Scottish Government

INSPECTION OF CARE ARRANGEMENTS AND EDUCATION IN: ROSSIE SCHOOL MONTROSE

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

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.

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LIST OF 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
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SUMMARY

2. Rossie School ^*, provides 24 secure beds, plus one emergency secure bed, and 4 open beds for boys and girls. It is managed by an independent Board of Governors.
4. 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.
6. Since the last approval inspection visit in September 1999 by HMIE and SWSI, progress has been achieved in meeting most of the action points. The school has made progress in promoting aspects of positive behaviour among young people, purchasing mental health services and significantly improving the quality of accommodation and resources for education. However, shortages of teaching staff have hindered implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum. In addition the quality of living accommodation, furnishings and fittings remains variable.
8. In the year ending 31 August 2002, there was persistent under-occupancy. The average rate of occupancy for 24 secure beds was 95% even though there was continuing pressure on secure places in Scotland. This was due to a combination of necessary building work and staffing problems. Rossie is an important national resource. The Board should continue to be vigilant in ensuring that the school is able to operate to capacity when there is a high level of demand. It should ensure that the temporary de-commissioning of beds is reported to the Scottish Executive Education Department.
10. There had been significant staffing changes since the last approval inspection in September 1999. These included a complete turnover in the senior management team and a large increase in the number of care staff following the introduction of a new duty rota. The school is aware of the need for a period of consolidation.
12. Young people felt safe and secure at Rossie. They received good personal care, particularly support from staff. Primary health and dental care were of a high quality. Priority had been given to the promotion of positive behaviour. Specialist services also had been introduced, for instance, the mental health initiative. Further progress needs to be achieved in providing a range of services which address the reasons for young people's admission to Rossie.
14. 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, technical education, 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 assessed the processes for self-evaluation and development planning. The report outlines a number of points for improvement, including aspects of the curriculum, achievement and support for students.
16. It is recommended that secure accommodation at Rossie is re-approved under the Regulations. There is, however, a need for follow-up to promote further improvement where there have been some important or major weaknesses. This will be covered through registration and inspection visits by the Care Commission, SWSI, HMIE and SEHD.

17. INTRODUCTION

18. The appraisal of care and education arrangements in Rossie 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.
20. The appraisal of Rossie was completed as a joint inspection in September 2002. The inspection team included Stuart Bond, Social Work Inspector; Ian Bashford, Senior Medical Officer, Scottish Executive Health Department; HM Inspectors, Frank O'Hagan, Neil MacLeod and Lorna Walker; and Jim Sutherland, Care Commission Officer, Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care.
22. 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 Rossie, interviewed young people, care, teaching and specialist staff, managers and the chair of the Board of Governors; 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, technical education, art and design, and personal and social education; examined case files, students' work, health records and establishment and unit log books.
24. Rossie is located about 5 miles from Montrose on a large isolated rural campus. Within the secure building there are 3 living units (providing a total of 25 beds, including one emergency bed), an education wing, a sports hall, swimming pool, courtyard and administrative offices. There is also an open unit with 4 beds and a staff training unit, both outwith the secure perimeter.
26. The school is a non-profit making Trust managed by a company limited by guarantee. Responsibility for the overall management of Rossie rests with the Board of Governors. A chief executive is responsible for strategic direction and the day-to-day running of the school.

27. PROGRESS SINCE PREVIOUS REPORT

28. Since the last visit for the purpose of re-approval, in September 1999, HMIE and SWSI have made joint visits in April 2000 and September 2001 to approve the new education block, and SWSI made an announced visit for the purpose of registration in October 2001. Progress has been achieved in meeting many of the main action points, requirements and recommendations despite inevitable disruptions caused by a complete turnover in the membership of the senior management team. The adoption of a school quality development plan has assisted in driving forward the improvement agenda for care.
30. Progress had been achieved in a number of key areas, notably the introduction of:

• programmes to promote positive behaviour by young people;
• a new staff rota together with a significant increase in the number of care staff which should ensure higher staffing levels, particularly at weekends;
• access to mental health services, through a service level agreement.

