Scottish Government

Inspection Of Care Arrangements And Education In: Secure Accommodation Kerelaw School Stevenston

Joint Report By:

Social Work Services Inspectorate and HM Inspectorate of Education assisted by the Scottish Executive Health Department and the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care

August 2003

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Contents

1. Summary
2. Introduction
3. Progress since previous report
4. The establishment and its operation
5. Quality of life
6. Effectiveness of educational provision
7. Management, leadership and quality assurance
8. Key strengths
9. Main points for action
10. How can you contact us

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 of care services are suitable and that they continue to comply with the statutory regulations and the National Care Standards.

SUMMARY

1. The secure unit at Kerelaw provides 24 beds for boys and girls. It is managed by Glasgow City Council.

2. Care and education arrangements were inspected jointly by the Social Work Services Inspectorate (SWSI) and HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) assisted by the Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) and the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (Care Commission). The purpose of the joint inspection was to assess whether secure accommodation should be re-approved under Regulation 10(3) of the Regulation of Care (Requirements as to Care Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2002.

3. Since previous inspection visits by HMIE in 1999, SWSI in 2000 and 2002 and North Ayrshire Registration and Inspection Unit in 2002 good progress has been achieved in meeting most of the action points. Substantial improvements have been made to living accommodation. Education staff have developed a broad and balanced curriculum. A structured approach to assessment and programmes of work has been adopted. However, the number of staff on duty, particularly at weekends, need to be increased. In addition the role and responsibilities of the external manager need to be detailed.

4. The school is heavily used, mainly by Glasgow and other authorities in West and Central Scotland, and is normally fully occupied. Young people present a range of learning difficulties and emotional, social and behavioural problems.

5. Young people feel safe and secure at Kerelaw. Staff are well motivated and work collaboratively. There is a good standard of personal care and control.

6. Good progress has been achieved in establishing programmes and services for young people which address the reasons for admission. This has entailed the use of a wider range of resources and new methods of working. Following a period of consolidation these new approaches will need to be reviewed.

7. The inspection of educational provision covered key aspects at all stages. HM Inspectors evaluated the quality of learning, teaching and attainment, examined students' work and interviewed staff and students. The subjects included in the inspection were English, mathematics, social subjects, home economics, science 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 assessed the processes for self-evaluation and development planning.

8. It is recommended that secure care accommodation at Kerelaw is re-approved under the Regulations.

INTRODUCTION

9. The appraisal of care and education arrangements in the secure unit at Kerelaw School was to assess whether the unit should be re-approved under Regulation 10(3) of the Regulation of Care (Requirements as to Care Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2002.

10. The appraisal of the secure unit at Kerelaw was completed as a joint inspection in February 2003. The inspection team included Stuart Bond and Stella Perrott, Social Work Inspectors; Ian Bashford, Senior Medical Officer, Scottish Executive Health Department; HM Inspectors Morag Gunion, Christine Knight and Ian Rowley; and Ian Alexander, Care Commission Officer, Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care.

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; and management, leadership and quality assurance. The team drew on background information supplied by Kerelaw; interviewed young people, care, teaching and specialist staff, managers and the external manager; received postal questionnaires from stakeholders (parents, social workers, children's rights officers, Who Cares? Scotland, local authorities and the Parole Division, Scottish Executive Justice Department); observed life in the living units at breakfast, weekend and evening; evaluated learning, teaching and attainment, with a particular focus on English, mathematics, social subjects, science, home economics, and personal and social education; examined case files, assessment and care programmes and case management files, students' work, health records and establishment and unit log books.

12. Kerelaw School is located near Stevenston in North Ayrshire. It comprises an open school with 50 residential places and 4 day places and a 24 bed secure unit on the same campus. The purpose built secure unit accommodates adolescent boys and girls normally between 12 and 18 years of age in 3 living units, one of which is dedicated to girls. It provides care, control, assessment, education and treatment.

13. Glasgow City Council is responsible for the management of the school. Links with the managing authority are maintained by the head of the school who is also responsible for setting standards. He is assisted by a depute head (secure), who has responsibility for the secure unit, and a depute head (education) who, at the time of the visit, had responsibility for education across the campus.

PROGRESS SINCE LAST REPORT

14. Since previous inspection visits by HMIE in 1999, SWSI in 2000 and 2002 and North Ayrshire Registration and Inspection Unit in 2002, Kerelaw's management and staff, with active support from the managing authority, have achieved good progress in addressing most of the action points and recommendations made in reports.

15. Progress had been achieved in a number of key areas, notably:

• collaborative work between care and teaching staff had been further strengthened;
• education staff had developed a broad and balanced curriculum;
• students had more opportunities to complete a wide range of certificated courses;
• substantial improvements had been made to living accommodation and a new food servery had been installed;
• the adoption of a structured approach to assessment and programmes of work with young people;
• the creation of a school development plan;
• improved information for young people and placing local authorities; and
• the role of the forensic psychologist had been identified.

16. However, work was ongoing in relation to other key areas, notably:

• increasing the number of staff on duty, particularly at weekends;
• detailing the role and functions of the external manager;
• arrangements for young people to make and receive telephone calls with a greater degree of privacy;
• the inclusion of an easily accessible summary and the identification of progress in individual case files.

THE ESTABLISHMENT AND ITS OPERATION

Accommodation and Resources

17. The secure unit is a detached building on the Kerelaw campus. It includes educational, living and recreational provision. Living accommodation is provided on 2 floors. Secure accommodation on the ground floor includes an entrance area, meeting/visitors room, 3 house units, recreational area, staff offices and an education block. There is direct access to a courtyard, secured by the external wall, and a compound, secured by the perimeter fence. The compound also provides secure access to the sports hall. In addition there is office accommodation outwith the secure perimeter. Individual bedrooms are accommodated on 4 wings of the first floor which also includes bathrooms and toilets, separation and medical rooms and a staff office.

