Children's Home run by Bramley Care Limited in West Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home: SC484133 1 SC484133 Registered provider: Bramley Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to six children of the same gender with social and emotional difficulties. There were six children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in February 2017 and is suitably qualified.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC484133 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/09/2021 Full Good 12/11/2019 Full Good 17/09/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC484133 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive effective help to improve their mental health. Therapists work closely with the staff team to ensure the close supervision of children’s well-being. Children have made good progress from their individual starting points, which is captured well.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress with their learning. This is because staff support them to engage in education at school or college. Young people who have left school are encouraged and supported to find work or volunteering opportunities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel listened to and valued. The registered manager ensures that children have direct feedback if they share a concern about their care.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide variety of activities. They experience home-based fun, such as playing computer games together, using the gym equipment and relaxing or enjoying barbecues in the large gardens. Children also visit local towns to go shopping, and some children have part-time jobs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well prepared for the next stage of their life. They learn useful life skills and enjoy helping around the house. They also learn how to budget and travel independently. Staff support children and celebrate their success with them. One child said, ‘I have a good bond with my key worker. We speak openly, and she understands me.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children keep in contact with family members and other people who are important to them. These times are sensitively supervised by staff members if required.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Several children in the home use vapes. There is no specific policy and procedure to guide staff on the safe storage and the use of vapes by children. Children experience different responses from some staff in relation to vaping. In other aspects of maintaining physical health, children receive good support to remain active, and their medical and health needs are met.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager has introduced a new system to discuss the use of bedroom door alarms at children’s annual review meetings. However, the need for the alarms as a safeguarding measure is not demonstrated in children’s plans. Therefore, the registered manager is unable to demonstrate that their use is no more intrusive than necessary to safeguard children. In addition, there is no formal policy on the use of monitoring and surveillance in the home.

p.3

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

There have been three missing-from-care episodes since the last inspection. Staff work proactively with the police and search for children. Managers keep children’s Inspection report for children’s home: SC484133 4 placing authorities informed. Return home interviews take place, and the information from these is used to review children’s plans.

p.3

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

Children’s risk management plans have been reviewed. They provide staff with clear strategies to follow in order to reduce children’s risks.

p.4

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

The whole staff team has recently been trained in a new behaviour management strategy. While there have been no physical restraints used since the previous inspection, the registered manager confirmed that she is fully aware of the need for staff to complete comprehensive records of any holds used, as this will aid her oversight of staff practice.

p.4

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

The safeguarding policy has been revised since the previous inspection. However, it does not include guidance and direction for staff to follow if there is a concern about the one young adult who lives in the home. The organisation produced an immediate update to the safeguarding policy to include relevant information. Managers demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that all staff are aware of this new policy. A requirement about the safeguarding policy that was made at the last inspection is restated.

p.4

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

Staff recruitment files do not fully demonstrate safe recruitment practice. Reasons for staff leaving previous employment of working with children or vulnerable adults are not routinely recorded on candidates’ files. This was rectified during the inspection. However, internal processes had not identified this shortfall.

p.4

good

Work has commenced to address shortfalls in the quality of the premises, which were found at the previous inspection. Additionally, some changes have been made to the interior decor. One child’s room has been repainted, and photos of the children now adorn the walls. However, other areas of the home still require redecoration, and some children have damaged furniture in their bedrooms.

p.4

good

Staff have the relevant skills to meet the needs of the children they are looking after. Staff undertake a variety of training courses that equip them to care for all the children and their individual needs.

p.4

good

Staff members receive regular supervision. These sessions focus on safeguarding, the children’s needs and staff development and support. Since the previous inspection, there has been one group supervision session for staff. Staff told inspectors that they value these meetings because they can discuss strategies with a therapist. However, the frequency of these sessions is sporadic. This hinders the staff’s ability to work well as a team and consistently apply the therapeutic approach.

p.4

good

Due to vacancies in the staff team, there remains a reliance on agency staff to cover some shifts, particularly night shifts. The use of agency staff ensures sufficient Inspection report for children’s home: SC484133 5 staffing levels. Recruitment remains ongoing. In the meantime, managers try to ensure that only familiar agency staff work in the home, but this is not always possible. A previous requirement is restated so that the focus remains on ensuring continuity for children.

p.4

good

One staff member has not completed the level 3 diploma as required by The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations (2015) within the required time frame. Other staff members hold the level 3 qualification or a qualification that is equivalent to the level 3 diploma. The deputy manager is completing the level 5 qualification as part of her professional development.

p.5

good

An updated statement of purpose has been sent to Ofsted in line with regulatory requirements. All staff are familiar with the aims and objectives of the home and the wider organisation.

p.5

good

Management monitoring systems have been reviewed and updated. The registered manager now signs all records and, where necessary, adds additional commentary and directions for staff. Additionally, new audits of children’s records are identifying missing records. However, these changes are relatively new, and they are not yet embedded into practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484133 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, The 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

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.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(e))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 August 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

p.6

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home;

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the 1 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC484133 7 placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located;

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged abuse or neglect occurred;

p.7

Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

p.7

Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d)) 1 August 2023

p.7

Requirement Due date

An individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

p.7

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

p.7

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. 1 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC484133 8 (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a consistent approach from the staff team in relation to children who use vapes, including on how children will be supported to learn about the risks and the use of vapes and the storage of vapes in the children’s home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that the reason why a staff member left a job or volunteering position with children or vulnerable adults is explored and recorded on their recruitment record. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that the home is a homely and domestic environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.8

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: SC484133 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bramley Care Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Malvern View, Hanbury Road, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove B60 4AD

p.9

Inspectors

Anna Williams, Social Care Inspector Tash Williams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC484133 10 regulates and inspects 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.9

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.10

Inspectors

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

p.10

Inspectors

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

p.10