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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1257074 1 Registered provider: Branas Isaf (Holdings) Limited 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 care for eight boys up to the age of 18 who present with sexually harmful behaviours. The home provides accommodation across five settings that range from individual solo-living cottages to shared-living homes.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has 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

Date of last inspection: 8 December 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/12/2021 Full Outstanding 07/01/2020 Full Good 14/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1257074 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of inspection, there were eight children living in the home. Children receive individualised care from a child-centred staff team whose members know them well. The supportive environment of the home has enabled children to develop their self-confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who were previously not engaged in school have been encouraged to re- engage with education. Children attend either the on-site school or an alternative provision. School staff and care staff work well together and understand children’s learning needs. As a result, children make progress and are provided with consistent support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to have new experiences. This includes working in the community and attending local clubs, such as boxing and bowls. Where required, staff observe these activities to monitor responses in the community and to ensure that children feel supported. Activities encourage children to develop new interests and to have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Clinical support is used to develop an understanding of children’s needs. Children attend weekly therapy sessions and clinical assessments help to inform care. This practice helps children to understand their past traumas and behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the importance of children maintaining contact with family. Staff support the children when visiting people who are important to them and send weekly care summaries to parents. This enables parents to still feel involved in the everyday care of their children. One parent said that the staff have helped her build on her relationship with her son.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, the home is welcoming. However, at the time of the inspection, some aspects appeared grubby and in need of cleaning. In addition, children’s bedrooms required attention. For example, not all children’s bedrooms were personalised and some children did not have washing baskets and instead kept dirty clothes on the floor. In addition, one child told the inspector that the mattress on his bed was uncomfortable. This had not been identified by staff before the inspection, despite the child layering his mattress with a duvet cover. During the inspection, the staff and manager made efforts to improve the environment and some items were replaced.

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

The staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the children’s vulnerabilities, risks and needs. Highly detailed care plans combined with staff vigilance ensure that children are kept safe. Furthermore, carefully assessed staffing levels ensure that children receive appropriate support in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257074 4 Physical intervention is used when needed to keep everyone safe. Staff ensure that children are supported with a debrief following an incident and that appropriate professionals are informed. The manager’s oversight of the use of intervention informs staff practice.

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

Incidents of children going missing are rare. Staff are proactive when children go missing. Staff will search for children and liaise with other agencies to ensure that children are located safe and well. Furthermore, staff are supportive when children return and offer them the opportunity to reflect on their choices.

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

Staff follow a daily points system to recognise children’s achievements and plan activities. For example, high points will mean the children are offered a wider range of weekend activities. However, staff do not consistently undertake meaningful reflective work with children if they do not meet these set targets. This is a missed opportunity for children to learn about their behaviours.

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

Staff keep unhealthy food locked in an office to prevent children accessing it. This practice fails to help children understand what constitutes a healthy, balanced diet and detracts from the homely environment.

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

Medication is safely stored and administered. Staff consult with health professionals when changes are required or additional support is needed, for example when changing the medication for a child. In addition, if there are medication errors, the manager takes swift action to understand the reasons why to prevent further occurrence.

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

Alarms are used on all children’s bedroom doors at night and also on the external doors of the five residential homes. Managers complete an assessment of children’s needs when they move into the home to support the requirement of this measure. However, this has not been updated to reflect the current risk and need. As a result, the alarms may be being used unnecessarily.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a suitably qualified manager in post who has been registered with Ofsted since June 2018. There are plans for changes to leadership and a new manager has been appointed who is applying for registration with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff group in the home is stable. Staff receive regular supervision sessions and ongoing training. Staff speak highly of the leadership in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Multi-agency working is effective. The manager has sought additional advice when required and professionals commented about the progress children make. One professional told the inspector: ‘The staff are brilliant; the progress [name of child] has made is a miracle.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 1257074 5 The registered manager ensures that staff who are recruited to work in the home are subject to all the necessary checks. This helps to ensure that staff who work at the home are safe to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although children on the whole receive individual care, the registered manager had not followed up on actions set within a child’s health assessment. As a result, this practice may have an impact on staff fully understanding children’s needs and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The care planning arrangements are not taking place within the timescales set by the home’s statement of purpose. For example, children’s therapeutic assessments do not take place within 16 weeks. This was not picked up by managers and leads to unclear expectations. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257074 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers should follow up any information within children’s plans and ensure that care is being delivered in a way that supports the child’s identified needs.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the manager must ensure that the home and children’s bedrooms are appropriately decorated, maintained and clean. 10 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on (a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour. 10 May 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1257074 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the home’s behaviour management system supporting children to learn about their targets and behaviours. In addition, food should not be locked away from children to prevent access.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children. (Regulation 24 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that door alarms are only used as set out in a child’s agreed risk assessment. 10 May 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person must lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

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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: 1257074 8

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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: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspectors

Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Nicola Lownds, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1257074 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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