Joint Inspection ofEdinburgh Secure Services

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Joint report by Social Work Services Inspectorate, the Scottish Commission forthe Regulation of Care and HM Inspectorate of Education assistedby the Scottish Executive Health Department

October 2004

JOINT INSPECTION OF EDINBURGH SECURE SERVICES

Joint Report By: Social Work Services Inspectorate, The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and HM Inspectorate of Education assisted by the Scottish Executive Health Department

October 2004

SOCIAL WORK SERVICES INSPECTORATE Purposes and responsibilities To work with others to continually improve social work services so that:

• they genuinely meet people's needs; and • the public has confidence in them.

HM INSPECTORATE OF EDUCATION Purpose and responsibilities HM Inspectors undertake first-hand, independent evaluations of the quality of education. Their inspections and reviews monitor how well schools, colleges and other providers of education are performing, and promote improvements in standards, quality and attainment in education. SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE HEALTH DEPARTMENT Purpose and responsibilities To work with NHS Scotland to improve health and health services for the people of Scotland:

• to improve, protect and monitor the health of the people of Scotland; • to develop and deliver modern, person-centred primary care and community care

services; • to provide modern, high quality, responsible hospital and specialist services.

SCOTTISH COMMISSION FOR REGULATION OF CARE Purpose and responsibilities The Care Commission was established under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. The Act introduced National Care Standards for a range of services. The Care Commission has the statutory responsibility for ensuring that providers for care services are suitable and that they continue to comply with the statutory regulations and the National Care Standards.

LIST OF CONTENTS Page

1. Summary

1-2

2. Introduction

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3. Progress since Previous Reports

3-4

4. The Establishment and its Operation

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5. Quality of Life

8-14

6. Effectiveness of Educational Provision

14-18

7. Management, Leadership and Quality Assurance

19-22

8. Key Strengths

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9. Main Points for Action

24-25

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SUMMARY 1. The Edinburgh Secure Services provide 12 secure beds and one reception suite for boys and girls. The services are provided in units in Howdenhall and St Katharine’s Centres. Both units are managed by City of Edinburgh Council. 2. Accommodation, care and education arrangements were inspected jointly by the Social Work Services Inspectorate (SWSI), HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) and the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (Care Commission) assisted by the Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD). The purpose of the joint inspection was to assess whether the new unit in Howdenhall should be given full approval and the unit in St Katharine’s should be re-approved under the Regulation of Care (Requirements as to Care Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2002. 3. Since the last joint inspection significant progress had been achieved in relation to previous recommendations:

• Howdenhall had been replaced by a new building; • Guthrie had been partly refurbished; • a single management structure and process had been established; • staff recruitment and training had improved; • a common approach to assessment had been adopted; • specialist services had been commissioned.

However, further progress has to be achieved in:

• the production of an integrated development plan; • the production of a staff training plan; • the journey toward the goal of “one service on two sites”.

4. Young people felt safe and secure. They were treated as individuals and encouraged to exercise their rights. They received good personal care and excellent health services. They valued the support provided by staff. Further progress was required in the development of sessional work with young people by staff and specialists and quality assurance systems by senior management. 5. Both of the units were heavily used. The City of Edinburgh remained the main user. A majority of admissions related to girls. The average length of stay continued to increase. A few young people who continued to need secure care stayed in this placement for excessively long periods. 6. The inspection covered key aspects of educational provision at all stages. HM Inspectors evaluated the quality of learning, teaching and achievement and examined students’ work. They listened carefully to the views of students and teachers and took account of the responses to questionnaires which were issued to all teaching staff. There was a particular focus on English, mathematics, social subjects, art and design, and personal and social education. HM Inspectors also evaluated the quality of support for students, including the use of individualised educational programmes (IEPs). In evaluating how well educational provision was managed, HM Inspectors examined the processes for self-evaluation and planning for improvement.

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7. On the first day of the inspection, there were 14 students in Howdenhall and St Katharine’s Centres, including students residing in the close support units. Eleven were attending lessons in the centres, two were attending an education authority special school on a full-time basis, and one was a school leaver. The students were aged from 12 to over 16 years. Prior to admission, many had been absent from school for considerable periods of time. Some had presented challenging behaviours and, in addition, a few had experienced significant learning difficulties. Only one student had a Record of Needs. 8. It is recommended that secure accommodation in Howdenhall Centre should be given full approval and secure accommodation of St Katharine’s Centre should be re-approved under the Regulation of Care (Requirements as to Care Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2002.

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INTRODUCTION 9. The appraisal of care and education arrangements in Edinburgh Secure Services was to assess whether secure accommodation in Howdenhall Centre (Braid) should be given full approval and in St Katharine’s (Guthrie) should be re-approved under Regulation 10(3) of the Regulation of Care (Requirements as to Care Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2002. The inspection of educational provision in the centres for students in both secure and close support is included in this report. The inspection of linked close support services on the same sites is the subject of a separate report by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (Care Commission). 10. The appraisal of Edinburgh Secure Services was completed as a joint inspection in June 2004. The inspection team included Social Work Inspectors, Stuart Bond and Chris Robinson; Ian Bashford, Senior Medical Officer, Scottish Executive Health Department; HM Inspectors, Frank O’Hagan, Morag Gunion and Gillies Campbell; and Care Commission Officers, Trudi Reid and Shelagh McDougall. 11. The appraisal focused on the needs and circumstances of young people; the establishment and its operation; the quality of life, including health provision; the effectiveness of educational provision; management, leadership and quality assurance. The team drew on background information supplied by Edinburgh Secure Services, interviewed young people, care, teaching, health and specialist staff, internal and external managers; received postal questionnaires from stakeholders (parents, social workers, children’s rights officers, Who Cares? Scotland and local authorities); observed life in the living units throughout the day, including at breakfast, in the evening and at weekend; evaluated learning, teaching and attainment, with a particular focus on English, mathematics, social subjects, technical education, art and design, and personal and social education; examined case files, students’ work, health records and establishment and unit log books. 12. The inspection team gave particular attention to National Care Standards and selected Quality Indicators. They also assessed performance against the 8 principles of “Another Kind of Home”, 1996. This is reflected in the layout of the report. Links with National Care Standards for “School Care Accommodation Services” are also identified. This should promote continuity between joint inspection for the purpose of approval and stand alone inspections by the Care Commission. 13. The Edinburgh Secure Services provide 12 secure beds and one reception suite on 2 nearby sites. Built as separate centres, respectively in 1994 and 2003, St Katharine’s and Howdenhall each include a secure unit and linked close support provision. They are now integrated as one service on two sites with a common management structure and shared education and other services. 14. The City of Edinburgh is responsible for managing the services. PROGRESS SINCE PREVIOUS REPORTS 15. The last joint inspection of old Howdenhall and St Katharine’s centres by SWSI and HMIE assisted by the Scottish Executive Health Department, for the purpose of re-approval, was completed in June 2001. The new Howdenhall Centre was assessed as fit for purpose by a joint inspection team, augmented by Care Commission Officers, in October 2003. In

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addition, the Care Commission has completed two stand alone inspections, including an announced visit in January 2003 and an unannounced visit in January 2004. 16. Progress had been achieved in a number of key areas, notably the following:

• The successful opening of the new Howdenhall Centre, November 2003, with appropriate attention to outstanding safety and security issues.

