 09/10/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061232 6 protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe

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Requirement Due date

and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v) and (b)) 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 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home and ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(c)(f)(h)) 09/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

34: Policies for the protection of children

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular, provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061232 7  Where there is a possibility that a child will run away or go missing from a children’s home placement, their placement plan should include a strategy to minimise this risk. If the child is looked-after, their care plan (arranged by their placing authority) should include such a strategy. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.24)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph

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Recommendations

9.30)  When establishing the home, the registered person must ensure that it is suitably located so that children are effectively safeguarded and can access services to meet needs identified in their relevant plans (see regulations 12(2)(c)). Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. Providers should refer to the non-statutory advice about the location assessment process: Children’s homes regulation amendments 2014: Advice for children’s homes providers on new duties under regulations that came in to effect in January and April 2014. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061232 8

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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: SC061232 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bristol City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Director of Legal Services, City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR

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Inspectors

Paula Lahey, social care inspector Michelle Oxley, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC061232 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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