2. However, work is ongoing in relation to other key areas, particularly in:

• producing a clear statement of the Board of Governors roles and responsibilities;
• achieving greater consistency in the quality of accommodation;
• reviewing all measures of care and control.

2. In addition since the last inspection of education in September 1999, the overall development of educational provision had suffered from some important weaknesses. The Board of Governors and school had improved significantly the quality of accommodation and resources for education. Worthwhile developments in collaborative work between care and teaching staff and in involving the wider community in the life of the school had also taken place. However, a high turnover and general shortage of teaching staff had hindered the implementation of a broad and balanced curriculum. Opportunities for students to complete a wide range of certificated courses had been limited.

3. THE ESTABLISHMENT AND ITS OPERATION

   Accommodation and Resources

4. Accommodation at Rossie is set within an extensive and attractive estate which is well maintained. Secure and open provision remains as previously described (see paragraph 12). The new education wing is located within the secure building. This has freed-up space for development within living accommodation. A programme of refurbishment is ongoing. All living units have benefited from the programme, including - a new shower in Dalhousie; a new kitchen and laundry in Lunan; and a new lounge and visitors' room in Tay. The open unit, Forth, has also benefited from extensive re-decoration and new windows.
6. The same high standard of accommodation and resources do not apply throughout the premises. The quality of living accommodation compares unfavourably with the well-appointed education wing. While the provision of en-suite facilities in bedrooms must await the planned re-build other anomalies need attention within existing programmes of maintenance, repair and re-furbishment. Notably the boy's toilet in Lunan was dilapidated and unhygienic at the time of the visit but we were pleased to note that this was subsequently refurbished. Bedroom furniture also remained sparse. In addition cleaning services needed to be in place at weekends. Leadership of these programmes should come from the innovative and welcome new post of estate manager.
8. The school had very good accommodation and facilities for education. The new education wing was spacious and had a wide variety of classrooms and areas for practical activities. These included facilities for science, technical education, home economics, art and design, music and physical education. There was scope to extend the use of display space to encourage students to take more pride in their own work. Staff should continue to undertake risk assessment and further develop health and safety policies with regard to educational activities, particularly for practical subjects and education outwith the school.
10. The provision of resources for educational purposes was very good. Due to gaps in the curriculum, the school's resources and equipment were not being used as effectively as they might have been. The school had extensive facilities for using information and communications technology (ICT) as an integral part of learning and teaching but these were not fully operational. It needed to review how best to ensure appropriate access to the Internet. As funding permits, it should acquire further curricular resources to match programmes of study, in particular for National Qualifications (NQ) units which are in place or being introduced.

11. Staffing

12. The new staff rota has necessitated the appointment of 13 additional care staff and 3 team leaders. This has resulted in improved staffing levels, particularly at weekends. We were impressed by the enthusiasm of new recruits but their inexperience soon became apparent when confronted by challenging behaviour. While staff had good access to training, including induction training, and programmes which promoted positive behaviour they also required ongoing support. This should include both practice modelling by management and supervisory staff and access to regular supervision. Unfortunately supervision was not consistently available, particularly in living units, where managers were on sick leave, and for night care staff. Senior management should consider whether there is a case for having a designated team leader on night shifts.
14. In addition to the deputy chief executive and the head of education, promoted teaching staff included three assistant principal teachers. There was a high ratio of care and teaching staff in the education wing during the school day. However, there was shortfall in the allocated number of teachers. Additionally, the shortage of supply teachers to cover for long-term absence had created difficulties relating to deployment and continuity in some curricular areas. The school needed to review how best to use the expertise of teaching staff under these circumstances.