• The partial refurbishment of Guthrie, including classrooms and en-suite facilities

in bedrooms. • Further steps towards the goal of “one service on two sites”.

• Improvements in staff recruitment and training.

• The adoption of a common approach to assessment.

• The commissioning of specialist services, including drugs and alcohol, mental

health and youth justice. 17. However, work was ongoing in relation to other key areas, particularly:

• the production, in the medium term, of education and quality development plans and, in the longer term, an integrated development plan for the services;

• the production of a staff training plan;

• further progress toward the goal of “one service on two sites”, particularly the

harmonisation of practice. 18. Since the last inspection of educational provision in June 2001, progress towards meeting the main points for action was variable. Line management for education had been transferred to the City of Edinburgh Social Work Department and this new arrangement had enabled closer working relationships to be developed among education and care staff. Staff had taken steps to explain educational provision to students, parents and carers, and the wider community and planned further improvements. They also had developed aspects of initial assessment and the use of individualised educational programmes (IEPs) though further progress, including linking IEPs more closely with care plans, was required. The centres had introduced assemblies as a means of celebrating students’ achievements but needed to further develop opportunities for religious observance. Despite having been a main point for action, the length of the school week was still shorter than that of mainstream schools and deficiencies with timetabling across the split sites remained. The centres’ approaches to self-evaluation and development planning required to be more systematic and robust. THE ESTABLISHMENT AND ITS OPERATION Accommodation and Resources (National Care Standards 4 and 5) 19. Guthrie opened in 1994. Continuous use had led to wear and tear and highlighted some design weaknesses. Recent inspection reports had drawn attention to the need for a

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more homely environment. A programme of refurbishment is now underway. At the time of the visit work on updating classrooms and en-suite facilities in bedrooms had been completed and young people and staff had redecorated the communal living room. Unfinished decorations in the bedroom corridor contributed to a poor quality environment in this area. Further stages of the refurbishment programme include upgrading the courtyard and communal living areas. Refurbishment needs to be completed timeously to ensure that young people live in an environment which conveys the feeling that they are valued. Attention also needed to be given to hygiene arrangements in the kitchen, particularly the bins which were dirty. This will be the subject of a separate inspection by Environmental Health. In addition, young people were reliant on staff to control the blinds in their bedroom windows. Consideration should be given as to how young people can exercise direct control of their blinds. There had been significant improvements in education facilities on both sites. 20. New Howdenhall opened in November 2003. The Edinburgh Schools Partnership was responsible for the build and has continuing responsibility for maintenance. Braid has a spacious living environment which contributes to a harmonious atmosphere. The building design also facilitates supervision by staff. In addition, accommodation and facilities for administration and education are generous. 21. Safety and security issues identified at the fit for purpose inspection of the new build had been addressed. There were, however, a number of outstanding snagging problems. Pagers carried by staff were a constant distraction because of indiscriminate alerts. A power cut during the visit also revealed weaknesses with emergency power arrangements, notably the loss of telephone links and gas supplies and the opening of some powered doors, including the front door. In addition, a number of design weaknesses had been identified. First, young people lacked privacy in the living and dining rooms because windows faced onto publicly accessible areas. Second, there were insufficient car parking spaces for visiting families and professionals. Faults with electrical and electronic systems required immediate attention. The above building design weaknesses should be addressed when resources permit, with priority being given to the privacy of young people. 22. There were good features in the accommodation for education, particularly in the new building in the Howdenhall Centre. There also was a good range of resources, including information and communications technology, to support learning and teaching. However, the nature of the split sites limited opportunities for collaborative work among teachers and meant that, despite the small number of students, various facilities required to be duplicated. There were plans to improve the floor in the room which was used for craft and design technology in St Katharine’s Centre. This room, and the machinery in it, did not have dust extractors. Senior managers, in conjunction with the authority, should undertake regular health and safety checks of accommodation, facilities and practices, particularly for practical subjects. Staffing (National Care Standard 7) 23. Leadership of the services had been consolidated with the filling of all senior posts on a permanent basis. In addition, management roles and responsibilities had been clarified with two depute principals, responsible respectively for care and education services, accountable directly to the principal. Unfortunately, at the time of the inspection, the depute principal (care) had not assumed full responsibility for the quality of care. Such an overview is

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necessary to achieve integration of services across the two sites. This should be rectified in the autumn by further changes in management responsibilities. 24. The managing authority’s high level of sustained commitment to staff recruitment and training, through the work of its Staff Development and Recruitment Centre, had begun to pay dividends. At the time of the visit almost half of the care staff had the necessary qualification for registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC). In addition, the occupants of permanent management posts, including the unit managers responsible for Braid and Guthrie, had relevant qualifications Many other staff were also undertaking some form of training. However, this commitment to training and absences due to annual leave and sickness eroded effective staffing levels. Consequently some staff were working double shifts and there was heavy reliance on agency staff on some shifts. This was most noticeable in Guthrie where inexperienced staff sometimes lacked confidence in dealing with challenging behaviour (see paragraphs 42 and 57). A staffing assessment was required to review staffing levels and the deployment of staff bearing in mind the risks posed by young people and their needs. In addition day staff in the two centres perceived themselves to be working in separate teams. This was also true for night staff. The harmonisation and cohesion of the staff team were important areas for development. 25. At the time of the inspection, the staffing complement for teachers was 8.5 full-time equivalents (FTE), including the depute principal (education). In addition to the depute principal (education), there were two other promoted teachers who were both acting principal teachers. The overall number of teaching posts available in the centres permitted a very good ratio of teachers to pupils during lessons. Morale among teaching staff was high though there was some dissatisfaction with how the nature of the split sites impacted on the quality of learning and teaching. Senior staff needed to review how best to make the most effective use and deployment of teaching staff across the two sites. Use and users 26. In the last year (May 2003/04) the average level of occupancy was 97% in Braid and 94% in Guthrie. Some bed days were lost in Guthrie because bedrooms had to be de-commissioned for refurbishment. During the same period there was a total of 32 admissions and 30 discharges. The continuing trend was for fewer young people to be admitted (39 in 2000/01 and 78 in 1997/98) and discharged (43 in 2000/01 and 75 in 1997/98) and for young people to stay longer. The average length of stay in 2003/04 was 100 days (80 days in 2000/01 and 50 days in 1997/98). Current weekly charges of £2,814 (£2,587 in 2000/01 and £1,800 in 1997/98) were at the lower end of the range of charges for other secure units in Scotland despite an increase of more than 55% since 1997/98. 27. In addition to the increase in the average length of stay we noted that, at the time of the visit, one young person had been resident in Guthrie for more than 14 months and another for nearly 8 months. Both placements exceeded the stated purpose of the unit not to provide long-term placements (not normally exceeding 6 months). Currently this is also a condition of approval by Scottish Ministers. Whilst sympathetic to:

• the special considerations in these cases;

• wider difficulties experienced by placing authorities in implementing exit plans;

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• the trend for Children’s Hearings to attach secure authorisations to a sequence of warrants and supervision requirements;

it is not appropriate for secure accommodation services with limited facilities to become long-term placements. Nevertheless, we have already highlighted improvements in space and facilities at new Howdenhall and the refurbishment of Guthrie. Consequently we would recommend to the approving and registering bodies an extension on the upper limit for placement in Edinburgh Secure Services from 6 to 8 months. 28. The long-term decline in the use made of the Edinburgh Secure Service by authorities outwith the city appeared to have stabilised with 16% of admissions accounted for by authorities other than Edinburgh. The relatively high proportion of girls admitted, 60% of all admissions, continued. The most common previous placement was a young people’s centre or, to a lesser extent, a residential school. The most common next placement was a linked close support unit or, to a lesser extent, a young person’s centre or the young person’s home. 29. During the week of the visit, 5 young people (4 boys and one girl) were residing in Guthrie, with 5 young people (2 boys and 3 girls) residing in Braid. The ages of young people ranged from 13 to 16 years. The managing authority was responsible for 7 of the young people, the others came from 3 different authorities in the central belt. Eight of the young people had been placed under supervision requirements (4) or warrants (4) imposed by the Children’s Hearings and the others were the subject of Sheriff Court remands. Only one student had a Record of Needs. Secure Services and the Community 30. Staff had taken steps to involve parents and carers more in the life of the school and organised termly meetings for them on each site. However, educational reports required to provide more evaluative comments on students’ progress and achievements. Documentation relating to educational provision did not contain sufficient information for service users, including students and their parents and carers. Senior managers and staff should review this documentation and ensure that it is more detailed, accurate and up-to-date. In doing so, they should take further action to inform parents, carers and placing authorities of courses for personal and social education and health education, including sensitive issues and the use of the resources in these areas. 31. Senior managers and staff had made good progress in extending educational links with the wider community. They made good use of events and resources in the community to enhance students’ learning experiences. They also had developed worthwhile partnerships with other schools in the City of Edinburgh and planned to extend links with residential establishments across Scotland. They should continue to develop effective working relationships with subject departments in secondary mainstream and special schools to further promote curricular development. 32. Good links had also been maintained and, where appropriate, further developed with mainstream and specialist community based health and social care services. There were appropriate working arrangements with the local health centre and dental surgery and close links with Lothian Health Department’s Community Looked After Children (LAC) Nurse (see paragraph 45). In addition, services had been commissioned from mental health, drug and alcohol and youth justice projects (see paragraphs 49-51). We would reiterate that future

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access to such services would be improved by the production, in-house, of a directory of resources, including access pathways. QUALITY OF LIFE Individuality and development (National Care Standards 1, 3, 6, 8, 15 and 16) 33. The services’ philosophy and approach to case management were set out in the statement of functions and objectives and the information booklet for referring agencies. The following extracts illustrate the main themes.

Statement of functions and objectives “Services offer a residential resource providing individual support to young people whose behaviours, at the point of admission, make them a risk to themselves and others…………… The primary aim is to enable the young person to assume sufficient control over their actions to be able to function without the need for physical security.” Information booklet “[Services] operate on the basis that effective care…… can only be achieved through high standards of nurturing care and the strength of relationships built between staff and young people……. [We] aim to move young people out of physical security within a fairly short timescale………. This is done through setting realistic and purposeful care plan objectives…. Subject to appropriate needs and risk assessment, young people can be moved to open accommodation on site at any early point.”

34. The processes of referral and care planning remain largely as previously described:

• The secure referral group considers, on a fortnightly basis, applications for admission in terms of the need for and purpose of secure placement and the exit plan.

• The initial planning meeting is held within 72 hours of admission and builds on

initial planning objectives.

• Weekly care planning meetings focus on how care plan objectives are being progressed.

• A full inter-disciplinary assessment meeting is held within 6 weeks of admission.

• A secure care plan is devised, within the context of the statutory care plan; this

identifies goals to be reached for the young person to successfully move out of secure care.

• The secure care referral group also reviews the young person’s continuing need

for secure accommodation on a regular basis.

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Young people were also aware of the process of care planning, understood the purpose of particular meetings and felt fully involved. 35. Progress had been achieved in developing and implementing a common approach to assessment. A proforma, developed in-house, had been piloted and then rolled out across the services. This comprehensive assessment comprised three main components:

• the 7 dimensions of the LAC materials;

• observation of the young person’s behaviour while in residence;

