Oakhill secure training centre

Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 1

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Oakhill secure training centre

Chalgrove Field Oakhill Milton Keynes MK5 6AJ

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Annual Inspection

Inspected under the secure training centres joint inspection framework

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Information about this secure training centre

Oakhill secure training centre is operated by G4S Care and Justice Services. The centre provides accommodation for up to 80 children, male and female, aged 12 to 17 years who are serving a custodial sentence or who are remanded to custody by the courts. There were 38 male children resident at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this secure training centre

Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities by G4S. Healthcare services are provided by G4S Health Services UK.

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Taking into account:

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

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Taking into account:

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Requires improvement to be good Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 2 Date of last inspection: 4 October 2021

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Taking into account:

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30 November 2021 Monitoring visit Not applicable 4 October 2021 Inspection Inadequate 13 September 2021 Monitoring visit Not applicable 24 May 2021 Monitoring visit Not applicable Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 3

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improvement to be good

1. Children’s experiences and progress have improved since the last inspection. These positive changes are recent, and it is too soon to establish the overall impact of a range of developments introduced by leaders on achieving sustained better care and outcomes for children. Levels of violence, and the use of force on children, have recently reduced but are still high. Children are mixing with each other more and the dining hall has been reopened. This relaxation of restrictions on children’s movements is a constructive step and it is helping to gradually reduce tensions and fights between children.

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improvement to be good

2. Children’s admissions and their early days are managed well. This offers children reassurance and reduces their anxieties. A well-structured induction programme prepares them well for living in the centre. The resettlement team quickly collates key background information about children and shares it promptly with frontline staff who provide day-to-day care.

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improvement to be good

3. The communal areas and kitchens in the children’s houses are cleaner and better decorated than at the last inspection. The programme of planned refurbishments has been delayed but is continuing. The houses that have been completed provide children with a softer and less institutionalised living environment. The showers in children’s rooms that have been repaired prevent water overflowing onto their bedroom floors. Children are aware of the refurbishment programme, and those living in houses where work remains to be done are eagerly waiting for it to commence. Children’s bedrooms are generally much cleaner and tidier than at the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

4. Most children’s complaints are addressed promptly. The tone and content of written responses are too formal and are not child-friendly. Senior managers have recognised this shortfall and have devised a more appropriate child-centred response letter that was implemented during the inspection. Written explanations to children about the outcomes of complaint investigations are not always clear enough. Some complaints from children are not upheld due to factors that managers judge are outside the control of the centre. These broader considerations should not be used in mitigation when children’s concerns are justified.

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improvement to be good

5. Children’s physical and emotional health needs are identified and met well through high standards of professional care and support. Children attend education every day and make significant progress in their learning. This is particularly beneficial in enhancing their prospects, as many had very poor school attendance previously. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 4 6. Children spoke positively about the quality of food provided. This is a notable advance on their previous accounts of persistently poor catering standards. Some children continue to eat their meals in their houses from polystyrene boxes rather than in the dining hall. Children told inspectors that this was their choice and made clearing up afterwards easier. This is a missed opportunity for staff to encourage children to use plates and cutlery, and to help children regard mealtimes as a significant daily social occasion.

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improvement to be good

7. Some children said that secure custody officers (SCOs) in their residential houses often change, in contrast to the consistent relationships they have with their resettlement caseworkers. Nevertheless, there is firmer evidence of the same group of SCOs allocated to specific houses. Exchanges between children and SCOs throughout the inspection were relaxed and good-humoured.

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improvement to be good

8. SCOs demonstrated a better knowledge of children’s needs and behaviours. This enables more effective support. SCOs are also more aware of specific issues concerning children, including neuro conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, which helps to inform their day-to-day engagements with them. This is a marked positive difference from the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

9. Children’s caseworkers have a sound understanding of each child’s progress. They facilitate efficient sharing of information across other specialist staff groups and have a helpful influence in shaping their plans. This helps children’s progress with their specific interventions.