15. Use and Users

16. In the year ending 31 August 2002 the average level of occupancy for all beds (28) was 88%. The average rate of occupancy for secure beds (24), 95%, was higher than for open beds (4), 63%. Such under-occupancy contrasted with the continuing pressure on secure places in Scotland. Bed days were lost mainly as the result of building work and partly because of staffing problems. Current weekly charges of 2,884 (an increase of 22% since 1999) were similar to the cost of placement in other secure units in Scotland.
18. In the 6 month period ending 31 August 2002 there were 23 admissions, including 18 boys (78%) and 5 girls (22%). At admission 15 (65%) of the young people were from the Children's Hearing system and 8 (35%) on Court orders or remands. The average age at admission was 14.3 years. The main previous placement for both boys and girls was a children's home or residential school. During the period 11 local authorities placed young people in Rossie. While authorities from the North East of Scotland accounted for half of all admissions, young people also were placed at Rossie from as far away as Dumfries and Galloway.
20. In the 6 month period ending 31 August 2002 there were 35 discharges, including 22 boys (62%) and 13 girls (38%). The average length of stay was 189 days, a significant increase on the average stay of 133 days in 1999. At discharge the average age was 15.1 years. The most common next placement was home, followed by a residential school or with carers.
22. During the week of the visit 22 young people were in residence, including 16 boys (73%) and 6 girls (27%). Young people's ages ranged from 12 to 16 years or from S1 to S6 in their secondary education. They generally presented a range of learning difficulties and social emotional and behavioural problems. However, only one young person had a Record of Needs. Approximately two thirds of the young people had been placed through the Children's Hearing system and the remainder through the Courts. Dundee was the main user authority, with responsibility for 5 young people, with Aberdeen, Angus, Fife and Glasgow each responsible for 3 young people.

23. Rossie and the Community

24. Rossie has worked successfully with Angus Council, the local authority in which the school is located, for instance in developing the child protection procedure. It also holds quarterly meetings with main user authorities who value the greater transparency, particularly the opportunity to comment on school policies, such as the complaints procedure, and practice. In addition, links have been made with local community projects, such as mental health and offending projects. Rossie and placing local authorities should work together better to ensure that existing community-based resources (such as youth justice, drugs and alcohol and leaving care) are used to address the reasons for admission and prepare for a successful return to the community.
26. Care and teaching staff were in the process of extending and maintaining good links with the school's wider community. They had taken steps to involve external professionals and local businesses in contributing to the life of the school. The school made use of placements in workplace settings and in a college of further education for students who had permission to leave secure provision. It had established constructive working relationships with the careers service. Links with Angus Council Education Department with regard to staff development were also good. However, the school experienced difficulties in obtaining up-to-date educational information on students from their previous schools. Staff needed to establish more effective partnerships with mainstream schools to promote curricular developments.

27. QUALITY OF LIFE

    Individuality and development

28. Rossie's current statement of functions and objectives reiterates long-standing objectives, including "being child centred" and "ensuring a consistent, sensitive and needs led approach". The school aims to discriminate positively in favour of residents by "conducting a speedy assessment; jointly agreeing plans relating to care, education and health with relevant professionals, the child and his or her family; regularly monitoring progress, reporting and recommending future action". The process of continuous review and evaluation commences with an initial placement meeting within 72 hours of admission, with a further review of the initial placement plan after a fortnight. An assessment and action plan is agreed after a month. This includes an individual programme tailored to meet specific needs, drawn from an assessment of all available information, set within the context of the young person's care and educational plans.
30. There was a sustained commitment to the process of assessment and action planning both by Rossie and placing agencies. All young people had Rossie care plans. In most cases action points had been followed-up. Responsibility for follow-up often fell to the key worker. Individual work remains weighted to child management. This includes setting boundaries to behaviour and promoting compliance through such means as behavioural change programmes. While this is valued by placing agencies, they also highlighted the need for more focused work with young people to address the reasons for admission. There was evidence of more focused work in individual cases, for instance one young man had been referred to a community project to address his offending behaviour. However, focused work tailored to individual needs should be more readily and consistently available. The school has taken a number of recent steps in this direction. First, the use of the Trauma Symptoms Checklist (see paragraph 48) should assist in profiling individual needs. Second, the mental health initiative (see paragraph 46) should assist in meeting some of these needs. These welcome initiatives needed to be built on by making greater use of community-based specialist services, (see paragraph 28), when these are available. In addition, the school's in-house capacity to deliver more focused programmes of work should be enhanced by providing appropriate staff with specialist training, such as substance misuse and bereavement counselling, recruiting staff with a wider range of skills and making more effective use of such skills. Senior management should consider how a step-up in the availability of focused programmes of work can be achieved, for instance designating a manager to drive forward programme work.
32. Overall, the climate and relationships among care and teaching staff with students in the education wing were good. Assemblies were well used to enhance a good community spirit. Staff generally collaborated well as a team to encourage active participation among students during lessons. They demonstrated a sense of respect and fairness when assisting students in class. However, insufficient attention was given to expectations about what students could accomplish and the promotion of achievement. The school should continue to work towards developing a better ethos of achievement through providing students with more information about their next steps in learning. It should encourage better progress towards national certification for those pupils who are staying for a significant period of time in the school.

