A SECURE unit for children in youth custody has been told to improve by Ofsted.
A team of five inspectors visited Vinney Green in Emersons Green Lane during May.
They said that overall the unit, which can accommodate up to 24 children aged 10 to 18 and is run by South Gloucestershire Council, ‘requires improvement’.
The inspectors said children’s health, education and learning is good but improvements need to be made to their protection, and the effectiveness of management.
They said: “The secure children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.”
At the time of the inspection, 23 children were living at the home, in places commissioned by the Youth Custody Service.
The inspectors said there is a “positive atmosphere” at Vinney Green.
They said children who are due to return to the community are well prepared, with authorised visits outside and activities including work experience.
Forum meetings called ‘Voice of Vinney Green’ allow children to share “views, ideas and concerns” and are well-attended.
The inspectors said: “They report feeling listened to and state that staff respond positively, taking action where possible.
“This contributes to children feeling valued and promotes a culture where their voice is central to the running of the home.”
The inspectors said they saw “warm and respectful interactions” between staff and children, with staff staying in touch with children who had left the home, where appropriate, through phone calls and community visits.
One child told Ofsted: “It is good here, it’s better than you think it’s going to be. The staff do care and they do help us.”
The inspectors said children have access to a “broad and balanced curriculum”, including vocational training and academic subjects up to GCSE and A-level, and “thorough support” for children with special educational needs.
Children at the unit have access to a skilled and experienced team of healthcare staff, with “quick access to primary health services, including a GP, a dentist, an optician, immunisations and vaccinations”.
The inspectors said use of physical restraint and confinement was “appropriate and proportionate”, but the home’s records do not show when legal criteria are met to justify their ongoing use, and definitions and expectations are not always made clear enough to staff.
Ofsted said a new manager had been appointed since an inspection last year, when the unit was also found to require improvement.
He has identified actions needed to improve the service, but these “have either not yet been implemented or are not embedded”, so their the impact is not fully known.
A council spokesperson said: “We are pleased to see that Ofsted have recognised so much of the good work that goes on at Vinney Green.
“We also recognise that we still have work to do to make sure that every element of our work is at the same level.
“Taking on the feedback from Ofsted, the new manager, working closely with our staff and partners, are committed to continual improvement and ensuring this happens.”