Children's home run by Bridge Communities Limited in Stroud

Inspection report for children's home: SC016600 1 SC016600 Registered provider: Bridge Communities Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for up to five children who have experienced childhood trauma and have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since March 2007.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC016600 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/08/2024 Full Good 05/09/2023 Full Good 13/09/2022 Full Good 14/09/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC016600 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home and the inspector spent time talking with them and observing their interactions with staff and their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff and know that staff can be trusted and relied on. Children talk with staff about sensitive subjects and staff respond with empathy and care. Staff adopt a non-judgemental approach, while reiterating the importance of healthy boundaries, friendships and relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children generally have good experiences in this home. However, some incidents that have occurred outside of the home have negatively impacted children’s safety and their physical and emotional health. Staff tactfully approach difficult conversations with children, reminding them that they are valued and entitled to respect and safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to make progress by encouraging them to attend education, therapy and medical appointments. They also promote engagement with specialist services, such as drug and alcohol workers. Staff support children to express their views, wishes and feelings in ways that work for them, for example texting, keeping journals and talking. They help children to prepare for important meetings with professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children are making good progress with their education. One child received an annual headteacher’s award for their notable progress. Another child is struggling to engage with education due to their poor mental well-being. Staff have not made sufficient efforts to provide educational activities for this child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to ensuring that children remain in contact with people who are important to them. They understand that supporting and strengthening family ties is important for children’s identity and well-being. Staff are happy for family members to come to the home and spend time with children. Alternatively, they take children to meet their family in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Four children have left the home since the last inspection. On two occasions, managers have ended children’s placements because they were unable to meet children’s needs and increasing risks were impacting the well-being of other children and the overall dynamics in the home. Some children who have moved out remain in contact with staff, phoning the home to talk with them or visiting the home to catch up in person.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s lived experiences and how they influence their emotional well-being, perception and behaviour. They are familiar with the children’s needs and vulnerabilities and how this makes them susceptible to risks. Staff Inspection report for children's home: SC016600 4 talk with children about these risks and highlight how they can stay safe online and in the community.

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

At times, children have been highly vulnerable and staff have responded by implementing appropriate risk mitigation strategies. However, despite staff’s best efforts, these are not always impactful, and children have experienced harm while missing from home. In these instances, staff have responded with love and care, ensuring children’s health needs are prioritised.

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

Staff respond appropriately when children go missing from home. They follow children when they leave the house and if they lose sight of them, they phone and text children on their mobiles. Staff try to anticipate where children might go and make efforts to intercept them at the local train station. They involve the British Transport Police and contact the local police station to report children missing. Staff also contact children’s family members and friends.

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

There have been periods when children have been intolerant towards each other and this has resulted in tension. Staff have supported children through these periods, ensuring they all feel heard and helping them to forge improved relationships. Conversely, there have been periods when children have quickly bonded and developed unhealthy relationships that increased risk in the home. In these instances, staff interventions did not have the desired outcome and managers decided to end children’s placements.

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

When children are overwhelmed and emotionally unsettled, staff encourage them to talk about their feelings, which helps them to calm. The staff are particularly skilled at this and, consequently, there have been no physical interventions since the last inspection.

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

Managers do not consistently follow safer recruitment practice when they employ staff. They do not always explore gaps in applicant’s employment histories.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children have been exposed to increased risks online and in the community. This has tested staff’s resilience and skills. Managers and the staff have made good efforts to try and keep children safe. They have been proactive and vigilant and used an appropriate degree of curiosity to better understand children’s lived experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and the staff are strong advocates for the children, and they support them to be brave in emotive and stressful situations, for example, speaking with the police and attending medical appointments. Staff have challenged other professionals when they believe they are falling short in their duties towards children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is committed to children and makes efforts to help them achieve placement stability. However, she also recognises when risks are too high and the home is unable to meet children’s needs. On two occasions, the registered manager has Inspection report for children's home: SC016600 5 decided to end children’s placements. These were proportionate decisions based on the presenting risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive meaningful support from the registered manager. For example, during difficult periods, the manager increases supervision sessions for staff, to explore their emotional well-being. The manager also facilitates meetings between children and staff to help them repair their relationships and to ensure that children’s views are heard and acted on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff are struggling to complete relevant qualifications in a timely manner. However, this has not impacted their practice or their ability to build positive relationships with children. Inspection report for children's home: SC016600 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(v)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff make efforts to engage children in educational activities if they are not attending school. 1 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 1 December 2025 Inspection report for children's home: SC016600 7 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that gaps in employment history are explored during the recruitment process.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff complete the relevant qualification within the specified time frame. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home’s Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12) This recommendation has been repeated.

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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: SC016600 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bridge Communities Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 4, Enterprise Court, Downmill Road, Bracknell RG12 1QS

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Inspector

Tara Webb, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC016600 9 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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