Children's home run by Bramley Care Limited

Inspection report for children's home: SC068272 1 SC068272 Registered provider: Bramley Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home can provide care for up to 14 children who require specialist support. Every child who is admitted must agree to engage with the home’s therapeutic services. There were 13 children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The children attend the organisation’s school on the same site. The inspector only inspected the social care provision.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home was registered with Ofsted in July 2020. A new responsible individual started in post in March 2024.

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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

Date of last inspection: 17 October 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: SC068272 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/10/2023 Full Good 14/12/2022 Full Good 05/05/2021 Full Good 21/08/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC068272 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive thoughtful and considerate care from staff who are invested in developing meaningful relationships with them. The staff think laterally about how to meet children’s needs and find creative ways to engage children when they may not feel motivated or confident. Staff use their knowledge of children’s personalities and interests to help them find connections with other children, which helps them to socialise with their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are making progress and actively participate in the plans made for their futures. One child has developed their confidence socially and has started to build stronger relationships with peers as a result. Another child is excelling in education and has secured a place at college for next term.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have many opportunities for enrichment, which supports their well-being and social development. They enjoy sea fishing, baking, clay modelling, drawing, playing musical instruments and regular trips to local places of interest. Children participate in group activities and clubs, such as cadets, swimming lessons and parkour. Children also have allocated roles at home, such as car washing and garden maintenance, which helps them develop important life skills and develop a sense of ownership and achievement. The risks of participation are considered on an individual basis and are well assessed and reviewed to ensure that children can safely access activities that they are interested in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Time with family and loved ones is fully supported by staff, particularly when children are living a significant distance away from their families. Staff are flexible with arrangements and liaise well to ensure that children have meaningful and enjoyable experiences with loved ones. One child recently went on a cruise with his family, and another enjoyed his family members visiting the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children moving into and out of the home receive ample preparation and support. Children visit the home and meet the staff before they move in. Those living in the home are consulted about any changes and are given the time and opportunity to express their views and preferences. When one child who was taking his GCSE exams moved in recently, the home liaised with the wider network to ensure that there was effective planning to ensure his education was not disrupted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, staff and children from one of the provider’s other homes have moved into this home. The transition and leadership restructure following this move have been adeptly carried out and the changes are regarded positively by the children involved. There are, however, some inconsistencies in practice. Leaders are already addressing these to ensure that there is consistency and harmony among all staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive health and educational outcomes because of the care that they receive from knowledgeable and proactive staff. Staff seek out suitable work experience Inspection report for children's home: SC068272 4 opportunities and activities for children when they have expressed an interest in areas such as horticulture and motor mechanics.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take time with children to ensure that their bedrooms and the communal areas are both personalised and comfortable. Some children’s bedrooms are impressively equipped and decorated to a high standard. While all bedrooms have items, photos and furniture suited to children’s needs and interests, some are not yet decorated and equipped to the same high standard as others. Children’s privacy is respected and bedrooms are generally not entered without their permission, however, there are times when children feel this is not consistently adhered to.

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

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and how to respond to incidents safely and appropriately. They are confident about the actions that they would take if they were concerned. Staff demonstrate the ability to de-escalate situations calmly and explore the triggers to children’s behaviours. Staff also share information with, and seek the support of, children’s in-house therapists. This approach means that children receive holistic support to make positive choices and to understand the reasons behind protective actions taken by staff.

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

There is minimal use of restrictive physical intervention. When children need to be held, the use of any measure is proportionate and necessary, with good oversight from the registered manager. Debriefs are considerately and sensitively undertaken with both staff and children to determine whether further supportive actions are necessary. There is also timely communication and positive transparency with relevant agencies about any measure used.

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

Care and therapy teams work together to devise risk management plans sensitively and purposefully. One plan focused on responding to mistruths. This gave guidance to staff about the motivations for such behaviour and provided clear direction around how to manage this, with the clear aim of removing stigma and shame for the child concerned.

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

There have been a small number of medication errors. There is a swift and robust response from managers to explore any learning and identify any systemic weaknesses. Information is cascaded to staff in a timely way and staff training is refreshed appropriately.

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

Recruitment practices are thorough and safe. The use of non-permanent and agency staff is minimised where possible to maintain continuity for children and reduce risks associated with high turnover. The manager monitors this closely. This ensures that the consistency and quality of relationships between staff and children remain good. When there are new members of agency staff in the home, there is careful consideration about how this might impact on the children and their specific vulnerabilities. Tasks and roles are structured so that experienced staff take the lead with children. Inspection report for children's home: SC068272 5 Staff are well prepared for supporting children with specific health needs and receive training in these areas. One child’s care plan and risk assessment contain detailed information about their particular health needs, however, there is no clear or easily accessible guidance for staff to use in the event of an emergency situation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is valued and well respected in the home and by professionals in the wider networks. He is aspirational for the home’s development and for the individual care and progress of each child. He is open to feedback and, with support from his deputies, has been responsive in improving the areas identified for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and leaders have a comprehensive understanding of the children’s needs and what they need to progress. They offer opportunities for children to invest in their environment and contribute to decision-making in the home. Children have warm and respectful relationships with leaders and confidently approach them with suggestions and requests. Children also sit on the interview panel for new staff, so they can help decide who will be providing their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Along with senior leaders, the registered manager is working to ensure that the children receive therapeutically informed care underpinned by research, which has a direct impact on their experiences and progress. For example, a review of the ‘no touch policy’ is being undertaken in response to growing research that supports safe touch.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision of staff is purposeful and effective in supporting staff in line with their individual needs and level of experience. The registered manager is invested in providing development opportunities for staff to ensure that the quality of care provided is consistently good, but also to ensure that the team remains positively motivated through learning and personal accomplishment. Staff say they feel well supported in their roles and can discuss challenges when they arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are strong working relationships between leaders and external stakeholders. Managers ensure that plans are mutually agreed and coordinated to enable swifter decision-making and successes for children. They also skilfully advocate on behalf of children and offer challenge when practice needs to be improved or information is required to care for children effectively. One external professional described this as being done ‘persistently, respectfully and appropriately’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Parents and professionals speak positively of the home’s staff and managers. These relationships are valued and nurtured by leaders, who recognise that this contributes to children’s sense of security and stability. Arrangements for children’s family contact are reflective of the willingness and flexibility of managers and staff to achieve the plans set out by local authorities and strengthen children’s bonds with loved ones. Inspection report for children's home: SC068272 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures, and work consistently together for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 10.20)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant knowledge to be able to meet specific individual health needs arising from a chronic condition or other complex needs. In particular, there should be readily available guidance for staff who are responding to specific health risks that might constitute an emergency. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 7.12)  The registered person should ensure that children’s bedrooms are not generally entered without their permission, although it may be necessary to establish routines to allow for rooms to be cleaned regularly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that all areas of the home are homely domestic environments that are well suited to the needs of the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC068272 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bramley Care Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Tash Williams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC068272 8 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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