Children's home run by Bristol City Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 2586752 1 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

The home is operated by a local authority and provides care for up to two children. At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. One child had recently moved out.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 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 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: 11 September 2024

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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: 2586752 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/09/2024 Full Good 11/10/2023 Full Good 14/02/2023 Full Good 17/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2586752 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides children with a warm and nurturing environment where they feel well cared for. Two children were living at the home and spent time with the inspector. One child said, ‘The staff are really amazing, it’s a great place to live, they are my family.’ Another child said they felt welcomed by staff, and since living at the home they feel more settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are well planned. Staff welcome children sensitively and seek the child’s views, wishes and feelings prior to moving in. They meet with children to help prepare them for the move, which helps to relieve any anxieties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child recently moved on from the home. The staff could not support the child in preparing them for their future due to them spending long periods of time away from the home. The staff supported the child daily and helped them to move their belongings. They have maintained a positive relationship, continuing to provide staying close support to the child and their family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans provide staff with a helpful overview of children’s needs and how these are supported. There are clear targets that show the good progress children are making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s individual cultural needs are respected. The staff meet these in a way that is sensitive and inclusive. The care and support from staff help children to develop a positive self-view, and enable children to embrace the local community to develop a sense of belonging. Children enjoy a range of social, educational and recreational activities in the local area. They regularly attend football and rugby clubs as well as the local gym.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school or college and are making good progress. The children currently living at the home show commitment and dedication to their learning and have high aspirations for their future. For the child who lived at the home previously, the staff secured them a new education placement and, during the child’s time away from the home, supported their continued attendance

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support children to develop independence skills to help prepare them for the future. One child has a part-time job and staff have helped them to register as self- employed. The child submits invoices and will soon be completing their annual tax return.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of relationships between staff and children is extremely positive. The staff educate the children through meaningful conversations about topics such as sexual health, exploitation and radicalisation. Children’s views, wishes and feelings are obtained organically in the home through day-to-day interactions. Children have a voice and feel listened to. Inspection report for children’s home: 2586752 4

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

Both children present for the inspection said they feel safe living at the home.

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

Staff support children to take appropriate and managed risks that support their independence. Decision-making considers the child’s previous experiences to ensure that there are no unnecessary restrictions. As a result, children feel trusted.

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

There are plans in place to reduce risk of harm. These risks are continually assessed and reviewed. The staff liaise with external professionals to assure themselves that people and places where children spend time are safe. For example, one child has a part-time job, and the home liaised with multi-agency professionals to assure themselves this is a safe place for the child to be. The staff show interest and use professional curiosity to ask children about their time away from the home.

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

When safeguarding concerns arise, immediate action is taken to safeguard children. Information is clearly recorded and shared with relevant professionals and external agencies. Appropriate support is in place for staff and children.

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

When a child who previously lived at the home was missing, responses from staff have been mixed. During early incidents, staff did not make consistent efforts to maintain contact with the child. Additionally, plans did not clearly outline the expectations on staff during this time. However, learning was taken and future responses were far more robust.

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

The manager carries out safer recruitment for permanent staff. On one occasion, the manager had not obtained information relating to gaps in employment for a staff member before they started working in the home. The manager spoke to the staff member and made steps to rectify this during this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers of the home are committed to the care of children. They have been instrumental in defining a culture and ethos characterised by warmth, nurture and inclusivity. The manager knows the children well and is responsive to their needs, ensuring that they receive a high standard of individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home. They talk about their roles with passion and say that they feel well supported by the management team. When staff are new to the home, they are allocated a mentor who provides additional coaching sessions to support them to develop in their role. Supervision sessions are detailed and robust. There is a focus on children’s care and support, team dynamics and safeguarding. The team is culturally diverse, qualified and experienced. Inspection report for children’s home: 2586752 5 Team meetings take place regularly, are reflective and well attended. They have a clear agenda for discussion that focuses on key areas of children’s day-to-day care and safeguarding. This helps ensure consistency of care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas of development. He has clear systems in place for monitoring and reviewing the care provided and places a strong focus on developing the knowledge and skills of the staff. However, the home’s workforce plan does not currently reflect the skills of the team and their future training and developmental needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is extremely positive. One professional said, ‘My child describes the staff as their family. It is everything I wanted for them; they are a different child. Since living there, they have transformed into a lovely smiley child who can now have a childhood.’ Another professional said that the home is very strong in its understanding of safeguarding, trauma and meeting the child ‘where they’re at’ and described the staff as ‘brilliant’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2586752 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 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; if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

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) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that full and satisfactory explanations for any gaps in employment are consistently obtained and recorded as part of the recruitment.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure that full and satisfactory references for all childcare-related roles are obtained and on file for employees. 31 December 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a workforce plan in place that can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 2 (paragraphs 19 and 20). This should also detail the staffing structure, process for managing and improving performance, and process and timescales for supervision of practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing or spends periods of time away from Inspection report for children’s home: 2586752 7 the home. These responsibilities should be discussed and agreed with the placing authority and clearly outlined in plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.8)

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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: 2586752 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bristol City Council

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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

Carly Parry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2586752 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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