IMPROVEMENTS have been made at a secure children’s home where staff were previously criticised by government inspectors for “unlawful painful” restraint of children.
Managers at Vinney Green secure unit, between Mangotsfield and Emersons Green, are addressing safeguarding concerns, creating a more positive culture and ensuring independent scrutiny of allegations of incidents, according to a recent report by Ofsted.
Inspectors carried out a monitoring visit in November, having concluded that the home still required improvements last July.
Two years earlier, Ofsted had given the unit the lowest rating of inadequate after finding staff used “inappropriate” physical restraint that placed youngsters at risk of harm, unjustified solitary confinement for up to three days and left children “distressed” by confiscating items from bedrooms unfairly.
The regulator’s latest report, published in December, praised staff for implementing an action plan to address previous concerns, although it said this would take time to have a full impact.
South Gloucestershire Council, which runs the home, welcomed the latest findings.
The inspectors said: “The manager and leadership team have devised an action plan to address shortfalls that have been identified following safeguarding allegations and concerns.
“The improvements in this plan and overall safeguarding of the home requires time to become fully embedded.
“The manager and leadership team have increased their monitoring and oversight since the previous inspection and have a plan to improve safeguarding practice including reviewing the culture in the home.”
The inspectors said there was an additional focus on welfare, but the changes introduced “need more time to embed and be impactful”.
They added: “A more positive safeguarding culture is starting to develop.”
It said there was now more transparency between managers and the local authority’s designated officer and that appropriate action had been taken over incidents.
The monitoring visit was to check whether adequate steps had been taken over Ofsted’s previous concerns. It did not include an updated rating as it was not a full inspection.
A council spokesperson said: “In their recent monitoring visit, Ofsted found that progress in all areas previously highlighted as requiring improvement was being made.
“This is thanks to the hard work of the staff and the commitment of the council to supporting them to support the children and young people in our care at Vinney Green – we are constantly striving to build on the good practice that is already delivered.
“We were also particularly pleased to read in the report that the children said that they enjoy living in the home, feel safe and have no concerns about the care and support they receive from staff.”
The home accommodates up to 24 children from the ages of ten to 18.
Places are commissioned by the Youth Custody Service. which can also permit the council’s children’s services department to use vacant beds to place a child on welfare grounds under certain circumstances.
By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service