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improvement to be good

10. Children’s spiritual and pastoral well-being is valued and promoted. The chaplain’s work with children continues to be valued by them. He is well supported by a Muslim spiritual leader.

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improvement to be good

11. Children spend an increased average of 13 hours per day outside their rooms during weekdays and 12 hours at weekends. This is a welcome change to the more restricted programme reported at earlier visits. However, children are locked in their bedrooms for an hour during the day on Saturdays and Sundays. This practice is accepted as a routine part of the core day by children, and most have not questioned it. The rationale provided by centre managers was to allow children to have a break from each other, and from staff, during long weekend days. Although the practice is well intentioned, it does impinge on the hours available for family members and friends to visit children. It also infringes on the rights of children who would choose not to be locked in their rooms but have no choice in the matter.

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improvement to be good

12. The temperature in children’s residential houses is uncomfortably warm, compounded by poor ventilation and insufficient circulation of fresh air. Many children reported unfavourably on these conditions in a survey completed by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons earlier in 2022. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 5 13. Many children are enjoying more face-to-face family visits. Visits are hosted in a refurbished visitors’ area, which is pleasantly furnished and decorated. Children reported that their in-room telephones are unreliable, and that family and friends often struggle in their attempts to get through. This can be upsetting and frustrating for some children as it provokes feelings of disconnection from their loved ones, particularly for those children who do not have personal visits. The telephone system is scheduled to be replaced soon. The use of secure video calls by children has been low.

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improvement to be good

14. Some children choose to attend monthly youth council meetings. Attendance fluctuates, but staff do encourage children to participate. Children demonstrably influence decisions, such as their activity and enrichment choices, and they are encouraged to express their views on rules and rewards. Managers provide clear explanations to children when their proposals are not agreed. The meetings are attended by numerous staff members, and this might deter more children from attending and fully contributing.

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Children’s education and learning: good

15. Children have an appropriate and well-structured curriculum that meets their interests and prepares them effectively for their next stage of education, employment or training. Practical activities help children swiftly develop a high standard of occupational skills in areas such as construction, sport and hospitality, as well as important life skills that will help them to live independently when they leave the centre. For example, children learn about personal hygiene and presentation in hair and beauty lessons and how to cook healthy meals in hospitality. Managers have responded effectively to most of the issues raised in the previous inspection report. They have increased staffing levels and have filled most vacancies.

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Children’s education and learning: good

16. Most children who have previously not attended school, or had very poor attendance, make swift progress in their learning, including in English and mathematics. They quickly overcome significant barriers to learning and enjoy attending their lessons. Most children achieve qualifications that are useful to them in their next steps. However, children who have already gained GCSE qualifications do not receive the standard of tuition that they need to be successful in achieving higher-level qualifications, such as A levels.

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Children’s education and learning: good

17. Teachers assess children’s starting points accurately and thoroughly. They produce comprehensive learning strategies for each child based on their education, health and care plans, psychology reports and specialist reports, such as speech and language therapy, which they share with all staff across the centre. These help teachers, residential staff and children’s caseworkers to use consistent approaches to planning and delivering learning and support that best meets children’s needs. Consequently, most children make good progress throughout their stay at the centre. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 6 18. Most teachers plan learning logically across academic and practical subjects. They link theoretical learning to practical activities, such as identifying the development of main and secondary muscles through exercise and the correct use of equipment in sport. In English, teachers use interesting articles to help children

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Children’s education and learning: good

develop their English skills while learning about topical issues, such as prejudice and climate change. As a result, most children grasp new concepts successfully over time. They remember what they learn in their lessons. However, the planning of some aspects of the curriculum, such as in hair and beauty, requires further development.

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Children’s education and learning: good

19. Children with additional needs receive regular and effective support in lessons. They are provided with individual learning sessions to help them overcome anxieties, such as a lack of confidence in mathematics. Learning support assistants help children to catch up quickly on learning they miss due to attending court and legal appointments. Children who access the music curriculum write well-written, emotional songs that help them to express how they feel and to cope with their earlier traumatic experiences.