18. The building's design flaws remain as previously identified. First, the bedrooms are not readily accessible to young people during the day because staffing levels are not sufficient to provide supervision on both floors at the same time. Second, limited space on the ground floor restricts the range of activities, for instance privacy for family visits. Consequently the building has been subject to structural modification since it opened in 1983. A re-build is planned.

19 .The exterior of the building remains forbidding. However, very good progress had been achieved in re-furbishing living and working areas. This had been assisted by financial support from both the managing authority and the Scottish Executive. Good use of space, light, decorations, furnishings and fittings had created discrete and distinctive areas. Young people and staff were understandably proud of "their" area. Arrangements for security and safety had not been compromised by improvements and the operation of these systems was monitored by designated officer who reported to the depute head (secure). This balance between a domestic style and secure environment was reflected in the welcoming new entrance which not only included a waiting area for visitors but also additional secure doors monitored by CCTV. All the ground floor living units had their own external areas and 2 also had new bathroom/showers. The communal recreational area benefited from improved light, resulting from the installation of new windows, and a modern food servery. Bedrooms had also benefited from the installation of new windows. In addition bathrooms/showers on the first floor had been attractively re-furbished. The medical and separation rooms now require upgrading to ensure that the same high standard of accommodation is achieved throughout.

20. Overall, the quality of accommodation and facilities for education was good. There were 6 classrooms including a fitness room, a science room, an art room, a craft and technology room and a home economics room. In addition, the secure unit shared the gymnasium with the open school. Some of the classrooms were small. However, staff had made good use of the available space and classroom walls contained attractive displays including examples of pupils' work.

21. The present building has outlived its function and requires replacement with modern provision. However, the opening of the new facility may be some years ahead. Consequently the school has advanced plans for further minor building work. These include - 2 additional classrooms, to accommodate programme work; the adaptation of the girls bedroom wing on the first floor to accommodate 8 girls; and the conversion of former office accommodation on the ground floor to meeting rooms. Although these developments will have a short-life span they reflect the commitment of the school and the managing authority to assuring the quality of accommodation.

22. The provision of resources for learning and teaching was good in most areas of the curriculum. However, the school needed to extend its range of resources for social subjects. The school had increased its range of modern computers and now had very good resources for information and communications technology (ICT). It needed to continue to review how best to ensure appropriate access to the Internet both for young people and staff.

Staffing

23. Promoted staff in education comprised the acting depute head teacher, an acting principal teacher, an acting assistant principal teacher and a senior teacher. In addition to these members of staff, there were 6 classroom teachers. The ratio of staff to students was appropriate with students being taught in class groups of 4. There was a suitable range of experience in the teaching staff. Good collaboration was being developed between education and care staff to enhance pupils' learning.

24. Another example of staff collaboration was the joint leadership of behavioural programmes with groups of young people (see paragraphs 49 and 74). Staff had received appropriate training and were given ongoing support. We also noted the progress achieved in meeting core training targets for care staff, for instance more than 60% had SVQ Level III, as the result of the sustained commitment to training both by the school and the managing authority.

25. However, we also noted that care staffing levels continued to be stretched at times, particularly on early shifts at weekends. Although there had been some increases in staffing these had usually been taken-up by new posts, such as the programmes co-ordinator. Staffing levels need to be increased not only to ensure safety and security but also for key workers to be freed-up to undertake sessional work with key children. Consequently we strongly endorse the bid made by Kerelaw's senior management team to the managing authority for a 20% increase in staffing levels in each living unit.

Use and Users

26. In the year ending 31 December 2002 the average level of occupancy for secure beds was 100%. This is consistent with current pressure on all secure places in Scotland. Current weekly charges of 2,139 for local authorities and 2,370 for the Parole Division of the Scottish Executive Justice Department were lower than the cost of placement in similar secure units in Scotland.

27. In the 6 month period ending 10 January 2003 there were 22 admissions, including 15 boys (68%) and 7 girls (32%). All but one of these young people had been admitted on an emergency basis (authority of the Director of Social Work, Children's Hearings warrant or Court remand). The average age at admission was 14.6 years. The main previous placement for both boys and girls was a residential school. During the period 8 local authorities placed young people at Kerelaw. Glasgow was responsible for 64% of admissions during this period. However, young people had also been placed from as far away as Aberdeen and Inverness.

28. In the same 6 month period there were 22 discharges, including 15 boys and 7 girls. At discharge 15 of the young people were the subject of a supervision requirement imposed by Children's Hearings. The average length of stay at Kerelaw was 108 days as compared with 126 days in 1999/2000 and 181 days in 1995/6. The average age at discharge was 15 years. The most common next placement was a residential school or parental home.

29. During the week of the inspection 24 young people were in residence, including 16 boys (67%) and 8 girls (33%). Fifteen of the young people were the subject of supervision requirements, 3 on Court orders and the remainder had been admitted on an emergency basis. Young people had been placed at Kerelaw by 11 different local authorities, including 10 young people from Glasgow (42%). All the students were attending classes. Their ages ranged from 13 to 16 years and from S2 to S5 in their secondary education. The young people presented a range of learning difficulties and emotional, social and behavioural problems. Only one student had a Record of Needs.

