Children's Home run by Bristol City Council in Bristol

Inspection report for children’s home: SC067151 1 SC067151 Registered provider: Bristol City Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority and provides short breaks for up to five children with special educational needs and/or disabilities who may have complex health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is managed by two managers who job-share. One registered with Ofsted in April 2018. The second manager is applying to Ofsted for joint registration.

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Information about this children’s home

Before this inspection, Ofsted was informed of a complaint regarding the home. The inspector was aware during this inspection that the complaint was being investigated. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate complaints of this kind, actions taken by the setting and the host local authority in response were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

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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: 4 December 2023

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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: SC067151 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/12/2023 Full Good 22/03/2023 Full Good 12/01/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC067151 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like coming to the home. Parents reported their children enjoy their time here, especially the range of activities they can take part in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by an established and experienced team of staff who know the children well. Staff talk lovingly about the children and demonstrate their care for them. Staff ensure that children take part in a range of fun activities that represent their interests, as well as supporting children to try new things. Children really like the sensory room and the interactive mat and projector. Staffs’ enthusiasm and energy in getting the children to try new things are contagious and they can sweep the children up in their enthusiasm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled in communicating with the children they care for. Each child has an individual book detailing information on their communication needs and how they are to be met. Of particular note for a child who is multiracial, staff have ensured their picture exchange symbols reflect the child’s skin tone and heritage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s introductions to the home are well managed and carried out at a pace that suits each child and their family. Staff are very aware that new children, in particular, may feel homesick. Staff work in partnership with the children’s families to explore what may help them to feel more comfortable visiting the home. A recent example included staff suggesting a child bring in a teddy from home that has their parents’ familiar perfume or scent on it. This worked really well and helped the child settle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure each child’s room is prepared for them before they arrive for their visit. Each child has a box of items that are important to them, and staff dress the room with them before the child’s arrival. For one child who is vulnerable to infections, staff use a portable steamer to sterilise the child’s bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and is currently undergoing necessary redecoration in some areas that are looking tired. There is ample indoor and outdoor space for children to use. Children are growing fruits and vegetables in the garden, which also has a range of play equipment. The area to the side of the sensory garden is overgrown and detracts from the rest of the garden area, which has a range of sensory equipment for children to use.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care is supported by plans that are current and reflect their needs. Detailed information on children’s health care needs includes input and plans from medical professionals and parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents provided positive feedback on the home. They said short breaks here support the whole family and, in some cases, have helped families stay together. Parents said it provides an opportunity for them to recharge their batteries and spend more time with their other children. However, a few parents said they would like some more Inspection report for children’s home: SC067151 4 communication from the home after their child has stayed. Other parents felt the feedback from staff was good. In addition, although parents said they understood the reasons why, they were disappointed that some visits had to be cancelled because of staff shortages.

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

Children are safe at the home. Staff understand the additional vulnerabilities of the children they care for. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of safeguarding processes and their safeguarding duties. Records of safeguarding events are appropriate.

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

Staff are not risk averse. Risk assessments are of a good quality and provide clear guidance for staff, which enables children to take part in a wide range of activities safely.

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

Behaviour is well managed. Staff understand that behaviour is communication, and they respond appropriately. When restraint is used, this is at a low level and for a short duration. These incidents are robustly monitored by the manager, and meaningful conversations are held with the staff involved. Leaders and managers have not yet devised a way of gaining feedback from children after behavioural events that is appropriate to their communication needs.

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

Staff recruitment processes follow safer recruitment practices, which helps to protect children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has two managers. One is registered with Ofsted, and the other is going through the registration process. The managers are ambitious for the children, the staff and the home. They have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. The managers have plans in place to develop the home, but they have not been able to fully implement these plans due to current staffing shortages. To mitigate these shortages and maintain a good standard of care, leaders and managers took the difficult decision to reduce the number of nights they are open.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers take appropriate action when there are concerns raised about staff practice. Currently, an external agency is completing an investigation into concerns. This investigation has been ongoing for several months and is not yet complete. Leaders and managers have raised their concern about the delay in completion, and this has led to a review of the operating procedure between the two organisations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are positive about working at the home. They feel supported by their colleagues and managers. The current ongoing investigation has raised the anxiety of some staff. Leaders and managers are aware of this and are providing support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions that are reflective and supportive and aid staff development. However, the records of these sessions are not of a consistently good quality and do not fully reflect the discussions held. Inspection report for children’s home: SC067151 5 Staff receive the training they need to care for the children. Specialist training is provided for staff to ensure they have the skills to meet the children’s specific needs. Staff say they enjoy the training provided and are keen to develop their knowledge. Inspection report for children’s home: SC067151 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

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. (Regulation 39 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure there is a clear procedure in place for managing investigations that are completed by other agencies. 31 August 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the area around the sensory garden is well maintained. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should develop a way of having meaningful conversations with each child after an incident, in line with each child’s method of communication. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.33)  The registered person should ensure that records of staff supervision sessions are of a consistently good quality, reflecting the discussions held and agreed actions to be taken. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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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: SC067151 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bristol City Council, Director of Legal Services, City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC067151 8 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 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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