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Children’s education and learning: good

20. A few of the children are peer mentors and they support their peers successfully. They use their own knowledge, skills and experiences to encourage others to settle quickly into lessons and to develop their knowledge and skills across a variety of different subjects. Teachers do not always manage this support adequately to ensure that it is appropriately ring-fenced.

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Children’s education and learning: good

21. Most teachers provide accurate and helpful verbal and written feedback that helps children to improve the standard of their work. However, a few teachers do not ensure that all children learn from this feedback. Consequently, a few children repeat the same mistakes in future activities.

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Children’s education and learning: good

22. In a few instances, learning resources contain a small number of errors that mean children receive inaccurate information in the topic they are studying. For example, in mathematics, children are asked to calculate VAT at 17.5%.

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Children’s education and learning: good

23. Since the previous inspection, managers have redesigned the outreach curriculum to help children manage their anxieties when returning from long days at court. The outreach curriculum for children who do not attend the education unit requires further development and structure.

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Children’s education and learning: good

24. The learning environment is calm, well managed and conducive to learning. The education department has dedicated SCOs who support teaching staff to manage children’s behaviour consistently and effectively. Children behave extremely well in education. They enjoy attending their lessons and their attendance rates are very high, including for those children who had low attendance at previous schools, or who refused to attend education on their arrival at the centre. Almost all children attend education regularly. Staff address any inappropriate language quickly and effectively. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 7 25. Children have access to a variety of enrichment activities. Enrichment staff have constructive relationships with education staff. Managers recognise that they could develop further links to monitor how effectively children apply what they learn in education to enrichment activities, such as speaking and listening in

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Children’s education and learning: good

English to their involvement in the youth council.

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Children’s education and learning: good

26. Resettlement caseworkers identify the positive impact that education has on children’s lives, including improving their attitudes, behaviour and future prospects. Caseworkers use the information that they receive from education staff to discuss career options with children and the knowledge, skills, behaviours and qualifications they need to achieve to fulfil these goals. Children receive further careers information, advice and guidance (CIAG) from education staff. However, leaders acknowledge that the delivery of CIAG requires better structure and coordination to be fully effective.

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Children’s education and learning: good

27. Leaders have redesigned the curriculum since the previous inspection to meet the needs and aspirations of children. They have added construction skills, at the request of the children, to create four learning pathways. Children who remain at the centre for longer periods repeat their pathways. As a result, they develop their skills further and achieve vocational certificates or diplomas to accredit their extended learning, which are useful for their next steps.

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Children’s education and learning: good

28. Staff are highly qualified in the subjects that they teach. Since the previous inspection, they have received targeted staff development that includes understanding how to teach children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, a few teachers require more support to improve their craft of teaching.

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Children’s education and learning: good

29. Managers have an informed oversight of the progress that individual children make during their time at the centre. As a result, they put effective support strategies in place if children fall behind in their learning. Leaders have invested recently in a monitoring system that will provide a strategic overview of the quality of the provision. However, this is in its infancy and the impact is not yet known.

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Children’s health: good

30. A well-led multidisciplinary health and well-being team provides positive healthcare for children, leading to good health outcomes. Dedicated time provided to health staff to reflect on their practice has been welcomed. Children are seen a minimum of three times a day by health staff and they spoke highly of the flexible services that they receive. Children have easy access to a range of age- appropriate services to support their physical health and well-being.

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Children’s health: good

31. Health staff receive regular managerial and clinical supervision and undertake training to aid their professional development. Staff feel valued and well supported. Governance arrangements are effective and ensure that services to children continue to develop. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 8 32. A children’s health assessment tool process is completed promptly when children arrive at the centre. It is used to quickly formulate healthcare plans and detail the specialised care and support required to meet children’s needs.

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Children’s health: good

33. Children are supported with their mental health through a range of tailored interventions that address their individual needs. A successful group-work pilot has recently been completed, where children learned valuable skills to be able to cope with difficult situations that arise in everyday life. This has helped to improve their emotional resilience and well-being.