33. Rights

34. Most current residents knew little about Rossie prior to placement. On admission they soon become familiar with routines, their rights and responsibilities and behavioural expectations through the process of induction. This covered both personal support from a nominated key worker and access to an information pack which included the young person's handbook and guidance on the complaints procedure. In addition young people had ready access to the Who Cares? Scotland worker, who made weekly visits to the school, and the children's rights officer from the responsible local authority. Consequently young people were well aware of their rights and how to exercise them.
36. The role and responsibilities of the Who Cares? Scotland worker have been consolidated and expanded, extending from individual support and advocacy to include the young person's council and exit interviews. The worker also produced an annual report. This should be submitted directly to the Board of Governors. We understood that further innovations were planned, including a contribution to induction training for new staff. This extension of services is welcome and should be set out in an annual work plan.
38. Young people pointed out that, in normal circumstances, telephone calls home to their families were restricted to certain times of the day and in terms of frequency. They also highlighted the lack of privacy as calls were made and received in the staff office. Attention was drawn to this lack of privacy in our previous report. Hand-held phones give a greater degree of privacy but there are attendant risks. We were told that hand-held phones had been withdrawn at the time of the visit but were to be re-introduced in the near future. These arrangements will be monitored by the Care Commission in forthcoming inspection visits.

39. Good personal care

40. Young people, parents and social workers were generally positive about the quality of personal care. They highlighted the positive relationships with and support provided by staff, particularly key workers. However, they were critical about the general standards of the living environment, despite the programme of maintenance and refurbishment, which was seen to be inconsistent with "modern care".
42. The introduction of the new staff rota (see paragraph 15) had led to an increase in the number of care staff on duty. Young people were generally positive about care staff, particularly their key worker. Key workers were valued because they listened to young people, provided practical support and acted as advocates. For instance, one key worker said that she "lavished attention" on her key child in order to raise her self-esteem. All key workers encouraged young people to participate in the wide range of leisure and recreational activities available in the school and, where appropriate, in the community. Key workers were also aware of the need to address the reasons for admission, usually identified in the care plan, but felt that they lacked the necessary skills and required additional specific training.
44. We noted that some care staff, particularly newer and inexperienced staff, showed uncertainty in dealing with unacceptable behaviour in living units. For example, the repeated use of foul language and young people running up and down the living area sometimes went unchallenged. Inevitably such "loose control" led to incidents, as evidenced in logs. We welcome steps already taken to address this issue, notably the pairing of inexperienced and experienced staff in "mentoring" arrangements. However, supervisory and management staff also need to give a lead by their presence in living units and by modelling good practice. Such initiatives should also be linked to the current review of care and control and related procedures at Rossie (see paragraph 54).
46. Young people said that the food provided at Rossie was generally good. While breakfast and supper were provided by individual living units, lunch and tea were brought in from a central kitchen on a cooked trolley basis. Food presentation was good. There was a fair degree of choice including both vegetarian and healthy living options. However, there was little take-up of the fresh fruit provided in living units. The overall standard of catering was high but the menu lacked variety. One way in which this could be rectified would be through the introduction of thematic and innovative events. We noted that the food committee had recently been reinstated. This should assist in obtaining feedback on the quality and quantity of food. Changing young people's attitudes to food needs to be addressed through health promotion and education on a thematic basis across the school.
48. The cessation of smoking by young people and staff is another priority for health promotion and education. The school had clear smoking policies for young people and staff which were subject to continuous monitoring. Smoking was permitted, with parental consent, for young people 14-16 years of age and with additional local authority consent for young people under 14. Young people were restricted to 6 cigarettes a day. We noted that young people were rushing through meal breaks to have access to cigarettes. In addition, a significant number of staff smoked outwith the building but in front of the reception area where they could be seen by young people. A number of staff had been trained in smoking cessation counselling, and this was available to young people and staff who should be encouraged to take-up counselling. However, the school did not have a smoking cessation policy. Existing smoking policies for young people and those staff, who provide a poor role model, need to be reviewed with a view to introducing a no-smoking policy on a staged basis.