Kerelaw and the Community

30. Links with the community were of good quality. These were assisted by the staff, many of whom lived locally and were familiar with and made good use of local resources, for instance, leisure and recreation. The school had recently begun to hold parents' evenings. These were held in each of the living units and were generally well attended. Positive links had also been made between the school and health and specialist services (see paragraphs 44, 48 and 50). Links with mainstream secondary schools were limited and at times the school had found it difficult to obtain information about students' educational background and achievements.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Individuality and development

31. Kerelaw is an integral part of children and family services within Glasgow City Council. The school's mission statement sets out how it intends to meet stated functions and objectives:

"The secure unit provides structured programmes of social education and training for young women/ men."

"We aim to provide opportunities for young people to address their problems and to receive appropriate specialist support."

"The ethos…is one of working positively with young people through the development of constructive and reparative relationships."

"Focused and targeted programmes of work can only take place within the context of stability and trust."

32. Young people are normally admitted through the secure screening group which operates at both local authority level, in the case of young people from Glasgow, and school level. Initial assessment is completed within 3 weeks of an admission using a standard instrument (YLS-CMI) to assess levels of need and risk. Each young person has individualised care and education programmes which are subject to regular review. Where appropriate young people are also referred to a multi-disciplinary team which decides on the level of intervention and specific work to be undertaken.

33. The secure unit comprises 3 separate 8 bed living units. Bruce and Wallace units cater for boys and Stuart caters for girls. Care, education and control are promoted through a positive behaviour management scheme. Within this positive culture young people participate in individual and groupwork programmes of care and social education.

34. The climate and relationships in the school were good. Staff morale was positive and students generally behaved well in class and living units. Teachers and care staff had suitably high expectations for students' behaviour and encouraged good behaviour through effective use of praise and a system of points which gained students privileges within the residential units. Staff should continue to encourage students to achieve good success in their learning and behaviour through increasing their involvement in setting their own personal targets. Students were treated fairly within the school. The school should continue to seek ways of teaching students about equality and fairness.

Rights

35. With the exception of those young people who had previously been resident in Kerelaw's open school most current residents knew little about the secure unit prior to their placement. However, they had been made aware of their rights and responsibilities at admission or soon after through access to the young person's information guide and support from staff, particularly key workers. They understood the points and levels system and valued related privileges. Responsible social workers and childrens' rights officers also highlighted the contribution of the system to improved behaviour.

36. Young people had good access to advocacy services. These included childrens' rights officers and young person's workers, from Who Cares? Scotland, and from responsible local authorities. Support was tailored to individual needs, for instance, following-up the progress of a complaint. The latter would be better assisted if young people could have direct access to complaint forms. Kerelaw also had an agreement with Who Cares? Scotland for a young person's worker to visit on a weekly basis. His work focused rather narrowly on individual support, such as attending a review meeting with a young person. The role of the young person's worker needs to be jointly reviewed with Who Cares? Scotland. Consideration should be given to expanding his responsibilities in line with best practice in other secure units, for instance, by requiring him to submit an annual report.

37. Young people were able to make and receive telephone calls using wall-mounted telephones in living units. Young people and their families valued this arrangement. However, the arrangement was unsatisfactory as there was little privacy in living units. A new card system had been installed in the reception area but was not in use. This was because of technical difficulties encountered in excluding proscribed telephone numbers. Priority should be given to ensuring that the new telephone system is working correctly. Its use should be kept under review. The views of young people should be taken into account.

Good Personal Care

38. Commendable progress had been achieved in improving living and working environments (paragraphs 9-22) despite the design flaws inherent in the building (paragraph 18). Young people and staff were justifiably proud of 'their' areas, such as personalised bedrooms. Improved collaboration between care and teaching staff had also resulted in better use of available space. In addition specialisation in living unit functions, notably the girls unit, made some relaxation in rules possible. For instance, the girls had argued successfully, at the unit meeting, for some relaxation of the policy regarding body piercing. Overall, within the constraints of secure accommodation, high priority had been given to the values of individuality, self-determination and mutuality. This was reflected in young people's obvious sense of well being and self-esteem.

39. Young people were well presented in terms of their clothing and general appearance. They were relaxed and confident. Young people spoke positively about staff, particularly their key workers. Staff were child-centred, for instance, the distribution of skin care products by one female carer was welcomed by a group of boys suffering from acne. Teamwork was good but unobtrusive. For instance, staff had good close control of young people, intervening preventatively with a light touch before behaviour got out of hand. There were few opportunities for one to one work with young people partly because staffing levels were stretched at times and partly because of the shortage of space which afforded a measure of privacy. However, when young people had mobility, key workers were encouraged to take them out on trips, such as visits to a local coffee bar.

40. Girls commented adversely on the lack of regular contact with the boys. Occasional discos, for instance at Halloween, provided some compensation. They acknowledged that the dedicated girls unit gave a measure of protection and contributed to a more relaxed atmosphere. There were high levels of mutual support in relation to personal problems and leisure activities, such as hairdressing. However, there was no evidence of copying problematic behaviour. Staff engaged frequently and appropriately with girls. They were bright, thoughtful and positive. When issues needed to be discussed, such as acceptable/unacceptable behaviour, girls were quietly taken aside. Continuity and consistency in handling was promoted in all living units by staff working in case management teams comprising key-worker, co-worker and duty officer.

41. Young people valued leisure and recreational activities. In living units they had access to TV, playstations, audio systems, board games and newspapers. They also had access, on a rota basis, to table tennis and snooker in the recreation area. Young people had access to the education wing outwith school hours, for instance a homework club. In addition they could participate in supervised activities in the compound, for instance football on the all weather play surface. The girls had a weekly trampoline session in the sports hall. Activities were sometimes constrained by staff shortages. A wide and varied range of leisure and recreational activities should be consistently available to young people. This requires planning, organisation and resources. Active consideration should be given by senior management to establishing designated lead roles across the school and within living units.