• a risk assessment of the behaviours which led to the young person’s admission. While key workers and case managers said that the completion of the proforma was time-consuming and entailed considerable duplication they readily acknowledged that it resulted in a more consistent and focused approach. This was evident in the identification of care plan objectives. When this approach to assessment becomes embedded it should be subject to management review, with a view to possible streamlining. 36. All the young people had a care plan. In Braid care plan objectives were clearly linked to assessments of individual need and risk. However, in Guthrie links were more tenuous because assessments had been completed less consistently. In addition educational needs were missing from assessments and plans in both units although this information was present in educational files. Individualised educational programmes needed to be incorporated in care plans. 37. Key workers and their case managers often had the lead role in assisting young people to achieve care plan objectives either directly through key worker sessions or indirectly by arranging specialist services. There was more evidence of both types of focused work on this occasion. Key worker sessions were normally timetabled. Records showed sensitive work. This was usually valued by young people. For instance, one key worker undertook regular reading sessions with her key child. However, more thought needed to be given to planning blocks of sessions so that pieces of work could be completed before the young person moved on from the unit. In addition there was some evidence of contributions from specialist services, including mental health, drugs and alcohol and youth justice. However, while these developments were welcomed by stakeholders, such as social workers, they were also critical of the length of time taken to commence services and the links between specialists and key workers. First, in the absence of a directory of resources (see paragraph 32) key workers were often left to their own resources in arranging specialist services. Second, when young people received specialist services their full potential was frequently not realised because key workers were nearly always excluded from sessions and, at best, benefited from de-briefing. A more systematic approach was required to promote co-working between specialists and key workers. Such integration will not only serve to foster a holistic approach to young people but in doing so will also develop the breadth and depth of in-house resources. 38. The climate and relationships among teachers and students were good overall. The young people, as observed during lessons, were generally well motivated. On occasions, students did not settle well during lessons and were asked to go to a quiet area for advice and guidance. In these circumstances, care and teaching staff co-operated well to ensure that students returned to class without undue delay. Teachers actively promoted equality and

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fairness and were alert to changes in the motivational levels of their students. Staff’s expectations with regard to students’ achievement were generally good though, for some students, expectations could have been higher. There were weekly assemblies which offered good opportunities for active participation by students. These now required to be further developed to provide appropriate opportunities for religious observance. Rights (National Care Standards 9, 10, 17 and 18) 39. Young people said that their rights and responsibilities were explained by staff at admission. They also had access to an information booklet which sets out next steps if they are unhappy with their situation. Braid was also visited on a weekly basis and Guthrie on a monthly basis by children’s rights officers from the managing authority and both units were visited weekly by the young people’s development worker from Who Cares? Scotland. In addition, there were quarterly meetings between the senior management team and children’s advocacy services to examine emerging trends. Overall, young people had good awareness of their rights and support in exercising them. Although copies of the complaints form were available to young people in units it would be helpful if they could be made more readily accessible and on a confidential basis, for instance by including a copy in the young people’s information booklet. The booklet should also include information about the role of the Care Commission in relation to complaints and contact details. 40. Young people were also able to exercise some influence over their living situation through weekly unit meetings. They said that their views were listened to and sometimes acted upon by staff, for instance with regard to the menu in Guthrie and bed times and, where possible, furnishings in living areas. However, their views were not formally sought regarding the handling of incidents, for instance the use of restraint. Conversely, arrangements were in hand to introduce formal staff de-briefing so that any lessons could be learned from incidents (see paragraph 57). Active consideration should be given to extending similar arrangements to young people which could be exercised in conjunction with advocacy services. Good personal care (National Care Standards 3, 5 and 11) 41. Young people were generally positive about their placement in Edinburgh Secure Services. They often said that this was for their “own safety [or] good”. Unit staff were valued because they “listen ………..discuss [reasons for admission]………….give help when you need it”. Some staff, particularly key workers, were described as “brilliant”. Unit staff also showed warmth and commitment to young people. In addition, they retained a sense of perspective in relation to young people’s current behaviour. 42. Once again inspectors noted differences in the ethos of the two units. Staff in Braid were seen to be more pro-active, confident and consistent in engaging with young people than their colleagues in Guthrie. The latter may be explained by a combination of factors including: heavier reliance on inexperienced agency staff, the sheer exhaustion of staff who had worked double shifts, less team work and the needs of and risks presented by current residents. Staff in Guthrie would benefit from the presence of supervisory and management staff on the “shop floor” modelling good practice. Conversely, the approach adopted in Braid might be described as “over-controlling” since the new unit had settled into a rhythm of life and could benefit from some relaxation, subject to needs and risk assessment, including a more homely and personalised living environment.

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43. However, there was a limited range of activities for young people in both units. Young people spent much of their evenings and weekends watching TV and playing cards. Some staff made good use of TV programmes to discuss wider issues with young people. However, on other occasions young people were allowed access to programmes without opportunities to discuss wider issues. Use of other facilities, such as the gym, was sometimes restricted by the number of staff on duty. We have already recommended a staffing assessment (see paragraph 24). In addition, young people would benefit from shift planning, particularly the provision of a wider range of positive activities drawing, where appropriate, on established links with the local Youthlink Project. 44. The views of young people about the quality and choice of food were obtained through feedback sheets. This informed menus on display which provided a choice between meat and vegetarian options. Young people in Guthrie were generally more satisfied with the quality and choice of food than their peers in Braid. Overall, while food was adequate it appeared slightly institutionalised, for instance the lack of theme or special nights. Consideration should be given to ways of promoting discussion between the chefs and young people, such as through establishing a food committee. Although some use was made of the galleys, particularly in Braid, this was usually for snacks rather than meals. Funds should be set aside in unit budgets to allow young people to purchase food for cooking meals and thereby develop appropriate life skills. Health (National Care Standards 12 and 13) 45. The framework and system for meeting the health needs of young people, provided by the local Health Care Project, was excellent. A community paediatrician was responsible for a comprehensive assessment at admission. This resulted in a health plan with specific action points. A Looked After Children’s (LAC) nurse was responsible for follow-up. Her fortnightly visits included all aspects of health and health provision and she was a valued source of advice to staff and young people. 46. General medical services were provided by the local health centre. The GP set aside one emergency appointment each day with consultations either in the surgery or the unit. Out-of-hours services were satisfactory. There was also good access to accident and emergency services. The GP referred to secondary care services when appropriate. This included fast-track access to services such as sexual health. While Primary Care Medical Records were held at the health centre a summary, identifying the specific health contact, was given either to the young person or accompanying member of staff. 47. Prescriptions were dispensed by a local pharmacy which also provided advice to young people and staff. A Medicines Cardex, for prescribed and over-the-counter medicines, was maintained on each young person. The local Community Dental Service was responsible for dental assessment and treatment either in the dental centre or unit. There was also appropriate out-of-hours cover. The initial health assessment included ophthalmology. Appropriate referrals were made either to a local optician or, in the case of significant morbidity, to the Eye Hospital. 48. The secure services had an identified health care lead. There was not a qualified first-aider in each unit on every shift and young people lacked a choice of gender. Senior management were reviewing need in this area. All staff had appropriate first-aid training.