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Children’s health: good

34. Children receive comprehensive support from the substance misuse team. Every child is seen on arrival and, if appropriate, placed on a targeted, specialist or universal substance misuse care plan. The centre’s substance misuse team works collaboratively with community-based substance misuse teams to help prepare plans to meet children’s needs when they leave the centre. This work supports continuity of care for children.

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Children’s health: good

35. Therapeutic mentoring programmes provided for children have led to positive outcomes. The team provides equine therapy, sleep hygiene clinics and acupuncture to help children manage and improve their emotional regulation, confidence building and anxiety.

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Children’s health: good

36. A speech and language therapist is helping develop both the written and verbal communication skills of children, and supports the staff working with them. This helps boost children’s confidence, communication and social skills and reduces barriers.

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Children’s health: good

37. Medicines administration is safe and effective. All children with asthma possess inhalers. These are checked weekly by a member of the healthcare team to ensure that they remain safe and fit for purpose. Children have ready access to the dentist. The dental suite meets infection control standards.

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Children’s health: good

38. A contracted provider offers children a varied, appetising choice of foods based on what children have indicated they prefer. Some children choose to dine communally. A wide range of initiatives informs children about the benefits of healthy eating and having a balanced diet. Kitchen staff are made aware of any known food allergies and they strictly adhere to them. Children’s cultural and religious food preferences are met. Some children develop skills in basic cookery that will help them with their future employment prospects.

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Children’s resettlement: good

39. Additional resources are providing better support to children. These include a new resettlement manager role, a child and family practitioner and a dedicated social worker to strengthen contact with local authorities who hold responsibilities for children at the centre. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 9 40. Children spoke positively about the regular time they spend with their resettlement caseworkers. Caseworkers know children and their histories very well and carry out key work that explores and addresses the factors that led to their detention. It is still difficult for staff to find suitable private spaces to have confidential discussions with children. Caseworkers write thorough, informative and concise case overviews; more SCOs are using them to help inform the care they provide to children in their residential houses.

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Children’s resettlement: good

41. Children’s remand and sentence review meetings were being held through telephone conferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic and many children decided not to take part. Their participation is increasing now that reviews are taking place in person once again. There is also an increased SCO involvement in reviews. Children’s knowledge of the targets they are working towards varies and, for some, this does not help them fully understand what they need to do to progress.

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Children’s resettlement: good

42. Children’s engagement in key-work sessions with their caseworkers has increased, but the provision of weekend SCO-led group sessions is inconsistent. Children engage with a variety of services, including substance misuse services and a small psychology team. External providers offer mentoring to help children think differently about their gang associations and provide animal- and sports-based interventions that help children increase their self-confidence.

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Children’s resettlement: good

43. Release planning is started in good time, preparing children for either a return to the community or a transition to other places of custody. Children are aware of their plans. For children on remand, release on bail or plans for an immediate release from court are considered. Arrangements to manage risks after release are confirmed with community agencies when appropriate.

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Children’s resettlement: good

44. Since the last inspection, no children have been released without having accommodation in place. All except one child had their address confirmed at their final review meeting, which assisted other aspects of their release planning. This has improved since the previous inspection. More children are released with education or training arranged in the community, although not all children have suitable arrangements in place.

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Children’s resettlement: good

45. Children had no access to mobility (visits out of the centre to support resettlement) opportunities during the pandemic. These have recently restarted. The first two mobilities have supported a child’s post-release employment. Another child has attended a bespoke careers event with potential employers.

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Children’s resettlement: good

46. Families are kept informed about children’s progress by their resettlement caseworkers, and, increasingly, by their SCOs. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 10 47. Despite the efforts of centre staff to follow up children’s progress after they have left Oakhill, evaluation of the effectiveness of the centre’s resettlement work continues to be hindered by a lack of information from external agencies.

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improvement to be good

48. Levels of violence and the use of force (UOF) on children at the centre have recently significantly reduced, but they remain high. UOF incidents sampled by inspectors were justified and proportionate.