42. Food was served at the new servery, in the recreation area, and eaten in living units. The menu included healthy options but there was little take-up by young people. They felt that there should be a wider choice of dishes and improved presentation. The catering manager should be more pro-active in seeking the views of young people regarding individual dietary needs and feedback on the quality of food.

43. Young people under 14 years of age were not allowed to smoke. However, young people over 14, with parental consent, could smoke. Each young person received up to 6 cigarettes a day. Smoking was supervised in prescribed places at set times. Young people were made aware of the health dangers associated with smoking and offered support to stop smoking. Existing smoking policies need to be reviewed with a view to introducing a no-smoking policy on a staged basis.

Health

44. There was a very positive approach to the provision of general medical services. Services were provided by the local health centre with a lead doctor who was well supported by colleagues. All medical assessments on young people were carried out within 72 hours of admission. Young people were either seen at the health centre, usually by special appointment before or after surgery, to fit in with the school, or the GP visited. The practice also had allocated/sessional clinics in the secure unit which formalised and streamlined the system. Emergency general medical services provided by Ayrshire and Arran out-of-hours general practice services were satisfactory. Access to specialist emergency services, including accident and emergency, was also satisfactory.

45. Until September 2002 a practice health visitor attached to the health centre, under the Children's Innovation Fund Project, provided Kerelaw staff with support in relation to medical issues for 2 sessions each week. She advised staff on treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, medicines and appropriate referral to general medical services; worked with others to promote Personal and Social Education (PSE) throughout the school; and organised clinics in the secure unit. One valuable legacy was the specified minor injury and illness proforma. This assisted carers in assessing and providing care for minor illness and injury. Consequently referrals to general medical services, especially out-of-hours emergency services, had reduced significantly. Since the health visitor's promotion her post had not been filled. Active consideration should be given to replacing this role in the secure unit.

46. Dental and ophthalmic services were very good. Services were provided by a local dentist and optician. Young People were offered dental and ophthalmic assessment at admission. Take-up was good. They were seen either at the local practice or in the secure unit. Appropriate use was made of portable dental equipment from the local community dental service. Oral hygiene and advice was also given.

47. All young people were registered with the general medical and dental practices. Their files included consent for medical/health treatment. Arrangements for the storage, maintenance and recording of dispensed medicines were satisfactory. Provision of first aid services was appropriate. There were significant numbers of first aiders. The location, contents and maintenance of first aid packs was satisfactory.

48. Significant progress had been achieved in inter-agency working between school and health agency staff. Holistic approaches had been adopted to health promotion and education and activities of daily living, such as leisure and recreation. A range of PSE modules was available. These included physical, mental and sexual health, nutrition and diet, and self-confidence and esteem.

49. Behavioural change programmes had also been introduced on a carefully planned basis. Care and teaching staff, who were jointly responsible for the delivery of programmes, had received specialist joint training. They also received ongoing support from the psychologist. The sequence of programmes included cognitive behaviour/ learning, anger management, violence reduction, substance misuse, self-harm and sex offenders (see paragraph 74). Programmes were organised and monitored by the programmes co-ordinator. They were valued by young people and their social workers. Participation in programmes, notably cognitive behaviour/ learning, appeared to have contributed to improvements in behaviour. We welcome this development and the forthcoming independent evaluation of programmes.

Specialist services

50. The development of the programme work at Kerelaw owed much to the leadership of the forensic psychologist. This new post, jointly funded by the Greater Glasgow Health Board and Glasgow City Council, had been established shortly before our previous visit. The excellent service included assessment, ongoing care, staff education and training and referral to specialist services. However, the incumbent had recently been promoted to lead the Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team within the Board's mental health strategy. Its formalised structure and referral system should ensure good access to second and third level mental health services. Links were also being developed with other community resources, including education, learning disability, addictions and youth justice services.

51. Kerelaw falls within the scope of this multi-disciplinary team. A new forensic psychologist was responsible for direct input at the school. In addition there were sessional inputs from a retired forensic psychiatrist. The latter had no contract or service level agreement. His services were very flexible but there was little direct evidence of assessment, one to one or group work with young people and no formal staff education and training. The continuing need for this sessional input should be reviewed within the context of the Greater Glasgow Health Board's mental health strategy.

52. There was appropriate access to alcohol and addiction services provided either in-house at Kerelaw or in the community by Health Boards.

Partnership with Parents

53. Parents of current and former residents were well aware of the reasons for admission. They were often relieved that their child was in a "safe" placement. Initially they had found the building intimidating but this had soon been offset by the caring attitude of staff. This had been further consolidated by attendance at parents evenings held in living units. Their understanding of the work of the school had also been assisted by access to the parent(s)/carer(s) information guide.

54. Parents were fully involved in the care planning process. They were subsequently kept informed by care staff. However, parents felt that communications focused too heavily on problems at the expense of progress. They valued the good personal care, education and programmes provided by Kerelaw. However, they felt that visiting arrangements could be improved both in terms of accommodation and duration. Parents also highlighted the need for care staff to undertake more one to one work with young people.

Child centred collaboration

55. User authorities and agencies were generally positive about Kerelaw. They highlighted good working relationships; the school's willingness to work with risky behaviour, such as drug abuse; and the full contribution to Children's Hearings reviews. Overall, they said that the school's performance had improved of late, particularly in managing challenging behaviour. All users were given some information about Kerelaw, such as the admissions form. However, they were critical about admission arrangements, notably, as they saw it, the opaque admission criteria and the need to check a young person's current admission status on a daily basis by telephone. The latter arrangement was seen as time-consuming and could easily be resolved by the use of e-mail. Users also drew attention to the lack of appropriate involvement in formulating and implementing new policies, such as the introduction of programmes. Some favoured the establishment of a user group to discuss the development and implementation of policies.

