Children's Home run by Bristol City Council in Bristol

Inspection report children’s home: SC034301 1 SC034301 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 home is owned by a local authority. It provides care for up to five children who have had adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours. At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since January 2021.

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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 outstanding

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC034301 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2021 Full Good 13/08/2019 Full Good 20/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/12/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC034301 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living at this home. One child told the inspector they ‘liked’ it here, while the other children said they ‘loved’ it. They contribute to making the house homely and, consequently, they see it as their home and are proud of it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like the staff who look after them and feel the staff genuinely care for them. These strong relationships enable children to open up to staff about their feelings and give them the confidence to share any worries or concerns. Staff celebrate children’s developments and achievements, and talk about the children with pride.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s plans provide clear and up-to-date guidance for staff on how to meet each child’s individual needs. This ensures that children receive consistent care from staff who understand their needs well. Children’s views are incorporated into their plans and targets and, therefore, provides them with a sense of ownership and participation in their future. Children’s targets are aspirational and help the children to develop their view of the world beyond themselves and help them to become an effective member of the wider community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When a child moves on from the home, this is done in a sensitive, gradual and supportive way. Children are helped to maintain the relationships they have made. Staff support children to develop their understanding of healthy relationships and their sexual development. Staff take a non-judgemental approach, so that children do not feel stigmatised regarding their relationships, while also keeping them safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a range of activities that include joining local youth groups. Some children have pets, who they take great care of. This is an important part of their development as they are learning to care for others.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to stay in touch with their families. Parents really appreciate this and told the inspector about the support that staff have given them and how this has helped to build stronger relationships with their children.

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

Children said they feel safe at the home. Staff clearly understand their role in keeping children safe and know what actions to take should they have any concerns. Records of safeguarding events are comprehensive, and lessons learned from these events are used to improve practices at the home.

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

Risk is well managed. Staff work with children to develop their understanding of risk and risk-taking behaviours. This has been effective, and there has been a reduction in incidents. Risk assessments are current and provide good-quality guidance for staff on risk mitigation. Inspection report for children’s home: SC034301 4 Behaviour is well managed. There has been no use of restraint since the previous inspection. Children are involved in the development of their behaviour support plans and in identifying effective self-management strategies. Children have also chosen targets to work on and identified rewards that they would like when targets are achieved. This approach has helped children to take greater responsibility for their actions, and its success is evident by the significant decrease in incidents.

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

Since the previous inspection, there has been one missing-from-home incident. Staff managed this well. They carried out good-quality reflection work with the child to explore their feelings and find out what could be done to prevent this from happening again.

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

Safer recruitment practices are effectively implemented. When staff leave, exit interviews are carried out and information from these interviews is analysed and any lesson learned are implemented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has an excellent overview and understanding of the home, its strengths, and areas for improvement. The manager effectively uses research, learning from reviews of practice, and feedback from children, parents, staff and other stakeholders to develop the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an inspirational leader, who is ambitious for the children and staff and motivates them to do well. He is a great role model for the staff team, appropriately challenging them and external professionals to ensure that the children receive the support and resources they need to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are very positive about working at the home and feel very well supported by the manager. Training opportunities are comprehensive and, together with good- quality, reflective supervision, enhance staff’s development. Consequently, staff use their knowledge and expertise to enhance the quality of care that the children receive. Some staff said that the manager is the ‘best manager they have ever worked for’ and feel confident that he has created a safe environment for children where they are given the freedom to make it their home. Staff are also very positive about their peers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The quality of managers’ monitoring is excellent. Managers use information from this monitoring effectively and find ways to develop the staff team and improve practice. Records show the child’s journey in the home and confirm the progress they are making. The current report sent to Ofsted about the quality of care does not demonstrate this good work effectively enough and would benefit from more analysis and evaluation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The independent visitor does not consult external stakeholders consistently enough to gather quality feedback that helps to inform their judgement about the operation Inspection report for children’s home: SC034301 5 of the home. In addition, their report provides little challenge to the manager or aid in the development of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC034301 6

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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

Independent person: visits and reports When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (2)(a) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that consultation with external stakeholders is effective and helps the visitor to form a judgement about the quality of care. In addition, the independent person should include actions to be taken to drive and support the development of the home. 28 February 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure their six-monthly review of the quality of care includes greater analysis and evaluation of the work undertaken in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4) Inspection report for children’s home: SC034301 7

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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: SC034301 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC034301 9 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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