Children in custody unit restrained unlawfully and painfully - Ofsted

South Gloucestershire Council said it had taken immediate steps to address the concerns

Staff at a secure youth custody unit near Bristol have not understood the law and have restrained children unlawfully and painfully, an Ofsted report has found.

It also found one child at Vinney Green in Emersons Green was locked in a room for three days without justification.

South Gloucestershire Council, which runs the unit, accepts there were "practices happening which shouldn't have been".

Ofsted rated the unit as inadequate.

The inspection found serious and widespread failures that meant "children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded."

It criticised leaders for "repeated failures" over several years.

When the unit was visited over three days from 20 to 22 April, there were 16 children being held in youth custody.

The judgements listed in the inspection stated: "There are significant concerns about children's care, safety and wellbeing.

"Children have been subjected to the inappropriate use of physical restraint, unjustified use of single separation (where children are locked in an area when they meet the legal criteria of being a significant risk to themselves or others) and physical restraint techniques that have caused them pain."

The report went on to explain: "Children are placed at this home by the Youth Custody Service because they are deemed too vulnerable to be placed elsewhere in the youth custodial estate.

'Unlawful painful holds'

"Children have been subject to unlawful painful holds during physical restraint by staff. Health staff records show that of 20 incidents between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022 where the 'finger and thumb hold' was used on children by staff (one of the home's approved methods) five children reported suffering pain."

It also said two children had told inspectors directly that the physical restraint incidents had "caused them pain". One child described the pain to inspectors as "significant".

The report said children had "not been listened to or actions taken as a result".

Physical restraint of the children had also "been used unlawfully to bring about children's compliance with staff requests", the report found. "Practices at this home have had a significant impact on children's wellbeing," it said.

South Gloucestershire Council said it had taken immediate steps to address the concerns.

A spokesperson said: "We share Ofsted's concern".

"Following the inspection, we have already taken a number of immediate steps to improve the situation, including providing additional training and support for staff to make it clear what is and isn't acceptable in relation to restraint and separation."

The spokesperson continued: "This does not mean that we cannot use restraints or single separation. Young people are with us for good reason and there will be situations when restraint and physical intervention is appropriate and necessary."

'Ensure rapid improvement'

The council also said it would make "some improvements" to the building and adapt "some of our processes to reduce the likelihood of issues occurring". It also said it had brought in "additional expert management to help staff address weaknesses".

"We are confident that the measures in place will ensure a very rapid improvement for both the young people in our care and our staff who very clearly want to provide the best support possible for them," the spokesperson added.

The report said inspectors had observed some "warm and nurturing interactions" between staff and children and that planning for children to move on from the unit was effective. Education and learning was also found to be good.

"While we are not diminishing the areas where we have been very clearly told that we must improve, there is a great deal in the report which staff can be proud of," the council spokesperson added.