56. Overall, social workers responsible for current or former residents were positive about the school. They highlighted the favourable impact of the safe and stable environment and consistent routines on the behaviour of young people, many of whom had made rapid progress. Social workers also said that placement plans, such as access to specialist services, were normally followed-up, provided that the young person stayed long enough. However, they also expressed some concerns. Social workers highlighted the adverse implications for young people of staff shortages, particularly at weekends; and turnover of staff, particularly changes in key worker. In addition they were concerned that young people's behaviour would relapse soon after re-entering the community unless appropriate supports were in place.

A feeling of safety

57. Young people said they felt safe and secure at Kerelaw. This was confirmed by parents and children's rights officers. Social workers commented favourably on the rapid improvement in young people's behaviour while placed at the school. Young people were proud of the progress which they had achieved. This was attributed to a combination of support from staff, particularly key workers; the successful completion of programmes, notably cognitive skills; and the Points and Levels System (PALS) operating across the school. The positive impact of PALS was due to the system being readily understood and being viewed as fair by young people.

58. Although the school continued to use the managing authority's complaints and child protection procedures we were pleased to note that these had been adapted to reflect specific arrangements at Kerelaw. These now need to be set out clearly, for instance in a flow-chart, in the information pack supplied to placing authorities.

59. Young people accepted that measures of control had to be applied when warranted by their behaviour. They said that restraint was normally handled well by staff. However, we noted that one recent incident of rough handling was currently being investigated. In addition, single separation, either in the young person's bedroom or the single separation room, was used sparingly. The instalment of a CCTV camera in single separation, to monitor the young person, was a welcome innovation. However, we noted that the room was spartan and showed obvious signs of wear and tear. The proposed refurbishment of the single separation room should be prioritised.

60. Security continued to be given high priority. A designated duty officer had the security lead and reported direct to the depute head (secure). Entrance security had been enhanced by the installation of an additional door covered by a CCTV camera. While this had created an attractive waiting area we noted that it had also made entry and exit even more time consuming and cumbersome.

EFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATION PROVISION

Overall quality of attainment

61. The overall quality of attainment was good. All students had individualised educational programmes (IEPs) and were making steady progress towards achieving the targets set for them in individual subjects. In some classes, a brisker pace would have allowed them to achieve more. Students responded well to the good opportunities provided for them to gain National Qualification (NQ) units.

Structure of the curriculum

62. Overall, the structure of the curriculum was good. It provided students with relevant experiences. At the time of the inspection, students could study a generally broad range of subjects, although this did not include religious education or music. Students were given good opportunities to gain certification in Standard Grades and NQ units. The school had attempted to enrich students' experiences by providing a range of supported study and leisure classes after school on most days of the week. The school week was shorter than that generally experienced in mainstream schools, but the school, in conjunction with the education authority, was looking at ways to address this issue.

English

Attainment

63. The overall quality of attainment in English was good. Students were making good progress in their class work, although, in some cases, tasks could have been more challenging. Students were prepared to talk about texts they were reading, though they found aspects of group discussion difficult. They could read a range of types of texts, including poetry, short stories and non-fiction, but most found it difficult to complete longer texts such as novels. Students had completed a number of pieces of writing including responses to texts and films, personal experiences, reports and short plays based on role-play carried out in class. Some pieces were of a very good standard, and most pupils were working well on their course work.

Courses

64. The programme in English was good overall. It included Standard Grade and NQ units at Access and Intermediate levels. It covered all aspects appropriately. The programme was broad and took account of the interests of pupils and their individual needs. The school had identified the need to improve levels of literacy across the school. However, the strategy adopted required review to ensure co-ordination with other forms of support in the school.

Mathematics

Attainment

65. The overall quality of attainment in mathematics was good. Most students performed well in class on generally appropriate tasks. They were making steady progress in achieving targets set out in the IEPs. A few had already successfully completed one or more NQ units at Access Level 3. Some students could have attained better standards if their pace of work in class was faster and they had opportunities to complete tasks which were more demanding.

Courses

66. The programme in mathematics was good. The wide range available included National Qualifications units or courses at Access and Intermediate levels and Standard Grade mathematics. Most students followed appropriate individual programmes incorporating units at Access level 3 units and other course work linked to their particular needs. They had opportunities to reinforce their skills in mathematics using computer programmes.

Social subjects

Attainment

67. Overall, the quality of attainment in social subjects was good. Students were making generally good progress in their class work and were achieving the targets which had been set for them in their IEPs. They were developing good skills in comparing life in contemporary British society with society in Roman times. A few had learned about participating in a democracy. Most were achieving NQ units at Access level 3. Some could have achieved more if the pace of work was brisker and they were given tasks that were more demanding.

Courses

68. The programme for social subjects was fair. It was at an early stage of development and included units at Access level on deciding, contrasting and organising and presenting. The programme also included a classical studies units at Intermediate level. The programme required to be improved to overcome the gaps in students' knowledge of contemporary issues.

Science

Attainment

69. The overall quality of attainment in science was good. Most students performed well in class work. They were acquiring knowledge of topics such as biotechnology, healthy living and properties of materials and structures. They were also developing some skills in carrying out practical investigations and reporting the results. Many students had achieved success in NQ units at Access level. Most studying Standard Grade science were making good progress towards Foundation or General level awards. Some were coping well with Intermediate 1 Biology.

