Vinney Green Secure Unit

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035500 1 Vinney Green Secure Unit South Gloucestershire Council Vinney Green Secure Unit, Emersons Green Lane, South Gloucestershire BS16 7AA

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this secure children’s home

This home is managed by a local authority. It is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict children’s liberty. The home can accommodate up to 24 children aged between 10 and 18 years. At the time of this inspection, 21 children were living at the home.

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Information about this secure children’s home

All places available at the home are commissioned on a contractual basis by the Youth Custody Service (YCS). The YCS may, under certain circumstances, permit local authority children’s services to spot-purchase a vacant bed at the home, to enable a local authority to place a child on welfare grounds under section 25 of the Children Act 1989. Admission of any young person under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who is under 13 years of age requires approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The commissioning of health services at this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this secure children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this secure children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035500 2  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Four requirements and four recommendations were raised following the home’s last inspection. The four requirements remain. Two recommendations were met and two were not considered during this visit. This will be reviewed at the home’s next inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035500 3

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have positive relationships with staff. Staff understand children’s risks and interests. Children say they feel supported by staff and feel they are benefiting from living at the home. For example, one child spoke with the inspectors about how the work experience he was currently on was enabling him to develop and learn new skills. Children identify the positive progress they are making.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s plans are not always detailed about how to best support them. Plans are updated following significant incidents. However, the plans do not always identify specific triggers or ways to manage similar behaviours. This could mean that staff do not have the most up-to-date information and strategies. Training about using language that cares has been delivered to staff, and while there are improvements in the language used, this is still being embedded. Managers have identified children who have too many plans and are developing the system to combine plans to make these easier for staff to read and understand.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been an improvement in recording whether the criteria for single separation (where a child is locked into an area alone due to significant risk) is met. Training and support for managers and staff have been delivered and appear to be having a positive impact but are still being embedded to ensure they are consistent. The timescales for the reviews about whether the criteria are still met are not yet being completed in line with the aims of the home’s quality assurance audits. However, this has been identified by managers with an action plan in place regarding this.

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Findings from the inspection

The requirement set at last inspection about capturing children’s progress has not yet been met. Managers are aware of this and have had conversations with other secure children’s homes to gain ideas about how to do this in a meaningful way. This shows that managers are taking a proactive approach to completing this requirement in a way that will be beneficial to children and staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Safeguarding is a key aspect of the work that staff carry out with the children. Due to the vulnerabilities of the children, staff are keen to grasp any opportunity to explore safeguarding issues. The leadership team discusses safeguarding in SONAR (Summary of Needs and Risks) meetings and supervision meetings with staff. Managers have also developed ‘Toolbox talks’ exploring pertinent concerns of safeguarding issues. This is beginning to embed a safeguarding culture within the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers demonstrate an understanding of their strengths and areas for development. They are establishing clear and effective internal quality assurance processes, which is beginning to be applied. Learning development initiatives, Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035500 4 alongside monthly external audits are being used proactively to inform staff practice, support professional development and enhance children’s progress and overall experiences.

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Findings from the inspection

Four requirements and four recommendations were raised following the home’s last inspection. The four requirements remain. Two recommendations were met and two not considered during this visit. This will be reviewed at the home’s next inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035500 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/04/2023 Full Good 02/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035500 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans are updated with newly identified risk triggers to support the child to prevent physical intervention. 25 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that records describe throughout an incident how the legal criteria continue to be met so that ongoing use of any single separation or managing away is justified. 25 November 2025

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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— 25 November 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035500 7 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s care plans are effectively monitored to ensure that progress is captured and measured.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s records are up to date and provide a clear picture of the child’s journey. Also, records must be helpful and recorded using language that cares. 25 November 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn. Specifically, children moving to the adult estate should benefit from appropriate careers information, advice and guidance. All staff should plan and teach curriculums well, so that children consistently develop new knowledge, skills and behaviours. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)  The registered person should ensure that they make suitable arrangements to store medication. Specifically, improve the process for action(s) to be taken if the refrigerator goes out of the required temperature range. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035500 8

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Secure children’s home details

Registered provider: South Gloucestershire Council

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Secure children’s home details

Registered provider address: South Gloucestershire Adults, Children’s and Health, PO box 1955, Bristol BS37 0DE

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Inspectors

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Leanne Lyon, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035500 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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