Children's home run by Bristol City Council

Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 1 SC061232 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 with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. At the time of the inspection three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since January 2023, initially on an interim basis and on a permanent basis from May 2023. The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/10/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living at this home and are settled and making progress. They told the inspector that they feel staff help and support them and that they feel listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to take part in different activities and day trips. For example, a prom was held at the house recently for one child, which their brothers and father also attended.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Each child has a memory box which contains memorabilia and photos from their time at the home. Children value these boxes and one child enjoyed looking through theirs with inspectors.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

External professionals told inspectors that there had been an improvement in the care given to children in the past six months. Children are now more settled and the responses from staff are more consistent and in line with the therapeutic model the home uses. Communication with the staff and managers is good, and professionals feel children are safeguarded at this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children at the home attend mainstream school, and one child has recently taken their GCSE exams. Communication between schools and the home is good and education professionals report staff are supportive of children’s education. However, concerns over delay in progressing an education, health and care plan for one child were not escalated promptly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some areas of the home have recently been redecorated, and children said that they had helped to choose the colours. However, other areas still need redecoration and repair. This includes one child’s bedroom, where repairs are needed to the windows and walls.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers said a plan for remodelling and refurbishing the home was being developed. However, at the time of the inspection, no date for this work had been confirmed.

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

Children told inspectors that they feel safe at this home and can speak to staff about any worries they have.

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

When children self-harm, staff respond appropriately and empathetically. This practice is underpinned by good-quality support plans and risk assessments that are created with input from the lead clinical practitioner attached to the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 4 Team meetings are used to good effect to review incidents, with regular therapeutic input from the clinical lead.

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

There have been no cases of restraint being used and no incidents of children going missing.

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

All staff have completed safeguarding training, however, some staff remain unclear about safeguarding processes. For example, when an allegation was made against a member of staff, appropriate procedures were not followed by the staff on duty.

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

Once the manager identified this concern, prompt action was taken to ensure the correct processes were followed and that children were safeguarded. The manager has since taken steps to improve staff’s understanding of safeguarding processes. This includes reinforcing information in supervisions and team meetings. A specialist training session has also been arranged with the local authority designated officer.

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

The positive and trusting relationships between children and staff are a strength of this home. However, these relationships are not always evident from reading children’s records.

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

The quality of recording is variable, and children’s views are not consistently documented in their records. Language used by some staff is not always child- focused and some records do not contain enough information or detail about follow- up actions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has experienced several changes in manager in the past year, which has affected the stability of the home and well-being of the staff team. Both staff and children spoke positively about the current manager and value the support and leadership that he provides.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision takes place regularly and is of good quality. Staff told inspectors they find supervision helpful and supportive and can use it to reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive appropriate training and a thorough induction process is in place for new staff. Additional specialist training is provided to ensure staff have the necessary skills to meet the specific needs of the children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have a clear understanding of children’s needs and risks. Management oversight of records is good, with lessons learned and areas for development identified and recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths of the staff team and the areas that require development, for example, the quality and consistency of record- keeping. Additional focus on these areas is evident in recent staff supervision and appraisals. Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 5 Children are aware of how to make a complaint. When complaints are received, these are responded to appropriately, promptly and in line with relevant procedures. Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that delays to assessments or support for children are appropriately escalated in a timely manner. 1 August 2023

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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— 1 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 7 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

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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

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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vii)(ix) (c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s plans include evidence of their views and provide consistent guidance for staff on how a child’s needs will be met.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the home environment is homely and welcoming and not unnecessarily institutional. Ensure that children’s bedrooms are kept to a good standard of repair and decoration.

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 8  The registered person should ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are sought by staff and included consistently in their records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that the language used in records is appropriate, child-focused and consistent. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 9

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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: SC061232 10

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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 BS1 5TR

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Inspector

Janet Jauregui, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC061232 11 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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