Children's Home run by Branas Isaf (Holdings) Ltd in Herefordshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 1 Registered provider: Branas Isaf (holdings) 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 is owned by a private organisation. It specialises in providing therapeutic services for boys up to the age of 18 who present with sexually harmful behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager been registered with Ofsted since July 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 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—

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.(Regulation 13 (1)(2)((c)) 28/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and 28/02/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 4 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

(Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(3)(d)) The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure effective care planning for young people. Currently, six young people live at the home. Since the last inspection, four young people have moved out of the home. Staff ensure that young people experience well-planned transitions to move in and out of the home. Staff support young people with their independence skills, so they are well prepared for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most young people are engaged in therapeutic work for their sexually harmful behaviours. As a result, young people make substantial emotional progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy a full range of activities, both inside and outside of the home, such as going to the gym, attending music clubs, cadets and undertaking volunteering.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a high level of support and supervision to help the young people overcome their difficulties. This ensures that young people are supported to develop safe relationships with one another. One social worker told the inspector that ‘Staff take a person-centred approach and adapt their plans to meet the young person’s needs. I have found staff to be highly skilled and well trained, open and honest in their work.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are making progress with their education. At the time of the inspection, five young people were attending school or college full time. Young people’s attendance rates are good and young people are making progress academically.

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

Young people make good progress in keeping themselves safe. They engage in therapy sessions to help them understand their behaviour and risks. Staff liaise well with other professionals, such as teachers and the police, to manage and reduce risks.

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

Young people feel safe and describe having positive relationships with staff. Staff keep young people safe and prevent serious incidents occurring. Staff achieve this by having a thorough understanding of each young person, adhering consistently to clear Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 5 boundaries, and establishing meaningful relationships with young people. Staff encourage positive behaviour by celebrating young people’s successes, however small.

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

Young people do not go missing. Nevertheless, staff understand the relevant procedures and have good links with the local police. Staff address sensitive issues in well-planned key-work sessions and appropriately challenge young people’s behaviours.

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

Team meetings and staff handovers are thorough. Staff use these to reflect on any incidents or changes in young people’s presentation. This means that staff have a comprehensive understanding of all young people’s needs.

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

Managers do not always ensure that all safer recruitment checks are completed prior to new staff starting in post. On occasion, managers have failed to verify all previous posts where staff have worked with children or vulnerable adults. This means that managers cannot be certain that staff are safe to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is currently on maternity leave. In her absence, an interim manager and trainee manager are overseeing the home. The responsible individual supports them. The change in management has not impacted on the care provided to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers understand their roles and responsibilities in caring for young people. They take swift action to address issues as they arise, for example seeking appropriate education provisions for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have systems and processes in place to monitor the home and progress of young people. They lead the service by engaging staff, young people and professionals effectively. The managers regularly seek feedback and use this to make improvements to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home. They support each other and are also well supported by their managers. Staff receive regular supervision. However, some staff members are providing supervision without completing training in delivering supervision. This may compromise the quality of supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to a wide variety of training. However, not all staff have completed training on certain topics, such as county lines, child sexual exploitation and managing challenging behaviours. This means that there are gaps in some staff members’ knowledge.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 6 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: 1257074 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Branas Isaf (holdings) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Branas Isaf (holdings) Limited, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1257074 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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