Courses

70. The programme in science was good. Students were able to study for Standards Grade science or for NQs in biology at Access or Intermediate levels. These units and courses gave appropriate attention to practical work and to the development of knowledge and understanding. They also included some good use of computer programmes to help pupils understand scientific ideas.

Home economics

Attainment

71. The quality of attainment in home economics was very good. Students achieved very well in their suitably demanding course work and were very proud of the food they produced in class. They demonstrated good knowledge and understanding of food preparation techniques, hygiene in the kitchen and healthy eating. Almost all had gained NQ units at Access level 3 and few had gained awards at Intermediate 1.

Courses

72. The programme for home economics was very good. Students were able to study for NQ units in health and food preparation. Those who completed all units gained group and course awards at Access or Intermediate levels. The programme gave suitable attention to practical work and to knowledge and understanding. It met the needs of the students very well.

Personal and social education

Attainment

73. Students were making good progress in personal and social education. They performed well in their class work and programmes and were involved in constructive discussions with staff about their attitudes and values. Students were generally well motivated in school and showed understanding of the need for self-control and the benefits of developing positive relationships. They were beginning to gain knowledge of the world of work. However, the learning outcomes in the courses in personal and social education were not closely enough tied to students' personal targets within their IEPs.

Courses

74. The good co-operation which had been developed between staff in the school and the residential units had resulted in the establishment of a positive climate for learning and personal change. Care staff, in partnership with teachers and the clinical psychologist had adopted a number of specialised programmes for personal and social education (see paragraph 49). These included programmes for drug education, sexual health, core cognitive skills and anger reduction. There was also girls' group to address specific personal needs. A joint project with Careers Scotland and Apex provided opportunities for planning for moving on from school. The programme was well designed and comprehensive, and gave overall good provision for personal and social education.

Learning and teaching

75. Nine per cent of the lessons observed were very good, 74% were good and 17% were fair. There were no unsatisfactory lessons.

76. The following were features of the learning and teaching in lessons observed:

• Staff organised the school day very well to minimise opportunities for disruptive behaviour, particularly when students moved from one lesson to another.
• Teachers planned their lessons well. Most lessons were well-focused on important points students were expected to learn.
• Teachers interacted very well with students and made good use of praise to encourage students to do well. Teachers made good use of a variety of teaching approaches including, where appropriate, practical activities.
• Learning experiences were good. Students were well motivated and generally participated well in classes.
• Tasks and activities were generally well matched to student's needs, but on occasion, teachers needed to increase the pace in lessons and provide students with more challenging tasks.
• Arrangements for assessing students on admission to the unit were good. Teachers assessed students' progress regularly in class. Parents received regular reports on their children's progress towards their IEP targets.

Pastoral care

77. Teachers paid good attention to students' care and welfare during lessons. They were approachable and sensitive to students' individual personal and social needs. Increasingly, care staff and teachers were working together to promote good pastoral care for students throughout the unit. The new points system which had been initiated was working well to promote positive behaviour.

Support for learning

78. The school had good arrangements to support students' learning. A learning support teacher, operating across the secure unit and the open school, worked co-operatively with class teachers and with individual students. She had devised support programmes for those students who had significant difficulties in their learning. The school had put IEPs in place for all students. These were generally of a good quality and provided each student with long-term targets in all areas of the curriculum. The school required to continue to review the IEPs to ensure that short-term targets were appropriately linked to long-term targets. The school should also ensure that each student's targets for personal and social education are stated within the IEP.

79. The school had very good procedures to comply with legislation pertaining to Records of Needs and to monitor students' progress. The education authority should ensure that the school has received all up-to-date parts of students' Records of Needs.

MANAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Overall management and leadership

Internal Management

80. The current headteacher, reponsible for the secure unit and open school, had been in post for 2 years. His priorities for the further development of secure accommodation services included:

• improving the working relationship with the managing authority, both in terms of the management relationship and integration with community-based resources;
• professionalisation of social care teams, assisted by the appointment of a training manager;
• additional staffing - with a training manager, programmes co-ordinator and depute unit manager (nights) in post and two additional care staff required for each living unit;
• development of specialist services and programmes to address the reasons for admission; and
• improving the accommodation, pending a re-build.

He acknowledged that some existing and new services, such as health and specialist services, currently operated on a stand-alone basis whereas an integrated system was required to derive the full benefit. The headteacher anticipated that integration of services would be achieved by such means as the strengthening of the senior management team and the re-alignment of recording systems (see paragraphs 91 and 92). Strategic management at Kerelaw needed to be improved.

81. Leadership in the secure unit was good. The depute head (secure) had vision and energy. Collaboration with the acting depute headteacher (see paragraph 83), specialist services and community-based resources was also good. His style of leadership was reflected down the chain of command. Quality assurance systems, for instance to maintain robust security arrangements, were in place. However, he recognised that personal-recording systems (see paragraph 91) would benefit from streamlining. He received support from the headteacher as required. Arrangements for his supervision needed to be formalised to assist personal development and promote strategic management across the school.

82. Overall, care staff and their managers were settled, confident and well motivated. Roles and responsibilities were clearly understood. They had good access to training and supervision, although the frequency of the latter could be improved. Key workers were able to provide young people with good personal care. However, they would like to undertake more sessional work. This would require more time, space, advanced training and teamwork with specialists. Progression on similar lines had already been achieved by those care staff responsible for programme work (see paragraph 49). The further development of the roles and responsibilities of care staff should be a priority in the school development plan. Unit managers and their deputes also compared and contrasted the expansion in paperwork with the erosion of administrative support. They attributed this to the replacement of dedicated administrative support in the secure unit with a pool of staff located in the open school. Senior management should consider how the nature and level of administrative support, including ICT, can be geared more appropriately to the work of the secure unit.