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Appropriately stocked first-aid kits were available in each unit. There was little evidence of significant integration between care and education staff with regard to a holistic and integrated approach to health promotion. For instance, some care staff were not aware of the current health promotion curriculum topic. A more integrated approach to health promotion was required (see paragraph 70). Specialist services (National Care Standard 15) 49. The initial assessment of young people included mental health and risk taking behaviour. There was fast-track access to child and adolescent mental health services. Appropriate use was also made of specialist community projects, for instance child protection. 50. Psychology services provided by Edinburgh Connect for LAC included a visit to each centre every three weeks. The service included staff consultation and direct work with young people on an individual basis. The secure services also had a clinical psychologist. While individual case files included a record of psychological contacts, details of intervention were missing. Active consideration should be given by senior management, in conjunction with psychological services, to the inclusion of a summary of work completed with young people on their files (also see paragraph 37). 51. Issues relating to drug and alcohol misuse were covered in the personal and social education (PSE) curriculum. Acute substance misuse problems were dealt with by the GP. For instance she was developing a protocol for the management of acute withdrawal. She also referred young people to secondary care services for specialist help. In addition, the secure services had access to Lothian drug and alcohol teams. Partnership with parents (National Care Standard 2) 52. Young people and their parents were able to maintain regular and close contact, particularly when families lived locally. This included private telephone calls and visits in dedicated visiting rooms. Parents were also aware of the process of care planning, understood the purpose of particular meetings and felt fully involved. The key worker or case manager normally informed parents promptly when their child had been involved in an incident.

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Child centred collaboration (National Care Standards 14 and 16) Co-operation with social work departments and social workers 53. Placing authorities had sufficient background information on Edinburgh Secure Services, including the statement of functions and objectives and an information booklet. They felt appropriately involved in decisions about admission and discharge and ongoing care planning. However, they were not involved in the development or implementation of policies. We understand that senior management will seek the views of placing authorities in the forthcoming quality review process (see paragraph 80). Placing authorities also valued the smallness of units, educational resources and the continuity of care between secure and close-support. 54. Social workers were positive about the impact of the placement on young people, particularly the provision of a safe and supportive environment. They were fully involved in care planning and workers from more distant authorities found this demanding. Plans were implemented either by key workers or specialist services, for instance bereavement counselling. Most social workers said that their young person’s interest in education had been “renewed” but one social worker described her young person as “under stimulated”. Communications between the units and social workers, for instance in relation to incidents, were generally good but sometimes there were delays because of gaps between key worker shifts. Overall, staff were commended for their commitment and dedication to young people. Co-operation between care and education staff 55. The senior management team provided a model of co-operation between care and education staff. Responsibility for promoting further developments and their implementation fell to a joint working party – “Working together”, chaired by the psychologist. Improvements had been achieved in a number of areas, including the production of the assessment proforma; joint training, for instance in restraint; and the establishment of a homework club. However, further progress was required in:

• reviewing education corridor duty, performed by care staff, to develop a more pro-active and supportive role (see paragraph 72);

• ensuring that individualised educational programmes are included in care plans;

• developing arrangements for scheduling meetings to ensure appropriate

attendance and/or contributions by care and education staff.

A feeling of safety (National Care Standards 3 and 5) 56. Young people said that they felt safe and secure in Braid and Guthrie. They were aware of the boundaries to and the consequences of their behaviour. When they had concerns, for instance about the inconsistent application of limits by staff, these were raised either with their key worker or children’s rights officer. Staff teams were willing and able to discuss and review their practice. They were assisted by local (Edinburgh Secure Services) guidance on measures of control, including the use of locked bedrooms and the management of violent incidents. Priority was also given to staff training in the CALM system in dealing

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with challenging behaviour and practice in the use of restraint within the context of a holistic approach, including de-escalation strategies. 57. Young people in Braid felt that restraint was used fairly and appropriately. However, in Guthrie the use of restraint had, on a number of occasions (inspectors identified 22 incidents involving 5 different young people in 2003), resulted in assaults on staff and the police becoming involved. Some young people had subsequently been charged with offences, such as Breach of the Peace. While reporting assaults to the police is consistent with the managing authority’s policy regarding violence to employees at work it could result in young people admitted for non-offence reasons acquiring criminal records. Clearly a balance has to be struck between the duty of care to young people and staff. We welcome the monitoring of incident reports by the external manager and the introduction of staff de-briefing (see paragraph 40). However, further action is required to achieve necessary progress through the following points:

• the establishment of a management information system to monitor the nature and frequency of violence incidents;

• the introduction of arrangements for de-briefing young people following violent

incidents (see paragraph 40);

• greater presence by supervisory and management staff in Guthrie (see paragraph 42);

• the production of local detailed guidance on when and how to involve the police;

• the establishment of quality assurance systems by senior management, including

the setting of targets for reducing violent incidents. An action plan should be forwarded to SWSI and the Care Commission within 6 months of the publication of this report. Further progress will be subject to monitoring through routine inspection. 58. We have already commented on the effectiveness of physical arrangements for safety and security (see paragraph 21). The allocation of lead responsibility for monitoring and maintaining safety and security systems in each unit was welcome. The fire precautions and fire log books were both well-maintained. In common with other log books they would benefit from the insertion of an introduction, including a statement of purpose and guidance on how they should be completed. Fire drills had been practised by day and night. However, we noted that the latter took place soon after bedtime. While this had the advantage of minimising disruption to young people it did not provide experience of a full night drill. Full night drills, at the dead of night, should be practised from time to time. EFFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATION PROVISION (National Care Standard 14) Overall quality of achievement 59. The quality of attainment and achievement was good overall. Students were extending their knowledge and understanding through coursework and acquiring relevant skills in aspects of practical subjects. Those who were experiencing learning difficulties were

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generally developing a good understanding of literacy, numeracy and personal and social education though, at times, they needed further help in meeting specific targets. At S1/S2, young people were gaining a useful basic knowledge in the subjects they studied. At S3 to S5, due to the short school week and the fact that students were generally in the centres for relatively short periods of time, opportunities for them to complete National Qualifications (NQ) units and courses were limited. Structure of the curriculum 60. The structure of the curriculum had some important weaknesses. The length of the formal school week was shorter than in mainstream secondary schools and this feature restricted the breadth of students’ learning activities. Additionally, timetabling arrangements across the two sites limited the coherent planning of a balanced curriculum. Students were taught some subjects on only one day of the week. Classes did not always receive the same time allocations for subjects. In some curricular areas, staff had given insufficient attention to ensuring that senior students could gain appropriate levels of national certification. English Achievement 61. Overall, the quality of achievement in English was good. Students were making good progress in the targets which had been set for them in their class work. In some instances, they could have made more progress if their tasks had been more challenging. Across S1 to S5, students were prepared to talk about texts they were reading and the personal research they were carrying out on the Internet. However, most found aspects of group discussion difficult. Students from S3 to S5 were able to use information they had found through their research to write discursive essays. At all stages, some students read for pleasure. The centres were actively promoting this through the provision of a good range of books which students could purchase using the points they had received for positive behaviour and attitude. Courses