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improvement to be good

49. Oversight of the UOF by managers has improved. All incidents involving force were reviewed on the same day, and any shortfalls in practice were identified and acted upon. Concerns were immediately reported to the local authority and police as appropriate. Minimising and managing physical restraint (MMPR) coordinators review all incidents using CCTV, providing an effective additional check. The director also views any incidents of concern referred to her and takes appropriate action where necessary. These measures collectively constitute more effective oversight and scrutiny of the UOF, which is helping to keep children safer.

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improvement to be good

50. The use of de-escalation techniques by staff has improved. There is also a notable reduction in the length and severity of incidents, partly because of effective continuous staff refresher training and improved management oversight. A cornerstone of these positive developments is a recently implemented, well- informed and holistic cross-cutting behaviour management policy. The approach has led to noticeable improvements in relationships between staff and children. A small number of children who have particularly acute complex needs are receiving integrated packages of care and support. There are plans to expand this offer to all children in the centre.

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improvement to be good

51. The rewards and sanctions scheme now provides clearly differentiated levels of rewards that children aspire to attain. The scheme is linked to the behaviour management policy and children understand what is expected of them to progress. This is helping children to improve their social skills and behaviour. However, children can be immediately demoted to a lower level but have to wait for short periods to be moved up to a higher level. Practice is not fully restorative, with children not having the opportunity to reflect and make good. A platinum residential house is widely aspired to, and its benefits are appreciated by children who achieve this top level.

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improvement to be good

52. Single separation of children is mainly used appropriately and only for short periods of time. Records demonstrate that the reasons for separation were justifiable. Children are safeguarded by regular checks from staff while locked in their rooms. However, on six occasions over the last six months, children had been separated for more than three hours, which contravenes secure training centre rules. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 11 53. Gang-related conflicts between children have reduced considerably since the last inspection. Furthermore, the number of recorded conflicts between children that needed to be managed has more than halved. This has enabled children to have more access to the daily core programme and to attend an expanded range of enrichment activities as they are safely able to mix with each other.

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improvement to be good

54. Handcuffs were only used on a small number of children when they were escorted outside the centre, and their use was proportionate to assessed risks. Security policies have been revised and are more child-friendly. For example, children are no longer subjected to full body ‘dignity’ searches on their arrival at the centre. These searches are now used sparingly when intelligence warrants them. An assessment has been undertaken, informing an action plan that is better enabling leaders to tackle issues such as home-made weapons. This approach is showing early signs of success, evidenced by fewer incidents causing concern.

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improvement to be good

55. Senior managers have implemented a range of measures and successfully strengthened safeguarding practice, policies and procedures since the last inspection. The safeguarding team now has additional managers who have relevant social work experience. The team is in its early stages of learning and development and currently receives a high level of oversight by the head of safeguarding.

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improvement to be good

56. More effective recording and monitoring systems support prompt information- sharing about safeguarding incidents and concerns. Records are more accessible and document children’s views. Risks to children are identified earlier. Multi- agency assessments are undertaken, and targeted interventions by a specialist support team are completed to reduce risks to children. Children are complimentary about the work undertaken by this team. One child said: ‘Being here, I have learned more about myself. I have been helped and want to do well when I leave.’ For this child, risks around a range of concerning behaviours have significantly reduced.

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improvement to be good

57. Every safeguarding referral has a high degree of senior scrutiny and assurance by the head of safeguarding and the director. Unfortunately, this careful level of diligence has inadvertently caused a delay in the closure of some referrals and slowed the feedback to a small number of children and parents about the outcomes of concerns. The director is fully aware that this needs rectifying.

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improvement to be good

58. The safeguarding and security teams regularly meet with the police, local authority designated officers (LADOs) and the Youth Custody Service to review and monitor safeguarding incidents in the centre. This demonstrates improved multi-agency oversight of the safeguarding of children.

