Children's home run by Bristol City Council

Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 1 SC067151 Registered provider: Bristol City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority and provides short breaks for up to five children with learning disabilities and/or complex health needs.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has two registered managers. One has been in post since April 2018 and is currently on parental leave. The other has been registered since April 2021.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 11 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2019 Full Good 27/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/07/2018 Full Good 11/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Staff have built strong and positive relationships with the children and know them well. Children receive consistent care from staff who treat them with dignity and respect. The inspectors observed lots of laughter in the home and children having fun. Children take part in a range of positive and purposeful activities and are looking forward to a trip to the circus during the summer holidays.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s plans and records require improvement. Currently, goal setting for children lacks clarity, and it is not clear how children will be supported to achieve these goals. Not all children have a current education, health and care plan. In addition, staff from the home are not consistently invited to children’s reviews, so they are unable to provide feedback which may influence a child’s future plans.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are appropriately managed. Clear and comprehensive plans are in place for children who have specific health conditions, such as epilepsy. These plans include input from the lead medical professional.

p.3

improvement to be good

There is a lack of early engagement from adult services for those children who are approaching 18 years old. The registered manager has raised this with her senior managers within the local authority but has not officially escalated her concerns with adult services. In addition, children who will be leaving or have left the home have no transition plans.

p.3

improvement to be good

Risk assessments for children moving into the home require improvement as they do not currently reflect the potential risks the existing children could present to a new child. Also, they do not assess the skills of the staff team to meet the needs of the new child.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s views are sought and acted on where possible. Staff use individualised communication methods to obtain their views. However, the registered manager has identified that this area of practice could be improved.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff provide children with a comfortable home. There are lots of toys, games, and a well-equipped sensory room. Staff personalise the bedroom for each child coming into the home. They place photos of the child, their family and pets, and the child’s favourite items in their room. However, there is a significant number of health and safety/fire signs on display, which detracts from the homely feel the staff have created. In addition, further work is required in the garden to make it an appealing place for children to spend time.

p.3

improvement to be good

Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 4 Risk is appropriately managed. Staff have a good understanding of the risks for each child and take effective action to mitigate these. However, risk assessments require improvement as they do not consistently provide clear guidance for staff, which could lead to inconsistency of practice. This has already been identified by the registered manager.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding and are aware of their responsibilities. Most safeguarding records are clear and evidence that appropriate action is taken where required. The exception to this relates to body charts. These are completed, when required, but there is a lack of clarity on what follow-up actions have been taken or where these actions, if taken, have been recorded.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children’s behaviours are appropriately managed. Children’s behaviour support plans are current and provide clear guidance for staff. Restraint is rarely used. However, records of restraint require improvement. Staff do not consistently record the duration of each hold, and some records lack clarity regarding the event. In addition, the registered manager’s monitoring and review of these records are insufficient as she does not evaluate or analyse the actions taken by the staff. There is also a lack of evidence of meaningful conversations with children or staff after a restraint.

p.4

improvement to be good

No new staff have been recruited since the previous inspection. However, a nurse has been temporarily working in the home to support a child. The registered manager has not ensured that she has the necessary information about this person to ensure that they are suitably recruited.

p.4

improvement to be good

Fire safety requires improvement. Two fire doors were found to be slow to close when activated. In addition, fire drills are not held frequently enough to ensure that each child practises an evacuation drill. Some children have not, which means that staff do not have an accurate understanding of the support they may need or how they may respond during an emergency.

p.4

good

The management monitoring and oversight of the home require improvement.

p.4

good

While leaders and managers understand the strengths of the home, they have not identified all the areas for improvement found at this inspection.

p.4

good

The staff team is very positive about the leadership and the support the registered manager provides. Permanent staff receive supervision, but temporary staff do not. Records of staff supervision vary in quality and do not always show that discussions have taken place after significant events.

p.4

good

Staff receive a range of training. Training information is stored across several documents, which does not aid the manager’s monitoring or evidence if training Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 5 provided meets the children’s needs. In addition, the workforce development plan does not provide an accurate or helpful summary of staff training.

p.4

good

The inspectors received very positive feedback from other professionals and parents, who praised the staff for how they have supported the children to make good progress, especially in their communication skills.

p.5

good

The registered manager consults with parents but not consistently enough to be effective.

p.5

good

The current statement of purpose and the children’s guide need updating as they do not contain information about changes in the leadership team.

p.5

good

The registered manager’s six-monthly review of the home contains a lot of information. However, their evaluation and analysis lack depth to aid in the development of the home. In addition, the independent person visits the home monthly but the time they spend with the children is very limited. Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 6

p.5

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.6

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

Seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5(d)) 30 September

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In addition, ensure that children’s risk assessments contain clear guidance and strategies for staff on how to mitigate and reduce risks. 30 September Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 7 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.7

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

In addition, leaders and managers must ensure that any consultation with parents is consistent, recorded effectively and used to further develop the home. 30 September

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

p.7

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and 30 September Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 8 notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

p.8

Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(d)) 30 September

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the required information is held about other professionals who come into the home to care for specific children. 30 September

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.8

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

p.8

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that: bank staff receive regular supervision; all supervision records are of a good quality; training records are clear and aid the manager’s monitoring. 30 September Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 9 The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

p.8

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.9

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 30 September

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

p.9

Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45 (1) (3))

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, the written report must consistently demonstrate an analysis and evaluation of the work undertaken at the home. 29 October 2021

p.9

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the environment is homely and does not present an ‘institutional’ impression. For example, the number of health and safety signs in the home should be reviewed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children and staff are provided with the opportunity to reflect on incidents, particularly when restraint has been used. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.60)  The registered person should carry out a risk assessment on all new children prior to them coming to the home. This should include the risks a new child potentially presents to children already living at the home and the risk children already living at the home potentially present to the new child. This risk assessment should include how the identified risks will be mitigated by staff. (‘Guide to the children’s

p.9

Recommendations

homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that body map records are clear, identify what follow-up actions have been taken and be crossed-referenced with any associated documents. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 10  The registered person should ensure that the independent person spends more time with the children to enable them to report effectively on the quality of care provided and relationships between children and staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

p.9

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC067151 11

p.10

Children’s home details

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

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered managers: Victoria Poole-Smit and Zoey Strode

p.11

Inspectors

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Justine Hosking, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC067151 12 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.

p.11

Inspectors

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.12

Inspectors

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

p.12

Inspectors

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

p.12