62. Overall, the quality of the courses for English were good. At S1/S2, the programme covered key aspects of reading and writing. At this stage, the programme should be improved to ensure that it provides opportunities for students to develop their skills more fully in listening and talking. The programme from S3 to S5 included Standard Grade and NQ units at Access and Intermediate levels. It took account of the interests of students and their individual needs. Mathematics Achievement 63. The quality of students’ achievements in mathematics was good overall. Most students responded positively to the activities which had been set for them and were making good progress in their coursework. Some required further assistance in reinforcing their skills in areas which they had covered already. At S1/S2, they were generally acquiring a useful knowledge and understanding of basic mathematical processes and skills, particularly

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in number work. At S3 to S5, most students were able to demonstrate a range of skills in solving problems relating to aspects such as number and measurement. Most were making good progress in undertaking NQ units at Access 3 and Intermediate 1 levels. Courses 64. Overall, the courses for mathematics were good. There was a strong emphasis on the use of mathematics in practical contexts. At S1/S2, young people were set tasks relating to the 5-14 curriculum. Some aspects of learning and teaching required a better structure to meet their needs more fully. At S3 to S5, the programme provided students with relevant experiences to extend their mathematical skills. It included information handling, calculations in everyday situations, measurement and shape. Students had good opportunities to acquire national certification through undertaking NQ units and courses. Social subjects Achievement 65. Overall, students were making good progress in social subjects. They generally worked hard in class and achieved success in the targets which their teacher had set for them. Some, at all stages, could have achieved more if the pace of work was brisker and they were given more demanding tasks. Students had developed skills in comparing aspects of life in contemporary British society with society in mediaeval times. They had organised and presented information about the Second World War and learned about key historical figures who had been victims of assassination. Students from S3 to S5 had gained a cluster award at Access level 3. Courses 66. The quality of the courses in social subjects was fair overall. At all stages, they were based on the study of separate topics in geography, history and modern studies. The choice of topics did not adequately meet the needs of students at S1/S2. At this stage, the programme needed to develop students' knowledge and understanding across a better balance of key aspects. From S3 to S5, the programme was based on the same topics as at S1/S2. At this stage, it better met students' needs as it provided a coherent cluster award at Access level 3. Art and design Achievement 67. Overall, students achieved good standards in art and design. Almost all were making appropriate progress in their coursework. Those who achieved the highest standards were able to use their drawing, painting and modelling skills effectively to express ideas and to develop solutions to design problems. At S3 to S5, students who studied NQ units at Access 3 or Intermediate1 levels generally succeeded in achieving unit awards.

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Courses 68. The courses in art and design were fair overall. At S1and S2, the programme was well constructed to develop students' practical skills but it provided too few opportunities for the development of their evaluation and appreciation skills. At S3 to S5, students had good opportunities to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills through studying NQ units at Access 3 or Intermediate1 levels. However, the short time for which students were generally referred to the centres, together with the limited time provided for the study of art and design, prevented most from completing any certificated course in this subject. At all stages, there were insufficient opportunities for students to use information and communications technology to undertake research and to develop visual images and solutions to design problems. Personal and social education Achievement 69. The quality of achievement during lessons in personal and social education was good overall. The students were generally well motivated and engaged, though some required more assistance to work effectively with others. They were developing an awareness of their own social needs and acquiring skills to look after themselves. They were gaining in self-confidence and self-assurance and developing an understanding of their social responsibilities though participation in set tasks. The centres should now provide more opportunities for senior students to gain national certification through undertaking relevant NQ units in this area. Courses 70. The courses in personal and social education were good and had some very good aspects. They covered relevant topics such as self-awareness, handling conflict, respect for others, independent living and education for work. Classroom activities provided useful challenges to stimulate students’ interests. Tasks were well matched to their social needs and provided them with good opportunities to discuss their own feelings and opinions. Although there were good links with other curriculum areas, there was insufficient integration of targets for personal and social development across care and education (see paragraph 48). Care and teaching staff should take steps to develop a more co-ordinated and integrated approach, including contributions from the personal and social education courses, when planning to meet students’ personal, social, health and vocational needs. Learning and teaching 71. The quality of teaching and of students’ learning experiences was good overall. The following were features of learning and teaching in the lessons observed.

• The teaching process was usually good. However, at times, staff did not provide sufficiently clear directions to guide students through their tasks. On occasions, they needed to increase the pace of work and provide more challenging activities.

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• There was insufficient sharing of targets for achievement across education and care. Students should be encouraged to make better use of homework in their residential units to reinforce what they have covered in class.

• The quality of students’ learning was generally good but varied across subjects.

Students would have benefited from more information about the standards and requirements of their courses. Some required further support to engage more co-operatively with their teacher or their peers during lessons.

• Although steps had been taken to develop the initial assessment process, these

arrangements required further improvement. Assessment procedures did not place a sufficiently strong emphasis on identifying students’ strengths and development needs within curriculum areas and on outlining the next steps for learning.

Pastoral care 72. Teaching staff had a good knowledge about young people’s pastoral needs and demonstrated sensitive attitudes to the care and welfare of individual students. They were alert and responsive to students’ particular problems. They listened to students’ personal views and showed patience when assisting them in controlling their behaviour and emotional feelings. Care staff provided valuable support for teachers to manage inappropriate behaviour and volatile circumstances. Teachers and care staff were generally successful in encouraging positive behaviour and returning students to class. However, procedures for care staff to support students during lessons were largely confined to resolving problematic situations rather than being directly involved in aspects of learning, such as personal and social education and health education. Senior managers should review arrangements for behaviour support with the aim of establishing more co-operative approaches to promoting students’ interpersonal skills, learning and achievement (see paragraph 55). Support for learning 73. Overall, arrangements for learning support were fair. Teachers used a range of approaches, including tutorial assistance, to support young people during lessons. However, the quality of targets in individualised educational programmes (IEPs) was variable. The use of target-setting needed to be reviewed to ensure that both long- and short-term targets were well matched to coursework and more specific for measuring success. There was insufficient integration of IEPs and care plans to ensure that both care and education staff were working towards the same objectives for students (see paragraph 83). Senior managers should continue to monitor and improve arrangements for managing Records of Needs and Future Needs Assessments. Together with relevant education authority personnel, they should ensure that Future Needs Assessments take place within the statutory timescales and that complete and up-to-date documentation is obtained for students’ files.