49. Health

50. The provision of primary care is of a high quality. All young people were registered with a local health practice within 2 weeks of admission. There was a service level agreement with the practice for one clinic a fortnight for admission medicals and ongoing management and treatment at Rossie. There was a policy of normalisation of health care. When possible young people visited the local practice, where out-patient appointments were accelerated and subject to appropriate conditions.
52. Satisfactory out-of-hours cover was provided by Montrose doctors. Access to emergency services was appropriate. Ongoing referral to secondary services in Tayside was satisfactory. The local health practice also provided an occupational health service for pre-employment staff reports or occupational health referrals on a fee for service basis. Young people and staff were appreciative of the high standard of provision of general practice care.
54. Rossie has a well-equipped dental surgery, including x-ray facilities. There was a half-day weekly session provided by a community dental officer and dental nurse from Tayside Community Trust. Young people were offered a dental and oral health check. The dental staff provided a comprehensive and flexible service. If a young person required sedation for more complex treatment, access can be obtained at Brechin or Montrose Community Clinics. Where a general anaesthetic was indicated for dental treatment, young people could be admitted to Strathcathro or Ninewells Hospitals. There was, however, a significant waiting list for dental treatment within the hospital setting and appointments could extend beyond the young person's placement at Rossie. Accelerated admission to the hospital service could be obtained by considering designated young people at Rossie as children with special needs. The dental team also needed to consider with senior management, how oral and dental health care can be integrated into the school's overall approach to health education and promotion.
56. Rossie had clear, comprehensive and appropriate health and safety policies for accidents, first aid and accident reporting with clear employee roles and responsibilities identified. There were also clear policies on intimate care, infection control and basic hygiene which were understood by staff and implemented. In addition, an identified member of staff had a school health lead. However, health issues were not adequately integrated throughout the education and care environment to educate young people into healthy living and lifestyles. Each living unit required a designated health lead with responsibility for health provision and assessment, health education and promotion. They should report to the school health lead who sits on the health and safety committee.
58. There were appropriate referral mechanisms to a local optician. Young people had been treated as required. Rossie was also discussing a service level agreement with the local pharmacy. Commendably such an agreement could include the provision of prescribed medicines; an advisory service on all "over the counter" type drugs for minor ailments; a twice yearly inspection of storage, dispensing and monitoring of medicines (prescribed and over the counter), including the storage, contents and monitoring of first aid boxes. All staff at Rossie, including the 43 qualified first aiders, were clear about the provision of prescribed drugs, first aid boxes and retained "over the counter" medicines. The provision of immunisation and screening at Rossie were the responsibility of a specific allocated paediatrician. When a young person was identified with a suspected deficiency in the immunisation programme his/her unit manager had the designated lead in Rossie but clarification is required as to responsibility for the health lead between the general practitioner, community paediatrics or the Health Board.

59. Specialist services

60. One of the requirements in the previous inspection report was that the school and Tayside Health Board agreed a mental health input. Rossie had entered into a service level agreement for a 4 hour session each week by a community psychiatric nurse (CPN). The CPN's role included:- the general education of staff; advising staff on individual cases, usually about behaviour management; reviewing morbidity and assessing risk at admission; liaison with external agencies and expediting emergency referrals where necessary; identifying throughcare and aftercare referrals. She was overseen by the consultant psychiatrist from Dudhope Hospital, Tayside. This was a welcome innovation. The service will be evaluated jointly by Rossie and Dudhope at the end of the first year. Young people and staff also had benefited from a series of workshops mounted by the local voluntary mental health association. These included body image, self-esteem, stress management, relaxation and meditation.
62. Rossie had a clear policy on alcohol and drug misuse and a statement regarding problem identification. There were also appropriate mechanisms for referring identified problems to local drug and alcohol teams and Health Board outreach services. However, there was little evidence of direct work relating to substance misuse or lifestyles being undertaken within the school.
64. Each young person was assessed by the educational/clinical psychologist who had a service level agreement to provide 2 days service each week. He was developing a comprehensive screening and assessment process, on behalf of senior management, which included the use of the Trauma Symptoms Checklist which assists in identifying the need for further work, for instance with aggressive or offending behaviour. This entailed a considerable investment of time both by the psychologist and other staff, who had received specialist training. Unfortunately, at the time of the visit, its development and implementation was at the expense of the pressing need to develop direct work with young people and related staff support. Senior management need to review the nature and level of psychological and other professional inputs.

