More Than Half Of Care Services For Young Scots Need To Improve

More than half of Scotland’s 236 residential care services for young people need to make improvements to their standards of practice, according to a new report by Scotland’s care regulator.

Figures for March 2006 show that these services were providing 2418 places for young people – 1250 in care homes, 1041 in residential special schools and 127 in secure accommodation.

The Care Commission has published a national report about three aspects of the quality of care provided by these services.  It shows that while there are many examples of good practice in the way young people are being cared for, improvements need to be made.

The Care Commission is recommending organisations who run young peoples’ care services, and their staff, need to improve their training and assessment methods, particularly with regard to child protection, planning for young people’s care and the use and recording of physical restraint. 

The report reviewed regulation and inspection work over 2006/2007, focusing specifically on three areas; the protection of children (to ensure they are protected from harm, abuse and exploitation), planning for their care (which identifies an agreed plan for the young person to meet his/her needs), and the use of physical restraint (which should only be used where other methods have not worked to prevent the young person from harming themselves or others).  

The report found:
•    Many services demonstrating good practices that benefit young people.
•    52% of services needing to improve in at least one aspect of the three areas of practice under review
•    There is a need for better staff training.
•    No accurate national picture exists of the use of physical restraint.
•    Concerns remain that young people may feel unable to complain freely about services.

Ronnie Hill, Director of Children’s Services, said: “Caring for children and young people in residential care is one of the most difficult jobs in social care.  Many of the young people will have significant social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.  The challenges facing residential care staff should not be underestimated and they need good support to do their job well.  We owe it to our children to do everything we can to ensure they grow up in a safe environment and emerge as responsible, confident and achieving members of society.

“While we are pleased to find many examples of good practice, the picture across Scotland is patchy.  It is good to know, therefore, that services are acting on the recommendations made in our inspection reports.  This will help ensure consistently good levels of care for our young people. 

“Organisations providing services, and senior managers, have a vital role in setting the tone and culture of residential care services.  Local authorities who place young people in care need to ensure that accurate assessments and proper care planning is in place.  Staff also need to have confidence and skill in finding ways that will help to calm down young people and avoid the need for restraint.”

The report highlights that while physical restraint and the need to employ techniques to calm down young people (de-escalation) are issues of concern, there is no accurate picture of how often these are being used. 

The Care Commission is recommending that better staff training is introduced in de-escalation and physical restraint and that all young people’s residential services use the recording systems set out in Holding Safely (the good practice guidelines published by the Scottish Institute for Residential Childcare).

In 2006-07, the Care Commission took formal enforcement action on two residential special schools because of concerns over the safety of young people.  The schools subsequently made the improvements required.

Copies of the Protecting children and young people in residential care: Are we doing enough? are available from www.carecommission.com