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 boys who have experienced trauma.

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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: 12 to 13 November 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 17 September 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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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

17/09/2018 Full Outstanding 05/09/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC484133 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s records are kept up to date and are of good quality. 31/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which— is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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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 liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home; provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located; provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged abuse or neglect occurred; provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response; 31/12/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC484133 4 describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34(1)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that placing authorities are informed of any safeguarding issues promptly. The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out— how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35(1)(a)(b)(2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that specific behaviour management strategies are recorded in each child’s care plan. 31/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that Ofsted is informed of any serious incidents in a timely manner. 31/12/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC484133 5

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Recommendations

 Children must feel safe and be safe. Staff should support children to be aware of and manage their own safety both inside and outside the home to the extent that any good parent would. Staff should help children to understand how to protect themselves, feel protected and to be protected from harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9) This is with specific reference to ensuring that children are able to develop their skills and responsibilities with regard to accessing the internet.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This is with specific reference to ensuring that records such as end-of-shift debrief sessions are completed accurately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people feel valued and cared for. They have very strong trust in the adults who care for them and are particularly positive about the registered manager and her deputy. They have a strong sense of living together in a community where they have an active role to play and have confidence that their views are valued and responded to. ‘I’m completely different than when I came, I’ve grown up so much’, said a young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The trust young people develop builds a foundation on which they can consider their past histories and behaviours in a reflective and honest manner. This helps them to accept therapy and guidance which assist them in their journeys to independence and in making more positive choices and lifestyles. Consequently, they make significant progress and gain in confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from receiving individual care from a team of staff who clearly know them very well. The care provided is carefully thought through and plans identify young people’s strengths, weaknesses and areas in which they need to develop. Some of the young people’s written behaviour management plans are lacking detail. This shortfall does not impact on the young people because all of the staff working with them have insight into the triggers for their behaviours and have built strong, understanding relationships with them over time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The value of education is embedded as part of the ethos and routine of the home. As a Inspection report children‟s home: SC484133 6 result, attendance at school is high and the young people make progress in education, take exams and gain qualifications.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Enriching activities are encouraged and promoted. This is not only because the activities develop the young people’s s confidence and self-esteem, but also because they give the young people opportunities to test out their coping strategies and independence. Unsupervised free time is gradually earned. The risks are assessed carefully by staff, therapists and other relevant professionals in the organisation, such as teachers and psychologists. This ensures that the process is supportive, nurturing and not rushed. In turn, this keeps the young people safe, develops their awareness and helps them to manage potential risks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The process which helps young people move into the home is carefully thought through. This includes a period of assessment and a week’s stay so that both the young person and the organisation can agree that the placement will meet their needs. Importantly, each young person makes a personal commitment to working with the staff and therapists before coming to live here. This ensures that there is investment from the young person, and that they acknowledge that they have issues in their life which need to be addressed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Very good support is provided for the young people in maintaining contact with their families. This support takes into account the challenges some of these visits can pose. The staff’s commitment and sensitivity in this area is a strength of this service.

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improvement to be good

Young people said that they feel safe and listened to. They are all aware of who they can approach if they have concerns or complaints, and said that they appreciate the guidance and advice they receive from the staff.

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improvement to be good

Support from members of staff and therapists helps young people to understand their backgrounds and traumas, vulnerabilities and risk-taking behaviours. Consequently, they develop greater understanding of themselves and this helps them to self-regulate and to learn new strategies. All the young people are very clear that living at this home has helped them to develop insight and understand their responsibilities.

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improvement to be good

Young people develop their independence skills at a rate which is in line with their risks and knowledge. Unsupervised time away from the home is only increased after careful support and planning from therapists, teachers and key-working staff. Access to the internet is very limited. This means that some of the young people cannot access day-to- day services, such as websites that assist them in looking for jobs or applying for benefits. The current approach is risk averse and does not help the young people to develop their responsibilities or increase their independence in this area. Managers acknowledge this shortfall and are planning to increase access in line with perceived risks. Inspection report children‟s home: SC484133 7 Staff understand the young people very well. Consequently, they know what strategies to use in order to help them manage difficult situations and de-escalate young people’s

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improvement to be good

anxiety or anger. This knowledge and use of chosen strategies, while very skilfully put into practice, is not recorded in the young people’s care plans. This means that new members of staff or agency workers may not be aware of the best strategies to use.

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improvement to be good

Conflict management techniques are very well implemented. A strength of the home is the emphasis on group living and the importance of community meetings. These meetings are held every day. They are a well-used opportunity for the young people to discuss their feelings and to voice their concerns about any dynamics, niggles or bullying. This approach ensures constant reflection and provides a forum where differences can be safely voiced and explored.

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improvement to be good

On the whole, members of staff know what to do and who to inform if they have concerns about a young person’s welfare. On one occasion, there was a delay in informing a social worker about a concern raised by a young person. The situation was dealt with quickly and effectively by the registered manager and her deputy. Although the young person was supported and reassured, there was an unnecessary delay in informing the placing authority. This shortfall was acknowledged by the registered manager and was being rectified during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of young people going missing from the home are rare, and only one has occurred since the last inspection. However, there are clear arrangements and protocols in place which outline what steps need to be taken if a young person is missing. On four occasions, young people have left their school without permission and members of staff from the home have been actively involved in helping them return safely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager demonstrates a strong sense of ambition and has high expectations of her staff and the young people for whom she cares. As a result, staff and young people feel that they are valued and that there is a strong shared community ethos of helping each other. Young people spoke highly of the registered manager, and value her care and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and her deputy work hard with the other staff to ensure consistency and stability for the young people. This has meant that their efforts have been focused on ensuring that standards of care and support are of a good standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A number of people have been offered jobs and are due to start working at the home. The covering of shifts by the managers in the interim has meant that the monitoring of records has not been maintained. Consequently, some records do not contain the detail needed. Although this has not impacted on the welfare of the young people, there are gaps in records which have not been recognised or amended in a timely manner. For example, the content of some shift debriefs is scant and some behaviour management Inspection report children‟s home: SC484133 8 plans are lacking detail.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records of supervision have improved. The issues discussed are covered more comprehensively and it is clear that supervision happens regularly. This means that staff have their practice assessed and any issues can be addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

On two occasions, the registered manager has not informed Ofsted of significant incidents. While the young people’s welfare has been protected and promoted in these instances, there has been a delay in Ofsted becoming aware.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager advocates strongly on behalf of the young people in her care. This is especially evident in her attempts to ensure that transitions from the home are paced at a rate with which young people can cope, and are able to meet their needs. This underpins the young people’s belief that they are genuinely cared for and that they have a reliable and trustworthy advocate who will strongly support them.

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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: SC484133 9

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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 Kelly Monniot: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC484133 10 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

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