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MANAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND QUALITY ASSURANCE Overall management and leadership (National Care Standard 7) Internal management 74. At the time of the visit there was a permanent management team, comprising the principal and two deputes, responsible for secure services. This was reflected in terms of improved self-confidence of senior managers and their adoption of an integrated and longer-term approach to the provision of services. However, the provision of office accommodation for all 3 in the new build at Braid meant that their presence was felt less frequently in St Katharine’s. This may have contributed to the different ethos identified in Guthrie (see paragraph 42). In addition, some young people in Guthrie were not able to identify some senior managers. Active consideration should be given to at least one senior manager being accommodated at Guthrie. 75. The main responsibilities of the depute principal (care) included the budget, buildings and development plan. For instance he had made a valuable contribution in leading the successful new build at Howdenhall. He also deputised for the principal. Surprisingly he was not responsible for the quality of care across the services. This latter responsibility, for instance the supervision of unit managers, fell to the principal. Further work was being undertaken in reviewing the respective roles and responsibilities of members of the senior management team now that the new build was up and running. For instance, if the principal was freed from some operational responsibilities, more time and energy could be devoted to the development and implementation of an integrated development plan (see paragraph 17). We also noted that at the time of the visit half of the assistant unit manager posts were filled by staff in an acting capacity, in some instances covering for colleagues absent on training courses or sick leave. These posts are vital in supporting direct and continuous work with young people. Consequently consideration should be given by the managing authority to filling them on a permanent basis, whenever possible. 76. The depute principal (education) had a broad vision of how he wished educational provision to develop and had introduced a number of important initiatives. He provided good leadership and demonstrated a strong commitment to improving provision. He showed a concern to address pupils’ needs effectively and had taken steps to develop aspects of management and to extend links with parents and the wider community. He was aware that further improvements needed to be made, including aspects of the curriculum and of learning and teaching. The two acting principal teachers (subsequently confirmed in post) were providing effective support in taking forward an agenda for improvement. Teaching staff were in the process of developing a range of policies covering various aspects of education. They now needed to give further consideration to improving and implementing policies and guidelines, including those relating to curriculum areas, with the aim of enhancing students’ achievements. External management 77. The external manager, from children and family services, had been responsible for the secure services for almost a year. His main responsibilities included line management of the principal through monthly supervision and telephone contact. In addition, he maintained an overview of operations through quarterly visits, when he met young people, and monitoring

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complaints and incident reports. He reported to the Operations Manager (Children and Families) who acted as Chief Social Work Officer for secure purposes. In addition, he liaised with the service manager who attended fortnightly meetings of the secure referrals group and appropriate colleagues within the education department. 78. He pointed out that the secure services were on a “journey of integration” to one service on two sites. While progress had been achieved in terms of the senior management team he acknowledged that there were different approaches to practice, notably in the use of restraint and time out. He indicated that direct practice was the next priority commencing with an audit of practice and outcomes for young people. To ensure that acceptable standards were maintained a more direct and detailed oversight of practice was required from the external manager. This should include active monitoring of the experiences of young people through more frequent visits. In addition, he should contribute to the promotion of more consistent practice, in conjunction with senior management, for instance through the development and implementation of management information systems to monitor the nature and frequency of violent incidents (see paragraph 57). Secure services development and planning 79. Previous development planning had been successful in improving some aspects of educational provision but, overall, the quality of development planning for education was fair. The development plan for 2001-2004 had not provided sufficient detail on features such as implementation strategies, measures of success, responsible personnel, and resources and staff development requirements. The process of devising the next development plan had started and priorities for improvement had been identified but senior managers and staff had still to finalise the plan for 2004-2005. Procedures relating to development planning required to improve consultation and reporting processes for students and their parents and carers. In due time, the two centres should implement a more integrated approach to development planning. 80. We have already noted the lack of progress in producing a quality development plan for secure services (see paragraph 17). A quality development plan for care should be produced by January 2005 and copies forwarded to SWSI and the Care Commission. This should be linked to the services forthcoming quality review process (see paragraph 53). Around the same time, the 2004-2005 development plan for education should be forwarded to HMIE along with an update on progress. An integrated development plan, for all services, should be produced by June 2005 and copies forwarded to HMIE, SWSI and the Care Commission. Staff development and review 81. We have already commended the high level of commitment to staff training (see paragraph 24) and progress achieved in meeting the requirements for registration. In addition, we have drawn attention to the sometimes adverse implications of obtaining cover for staff on training courses. While day care and supervisory staff had regular access to professional supervision, arrangements for supervising night care staff had broken down. Alternative arrangements needed to be put in place. Finally, we noted the continuing absence of a staff training plan. Priority needed to be given by senior management to the production of a plan. Appropriate use should continue to be made of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Staff Performance Appraisal System. The training plan should also cross-refer to the

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development plan for secure services (see paragraph 80), showing the links between training inputs and developments in practice. 82. The approach to professional review and development among teaching staff was good overall. There were arrangements for teachers to participate in professional development events with staff from other local schools. Professional training took account of the particular needs of students experiencing learning and behavioural difficulties. However, staff development required to be recorded more fully and to be linked more clearly to educational priorities within the development plan. When organising further professional development, consideration should be given to planning for improvements in initial assessment procedures, the effective use of IEPs and national certification. Approaches to improving quality Case files and other records 83. Case files on young people residing in the secure services were examined. The structure of files remained as previously described, including daily, main and care planning files on each young person. The contents of files were more comprehensive including assessment records, medical notes, psychological contacts and statutory care plans on most young people. However, few files included individualised educational programmes (see paragraph 73) or a detailed record of contributions from specialists. In addition rapid retrieval of case details continued to be hampered by the absence of an accurate and up-to-date individual summary on each file. Progress had been achieved in linking more explicitly assessment records, care plan objectives and sessional work by care staff and specialists, for instance in relation to health issues. However, we have already noted (see paragraph 35) recording was time-consuming and entailed considerable duplication and should be subject to management review with a view to streamlining in conjunction with the forthcoming introduction of the file management system. 84. We also examined logs maintained in the secure services, including the senior log, incidents and occurrences, use of locked bedrooms and fire logs. In addition, we completed an audit trail to check cross-references between logs. We found that entries in logs were generally complete and up-to-date and that cross-references were consistent. However, apart from the use of locked bedrooms, logs lacked a clear statement of purpose and guidance on how they should be completed. This should be a priority for action by senior management, particularly in achieving standardisation across the services. Agenda for improvement 85. Senior managers and full-time teaching staff had good opportunities to meet to discuss matters of concern and to participate in the development and improvement of educational provision. The depute principal (education) checked forward planning and IEPs and visited classes to monitor learning and teaching. Together with teachers, he worked hard to ensure that students settled well in their classes and made progress during lessons. He recognised that current procedures for formally observing classes to assist in the improvement of learning and teaching required to be more systematic. Along with teaching staff, he now needed to develop more robust arrangements for self-evaluation, including a more detailed approach to monitoring students’ achievements across curriculum areas.