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improvement to be good

59. LADOs have delivered several training sessions about their role and local authority safeguarding responsibilities. This has helped inform staff about their work and responsibilities. Further training is planned to continually refresh staff knowledge and understanding in safeguarding. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 12 60. A significant number of safeguarding referrals continue. These include some allegations and concerns about staff from children and from staff about their colleagues. Inspectors judged that some of these do not meet the threshold for referral to the local authority. This trend could be a positive outcome of staff receiving more effective training, enhancing their knowledge and awareness. Safeguarding managers are closely monitoring this trend for any discernable patterns and learning.

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improvement to be good

61. Children at risk of self-harming are quickly identified and assessed. At the time of the inspection, a small number of children were subject to these plans. The effectiveness of the plans, multi-agency risk assessments and levels of supervision and observation are continuously updated and monitored.

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improvement to be good

62. Training and development on the effective use of conflict resolution and anti- bullying interventions have been provided for staff. This is empowering staff to intervene earlier where there is peer conflict and concerns about bullying behaviours. When the conflict resolution process has been used, it has resulted in reduced conflict between peers and supported more mixing between children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

63. Substantial improvements have been achieved in the quality and consistency of care children receive following the arrival of a new permanent director in December 2021. Management and practice cultures are transforming towards child-focused, inclusive and collaborative work. Many initiatives are in their early stages, but their foundations are solid and credible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

64. Leaders and managers are now highly visible to children and frontline staff across the centre every day, and they are known to children. They are interested in children’s well-being and progress and keen for them to do well. These positive changes are led, and driven, through the skills and determination of the director.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

65. A prevailing climate of optimism is discernible in the centre. All staff have a strong belief and confidence in the centre’s revitalised leadership. Children’s daily movements, and mixing restrictions in some residential houses, have been relaxed. This is supported by effective conflict resolution work which is lessening tensions and disputes. This reflects bold and resolute leadership in providing a more fluid and less constrained environment for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

66. The recommendations from the last inspection are being carefully addressed and the majority of them have been met or are nearing completion. Improvement plans have been rationalised and are more outcome-focused, rather than process- dominant. Intelligence-led audits and re-audits provide greater assurance for senior managers that improving practice is being sustained, rather than merely met at a point in time. The director is working towards ring-fencing all improvements into one consolidated action plan. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 13 67. Strengthened governance and leadership have resulted in a recent significant reduction in violent incidents and the UOF on children but they are still too high. Safeguarding procedures and practices are improving and are increasingly timelier, underpinned through strengthened governance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

68. Children’s overall experiences of their daily care are much better. Nearly all children and frontline staff spoken with effortlessly described the positive changes and the improved support they receive from middle and senior managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

69. Leaders recognise that the practice of locking children in their rooms for an hour during the daytime on Saturdays and Sundays, although well intentioned, is not consistent with secure training centre rules. The director discontinued the practice immediately following the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

70. The centre has developed open and inclusive relationships and partnerships, both internally and with relevant external agencies. Independent scrutiny of critical practice areas, such as safeguarding and MMPR, has been invited. The working relationship with the Youth Custody Service is more constructive, and issues routinely arising are jointly considered. Consequently, the rectification notices issued by the Ministry of Justice are being comprehensively addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

71. SCOs are better supported and managed in their demanding day-to-day work with children. They receive regular supervision, and these meetings now include more focus on their knowledge and understanding of the children in their residential houses. More needs to be done, however, to further refocus line managers’ attention towards exploring the effectiveness of SCOs’ relationships with children, alongside checking their adherence to centre rules. Changes to their shift patterns have been welcomed by SCOs, and these have been further enhanced by adjustments to the children’s evening programme. This provides SCOs with ample time to learn and reflect on the day’s events and challenges and to complete required tasks. Progress has been made towards providing consistent allocation of SCOs to children’s houses, but many children report that frontline staff continue to change day to day.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