83. The quality of leadership for educational provisions in the unit was good. At the time of the inspection, the acting depute headteacher had responsibility for educational provision in both the secure unit and the open school. This affected the time he could devote to the secure unit. The education authority had plans to employ an additional depute head teacher so that education in the secure unit could be managed independently from the open school. In conjunction with the depute head (secure), the acting depute headteacher had worked well to develop the ethos of the unit. They had put in place consistent approaches for students across education and care provision in the unit and had promoted positive teamwork among all staff. The acting depute headteacher supported teachers well in their day-to-day work. He had worked with them to improve the school curriculum and opportunities for certification.

84. The acting depute headteacher was well supported in his work by an acting principal teacher, an acting assistant principal teacher and a senior teacher. They had appropriate remits which they carried out well.

External Management

85. The role and responsibilities of the external manager are outlined in Kerelaw's revised statement of functions and objectives. These include support for senior management, particularly with strategic development, and supervision of the headteacher. At the time of the visit the Head of Children and Family and Criminal Justice Services, Glasgow City Council, had been external manager for 8 months. He saw this as an important but underdeveloped role, notably the lack of direct contact with young people. Consequently he proposed to develop an external management team, comprising residential managers(s), finance and personnel. He envisaged that he would retain direct responsibility for the supervision of the headteacher. The development of a team approach seems a sensible way forward. This should also include appropriate links with the external environment, including - advocacy services, such as Who Cares? Scotland (see paragraph 36); other user authorities (see paragraph 55); and community resources to ensure continuing support for young people when they leave Kerelaw. A copy of the remit and membership of the external management team should be forwarded to SWSI and the Care Commission within 6 months of the publication of this report.

86. The managing authority retains 12 of the 24 secure places at Kerelaw. If any of these places are not being used by Glasgow they can be taken-up by other placing authorities. All of Glasgow's referrals for secure accommodation are processed through the city's screening group. The screening group satisfies itself that referrals meet the criteria for admission; makes recommendations to the Chief Social Work Officer, who authorises admission; and prioritises cases on the waiting list. There are 2 main advantages to this arrangement. First, the city is able to maintain an overview of this group of young people, including admissions to prison and the young offenders institution. Second, it prevents inappropriate admissions to secure accommodation often by providing advice and support to open placements. Referrals for secure accommodation from other local authorities are forwarded direct to the school's internal screening group. The reservations of placing authorities about this process have already been identified (see paragraph 55). We commend to the Young Persons and Looked After Children Division, Scottish Executive Education Department, arrangements adopted by Glasgow City Council for screening secure accommodation referrals, for consideration as a model which, with suitable adaptations, might be adopted nationally.

Staff development and review

87. Provision of support for care staff included supervision (paragraph 82), access to the school's up-to-date operational procedures and training. Good progress had been achieved in meeting national training targets, for instance more than 60% had successfully completed SVQ Level III, as the result of the sustained commitment by the school and the managing authority. In addition all staff had completed a range of in-service and external courses, for instance some staff had completed training to assist them in delivering programme work. The new post of training manager was a welcome innovation. Since taking up post she had completed an audit of training needs and was identifying training pathways. Commendably, the training manager was encouraging senior management to adopt a longer-term approach to staff development. A school training plan is now required. This should take into account both strategic needs, linked to the development plan, and individual needs identified in personal development plans.

88. Arrangements for the professional review and development of teaching staff were very good. All teachers had had their work formally reviewed in line with the education authority's procedures. They were well engaged in identifying their professional development needs and had very good opportunities to participate in development activities. At the time of the inspection, 4 teachers were involved in obtaining additional qualifications to teach pupils with special educational needs. All teachers had been involved in additional training in the effective use of ICT in learning and teaching.

Development planning

89. The school had a comprehensive development plan. This set out clear school-wide and unit priorities. Good progress had been achieved in relation to many priorities, such as improvements to accommodation and the appointment of a training manager. Some priorities had yet to be overtaken, for instance increasing the number of care staff in living units. We have also commended other innovations, notably the progress achieved in introducing structured programmes for young people (paragraph 49) and further developing specialist services (paragraph 50). However, at the time of the visit, these programmes and services operated on a stand-alone basis rather than as parts of an integrated system. More attention needs to be given to the "strategic" element of the development plan, particularly links between existing and new services. For instance, how the role of the key worker will complement programme and specialist work. Further progress can be achieved:

• at the planning level, by changing the layout of the development plan to include an additional column entitled "Links with other priorities"; and
• at the operational level, by extending the membership of the senior management team to include staff with the lead in relation to programme and specialist work.

90. The quality of planning for educational improvement was good. The school had made appropriate use of quality indicators in identifying priorities for development and all members of teaching staff had been well involved in the planning process. The plan gave suitable attention to developing the curriculum and opportunities for certification for students. It should continue to focus on raising the achievements and attainments of students. Overall, staff had been successful in implementing the planned educational developments within the unit.

