Children's home run by Bristol City Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2567722 1 Registered provider: Bristol City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides care for up to two children, aged up to 18, with social and emotional needs. There is currently one child living here.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 22 and 23 September 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2567722 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2567722 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have created a warm and nurturing home for the child who lives here. There are plenty of games and toys and the child’s artwork is on display. There is a well-maintained garden. Staff and the child have created a vegetable bed, complete with a home-made scarecrow. The child enjoys the use of the trampoline and likes to watch the squirrels who visit the picnic table.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the child well. The manager and staff work hard to build positive and respectful relationships with the child. They create achievable routines and boundaries for her. Staff are vigilant in their record keeping. They are quick to identify and to take effective action in respect of any new issues for the child. For example, staff have clinical supervision to agree strategies to help the child. They are currently working with the child to help her to develop healthy eating habits and are building a daily meal planner.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have built a foundation of trust and safety around the child, so that she is more able to accept boundaries and challenge to some behaviours. They listen carefully to her views and respond consistently to her needs. As a result, incidents involving the child have significantly reduced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported the child to build positive relationships with neighbours. This included helping a neighbour with her shopping and hosting a successful charity coffee and cake morning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good relationship with the child’s family. They support the child to have regular family visits. Staff have made a memory book for the child. It contains photos of the child’s activities and her special family moments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have helped the child to progress in all areas of her life. Staff work effectively with other professionals to make sure that the child’s education and health needs are met. They contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings to plan for the child’s future and to make sure that her views are taken into account.

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

The manager and staff keep the child safe. The child knows that staff will be available for her and care about her. They carefully evaluate the risk to the child and act proportionately to address any identified harmful behaviours. Staff consistently implement strategies around her behaviour.

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

The manager and staff understand the nature and extent of the risks that face the child. Staff are vigilant and compassionate in their approach to caring for her. This Inspection report for children’s home: 2567722 4 has reduced the frequency and seriousness of incidents of harm. For example, there are less unplanned occasions where the child leaves the home.

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

Leaders and managers learn from past safeguarding incidents and adapt their practice to make the child safer. For example, staff have received additional training to find other strategies to support the child’s behaviour. This has reduced the number of incidents of restraint and the child is more settled.

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

The manager and staff help the child to manage her own safety and to build her resilience. For example, she likes to play computer games. Staff monitor the risks and balance them against the benefits to her of making social contacts with other young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff show ambition for the child. They increase her experience and confidence by introducing her to new activities. They celebrate her achievements. For example, the local authority’s children’s magazine will publish the child’s artwork in recognition of her talent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers regularly consider the quality of care provided to the child. The manager is experienced, and his review of the child’s records is highly effective. The home has been selected to carry out a pilot of a new local authority case management system to develop further the internal recording system. The manager also uses external monitoring well to ensure that high standards of care for the child are maintained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the managers and staff kept good morale. They have been able to adapt their practice and to create staff rotas that minimised the risk of disrupting the child’s routine. The manager and staff support one another and hold regular team meetings to ensure that they consistently meet the child’s needs. However, manager and staff absences have disrupted the frequency of some staff supervisions, which is being addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and leaders provide a high-quality induction and training programme for staff. They respond quickly to training needs which are required to meet the child’s needs. For example, it has been beneficial for staff to receive training and support to implement the local therapeutic model of care. The model has helped staff maintain good standards of practice and improve outcomes for this child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567722 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there are clear arrangements in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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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 for children’s home: 2567722 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bristol City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City Hall, College Green, Bristol, Bristol BS1 5TR

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Inspector

Justine Hosking, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2567722 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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