72. A comprehensive training needs analysis has resulted in a wider range of bespoke targeted and specialised training offered to frontline staff and managers. A more proactive approach steers and supports the professional development of staff to increase their skills and knowledge. Senior managers hope that this will increase their longer-term commitment to working in the centre. Mandatory safeguarding and MMPR training for staff is largely up to date. MMPR training now includes a focus on more confident and skilful earlier interventions with children. A holistic approach to behaviour management includes an improved earned incentive and reward scheme. Children experience the scheme as fairer, as levels are differentiated and seen as worthwhile to try to achieve. The benefits children enjoy on the platinum units are widely appreciated by them. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 14 73. Senior managers have invested significant additional resource in recruiting more

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

SCOs and other operational staff, particularly in the resettlement and safeguarding teams. Consequently, minimum staffing levels are consistently met, and the quality of professional practice is continually developing. The attrition rate of SCOs is showing early signs of reducing, but this encouraging trend remains to be demonstrated over a longer time span. More scenario-based training has been introduced, increasing the time that SCOs spend with children in their residential houses during their induction programmes. These measures are intended to soften the abrupt transition many SCOs experience when they start their full-time shifts, and reduce a long-standing trend of many leaving during their first year in post.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

74. Experienced SCO mentors support new colleagues during their early period of service. Considerably fewer SCOs and other operational staff are the subjects of competence and disciplinary proceedings compared with the last inspection. Experienced, long-serving SCOs commented that many of their newly recruited peers are more suitable to work with children in the centre. Their views support senior managers’ contention that SCO recruitment and selection are more careful. Safer recruitment procedures and practices are being reinforced and senior managers are well sighted on a recently increased number of allegations and concerns reported about staff.

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Recommendations

◼ Ensure that children’s quality of care continues to improve by: - completing the programme of refurbishments to children’s residential houses - ensuring that more children are aware of, and understand, the targets and outcomes they are working towards - replacing children’s in-room telephones so that children can make and receive calls from family members without difficulty - accelerating current plans to provide children with consistently allocated SCOs in their residential houses in order that they build continuous and trusting relationships - addressing the poor ventilation and temperature controls in children’s residential houses. ◼ Further improve children’s education by: - improving the tuition and support for children who are undertaking higher-level qualifications, such as A levels - ensuring that all learning resources contain accurate information - strengthening the quality of careers information, advice and guidance.

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Recommendations

Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 15 ◼ Ensure that children are safeguarded effectively by: - continuing to embed the range of initiatives in progress to minimise levels of violence and the use of force in the centre, demonstrating that it is used only in exceptional circumstances. - ensuring that children are separated only for short periods and when it is justifiable - immediately moving children up, as well as down, earned incentive and reward levels in order that practice is equitable and restorative. Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 16

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people under the secure training centres inspection framework.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out in accordance with Rule 43 of the Secure Training Centre Rules (produced in compliance with Section 47 of the Prison Act 1952, as amended by Section 6(2) of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994), Section 80 of the Children Act 1989. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector’s power to inspect secure training centres is provided by section 146 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

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Information about this inspection

Joint inspections involving Ofsted, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are permitted under paragraph 7 of Schedule 13 to the Education and Inspections Act 2006. This enables Ofsted’s Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector to act jointly with other public authorities for the efficient and effective exercise of her functions.

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Information about this inspection

All inspections carried out by Ofsted, HMIP and CQC contribute to the UK’s response to its international obligations under the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. OPCAT requires that all places of detention are visited regularly by independent bodies – known as the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) – which monitor the treatment of and conditions for detainees.

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Inspectors

Lead Inspector: Nick Stacey, Ofsted, Her Majesty’s Inspector Quality Assurance Manager: Shaun Common, Ofsted, Senior Officer, Secure Estate

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Inspectors

Cathy Moriarty, Ofsted, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Paul Taylor, Ofsted, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Suzanne Wainwright, Ofsted, Her Majesty’s Inspector David Foot, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons, Inspector Angela Johnson, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons, Inspector Gary Turney, Care Quality Commission, Health and Justice Inspector Inspection report Oakhill secure training centre 17 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,

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safeguarding and child protection. 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 .

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

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