Approaches to improving quality

Case files and other records

91. A sample of personal records on young people was examined. This included main case files, assessment and care programmes, case management files and programme progress reports. All these records had been designed for specific purposes and had been introduced at different stages. Records followed standardised formats. They were well maintained. Records were held in different locations. Consequently it was difficult to obtain a comprehensive overview of each young person. In addition the quality of entries was patchy. While programme progress reports focused on changes in individual thinking and behaviour entries in other records were often descriptive and repetitive. They focused on whether or not the young person had another good day rather than evidencing the progress in relation to objectives set out in the care plan. In addition there were few cross-references to other records. The overall picture was one of much hard work for limited outcomes, largely because of fragmentation and the lack of sustained focus. Personal records held at Kerelaw need to be streamlined, ideally into one comprehensive document with coherent links between assessment, plans, programmes and other interventions and outcomes. Where necessary, appropriate cross-references should be made to other records, for instance health and specialist services. There should also be an up-to-date summary encompassing all aspects of the care plan.

92. A sample of health care files was also examined. Files were complete and included assessment, on-going medical care, referral to specialist services and prescribed medication. These were held by the GP, dentist and optician at respective professional based locations. While this arrangement ensures patient confidentiality it runs contrary to the holistic approach adopted by the school and impedes rapid access to and retrieval of information on a "need to know" basis. A summary of these notes should also be held in each young person's main file.

93. We completed an audit of school and house unit logs. These included the separation log, incident reports, accident book, fire precautions register and daily information logs for the secure unit and house units. Glasgow City Council logs, such as incident reports and the accident book, included statements of purpose and guidance on completion whereas such statements and guidance were missing from dedicated Kerelaw logs, for instance the separation log. We also completed an audit trail in relation to specific incidents. Entries in different logs were consistent. However, there were gaps in routine entries in the fire precautions log, for instance checks on the emergency lights. All logs should have a clear statement of purpose and guidance on completion. They should also be maintained consistently.

Agenda for improvement

94. Overall, the school had good approaches to evaluating the quality of educational provision. There were good measures in place to monitor and analyse the incidences of violent behaviour in classrooms. As a result, the school had put in place procedures which had reduced movement around classrooms during the school day. This had contributed to further reduction of incidents. Regular meetings of teaching and care staff provided an appropriate forum to monitor the day-to-day work of the unit. The school had begun to analyse annual statistics on students' attainments, but had not yet used target setting within IEPs to track students' achievements. The acting depute head teacher visited all classrooms on an informal basis. The school planned to put in place formal classroom monitoring in line with guidelines from the education authority. The acting principal teacher monitored teachers' plans, but did not regularly provide them with formal feedback.

95. The depute head (secure) monitored the quality of care by a number of means. These included the direct observation of practice, for instance when on call; reading personal records and logs, for instance monitoring incident reports; staff supervision and weekly meetings with unit managers. We were pleased to note that the acting depute head (education) also attended this meeting. In addition school wide responsibilities, such as the maintenance of security, were appropriately delegated to middle managers who reported direct to the depute head (secure). Middle managers also maintained an overview of the work of the school when performing the functions of duty officer on a rota basis. Overall, close and consistent attention was given to arrangements for the safety and welfare of young people.

KEY STRENGTHS

• The motivation, participation, achievement and improved attainments of young people.
• The motivation, confidence and skills of staff.
• The provision of energetic and collaborative operational leadership.
• The improved living accommodation and facilities.
• The good personal care and control.
• The dedicated girls unit.
• The sequence of behavioural change programmes.
• The very good health care arrangements for young people.
• The good relationships between staff and pupils in class and living units and the positive relationships between teaching and care staff.
• The good progress made in developing courses and in the opportunities for students to gain certification.
• The good quality of resources for learning and teaching including the provision for ICT.

MAIN POINTS FOR ACTION

Action is required by Glasgow City Council and senior managers at Kerelaw School on the following main recommendations.

1. Glasgow City Council and senior management should give active consideration to establishing a user group where placing authorities can discuss the development and implementation policies at Kerelaw (paragraph 55).
2. Senior management and Who Cares? Scotland should jointly review the role and responsibilities of the young person's worker (paragraph 36).
3. The school should have access to the Internet. There should be arrangements for young people, staff, the managing and placing authorities to access this facility (paragraphs 55 and 82).
4. The remit and membership of the external management team should be forwarded to SWSI and the Care Commission within 6 months of the publication of this report (paragraph 85).
5. Arangements for maintaining personal records held on young people should be streamlined (paragraphs 91 and 92).
6. Existing and new services should be linked strategically through the school development plan and operationally through the senior management team to form an integrated system (paragraph 89).
7. A school training plan, taking into account both strategic and individual needs, should be developed and implemented (paragraph 87).
8. Active consideration should be given to finding alternative means of delivering the health services previously provided by the practice health visitor on a sessional basis (paragraph 45).
9. The continuing need for sessional input by the forensic psychiatrist should be reviewed in the context of Greater Glasgow Health Board's mental health strategy (paragraph 51).
10. Teaching staff should, in some cases, increase the pace in lessons and provide more challenging tasks for students (paragraphs 61 and 63).
11. Teaching staff should further develop the use of IEPs. They should use IEPs to track pupils attainment and achievements (paragraph 78).
12. Students' targets for personal and social development should be included in their IEPs and care plans and should be shared with all staff (paragraph 78).

Young People and Looked After Children Division, Scottish Executive Education Department

13. Consideration should be given as to whether arrangements made by Glasgow City Council for the screening of secure accommodation referrals could be adapted for use in some form of national screening system (paragraph 86).

First Minister

14. Scottish Ministers should re-approve secure accommodation at Kerelaw School under the Regulation of Care (Requirements as to Care Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2002.

How can you contact us?

Copies of this report have been sent to the head teacher and staff in Kerelaw School, the Directors of Education and Social Work in Glasgow City Council, all local 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 Angus Skinner, 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
Area 1-C(North)
Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH
EH6 6QQ

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Scottish Executive

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