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86. The senior management team met fortnightly to review progress and the forward agenda. The latter needed to be formalised in the form of an integrated development plan for the secure services (see paragraph 80) set within the context of the City of Edinburgh’s children and family services. In addition their work in reviewing progress would be assisted by creating and using appropriate management information systems, for instance to monitor the nature and frequency of violent incidents (see paragraph 57). The next step in the journey of integration, to one service on two sites, will be the harmonisation of practice in meeting young people’s needs and managing risks.

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KEY STRENGTHS

• Young people felt safe and secure, they could talk to staff and their problems were being addressed.

• Confidence of senior management team, particularly in joint working.

• Progress achieved in meeting staff training requirements.

• The adoption of a common approach to assessment.

• The excellent quality of the framework and system for the assessment, provision and

throughcare of health issues.

• The full integration of health issues within young people’s care plans.

• The contribution of the “working together” working party in promoting co-operation between care and education staff.

• A good range of resources to support learning and teaching.

• The very good ratio of staff to students during the school day.

• Generally positive climate and quality of relationships in classes.

• Approaches to enhancing positive attitudes and personal and social skills during

lessons.

• The commitment of the depute principal (education) and teaching staff to the pastoral needs of students.

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MAIN POINTS FOR ACTION Action is required by the City of Edinburgh Council and the senior management team and staff at Edinburgh Secure Services on the following requirements and main recommendations. Requirements 1. Night staff must be supervised and supported, given equal opportunities for training and integrated in the whole staff team (paragraph 81). (SSI 2002/114 Regulation 13(c)). 2. There should be a staffing assessment based on an assessment of the risks posed by young people and their needs (paragraph 24). (SSI 2002/114 Regulation 13(a)). 3. Young people should be made aware of the contact details of the Care Commission and its role in relation to complaints (paragraph 39). (SSI 2002/114 Regulation 25(6)(a)). 4. Senior managers and the external manager should establish a quality assurance system in relation to the handling of violent incidents. An action plan should be forwarded to SWSI and the Care Commission within 6 months of the publication of this report (paragraphs 57 and 78). (SSI 2002/114 Regulation 4(1)(a)). 5. A quality development plan for care should be produced by January 2005 and copies forwarded, to SWSI and the Care Commission. Around the same time, the 2004-2005 development plan for education should be forwarded to HMIE along with an update on progress. An integrated development plan, for all services, should be produced by June 2005 and copies forwarded to HMIE, SWSI and the Care Commission (paragraph 80). (SSI 2002/114 Regulation 4(1)(a)). Recommendations 6. Staff should be pro-active in planning shifts and activities for young people (paragraph 43). (Standards 8.4 and 12.1). 7. Senior managers and the external manager should have more of a presence in the units (paragraph 57). (Standard 7.6). 8. Senior managers should produce a staff training plan (paragraph 81). (Standard 7.8). 9. Case files should be comprehensive, including individualised educational programmes and a summary of work undertaken by specialists (paragraphs 73 and 83). (Standards 14.1 and 14.6). 10. A more integrated approach to health promotion is required (paragraphs 48 and 70). (Standard 12.1). 11. Senior managers, with the assistance of the authority, should explore how to make the best use of educational facilities across the two sites. Together, they also should carry out regular health and safety audits of accommodation, facilities and practices and ensure that appropriate action is undertaken (paragraph 22).

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12. Senior managers and staff should continue to develop links with the wider community and improve the quality of information issued to service users, including students and their parents and carers (paragraphs 30, 31 and 79). 13. Across both sites, teaching staff should extend the length of the school week and improve the structure, breadth and balance of the curriculum. They should take further steps to improve courses and ensure that students have more opportunities to undertake NQ units in a wider range of curriculum areas. There should be appropriate opportunities for religious observance (paragraphs 38, 59, 60 and 76). 14. Teaching staff should develop the use of IEPs and ensure that they contain more specific targets for promoting achievement and measuring success. There should be a more appropriate approach to initial assessment and greater integration of IEPs and care plans. Senior managers, together with relevant education authority personnel, should continue to monitor and improve arrangements for managing Records of Needs and Future Needs Assessments (paragraph 73). 15. There should be more systematic and robust approaches to self-evaluation, development planning and quality assurance within educational provision (paragraphs 79, 82 and 86). Scottish Ministers 16. Scottish Ministers should give full approval to secure accommodation in Howdenhall Centre (Braid) and re-approve secure accommodation in St Katharine’s Centre (Guthrie) under the Regulation of Care (Requirements as to Care Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2002. Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care 17. Conditions of approval and registration for Edinburgh Secure Services should be amended to show an extension in the maximum length of placement from 6 to 8 months (paragraph 27).

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How can you contact us? Copies of this report have been sent to senior managers and staff in Edinburgh Secure Services, the Director of Children and Families and the Chief Social Work officer in City of Edinburgh Council, user and neighbouring authorities, appropriate local councillors and Members of the Scottish Parliament. Subject to availability, further copies may be obtained free of charge from the office at the address below or by telephoning 0131 244 5423. Copies are also available on our websites:

• SWSI - www.scotland.gov.uk/socialwork/swsi • HMIE - www.hmie.gov.uk • Care Commission – www.carecommission.com

Should you wish to comment on or make a complaint about any aspect of the inspection or this report, you should write in the first instance to Gill Ottley, Depute Chief Inspector, whose address is given below. If you are unhappy with the response you will be told in writing what further steps you may take.

Social Work Services Inspectorate Scottish Executive Education Department Room 1-F76(S) Victoria Quay EDINBURGH EH6 6QQ

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