65. Partnership with parents

66. Most parents felt that their child had benefited from placement at Rossie. In particular, they valued the safe placement, daily routines and clear rules and the high standard of care and education. However, a third of the parents who responded were either uncertain as to whether their child had received help with problems or highlighted delays or failure to access specialist services.
68. The school has made good progress in providing visiting facilities for parents (see paragraph 18) and in producing a parents' pack. The pack included information on smoking and visiting procedures and health and education provision. It would benefit from further development, in a user-friendly style, including an outline of "what happens next" from the point of admission to discharge. Parents also need to know when, how and by whom they will be informed about accidents and incidents.

69. Child centred collaboration

70. Active collaboration between Rossie and user authorities and agencies had continued at both policy and practice levels. Quarterly meetings with main users were valued as a means of sharing information about the development of policies and practice at the school. In addition, Rossie was seen to be responsive to practical suggestions as to how arrangements for the safety and welfare of young people could be improved. Good progress had also been achieved with Angus Council, for instance the implementation of agreed child protection procedures. Still further progress can be achieved with Angus Council in undertaking joint assessment of and programmes of work with young people from that authority. The successful piloting of such initiatives will promote their wider adoption.
72. Working relationships with social workers have been assisted by the production and dissemination of a pre-placement pack by the school. This seeks to familiarise social workers and their departments with a wide range of policy and practice issues, including parental access visits, measures of control and throughcare. Social workers responsible for current residents were more positive about Rossie than their colleagues responsible for former residents. Current residents were seen to benefit from a safe placement, clear boundaries to their behaviour and good support from staff. In contrast former residents were seen to relapse into previous patterns of behaviour, for instance offending, all too quickly following release. Social workers valued the contribution of the educational/clinical psychologist to assessment. However, half of those who responded were critical of arrangements for accessing mental health services, for instance the lack of a clear timetable. One also suggested that some Rossie staff seemed unclear as to whether the purpose of placements was containment or rehabilitation. Social workers had a significant contribution to make toward the goal of rehabilitation. To achieve this, the school, in consultation with user authorities, needed to articulate its expectations of social workers, including greater clarity as to the purpose of placements, the frequency and purpose of visits and the range of contributions they can make to programmes of work with young people.

73. A feeling of safety

74. Young people said that they felt safe and secure at Rossie and well supported by staff. This was borne out by parents, social workers and children's rights officers. One illustration of progress was the finalisation of the child protection procedure with Angus Council. However, we have already drawn attention (see paragraph 38) to "loose control" by some inexperienced care staff which may have inadvertently contributed to incidents, including accidents and challenging behaviour, and the need for this to be addressed.
76. Nevertheless, senior management had made a sustained commitment to improving the management of young people's behaviour. This had included the introduction of programmes to promote positive behaviour and monitoring the use made of the segregation suite and single separation in bedrooms. It would be premature to evaluate the impact of programmes designed to promote positive behaviour at this stage. However, initial feedback from young people and staff suggested that some streamlining may be necessary (also see paragraph 72). Young people welcomed rewards for positive behaviour but suggested that these should be tailored more closely to the circumstances of particular groups, for instance young people who are ineligible for mobility because they have been placed at Rossie on remand or sentence. In addition, staff drew attention to the heavy investment of time in completing recording systems designed to monitor young people's behaviour. Good progress had been made by all units in reducing the use made of the segregation suite and single separation. However, the segregation suite remained in use despite a long-standing requirement, since 1996, that it should be replaced. To achieve further progress in the management of young people's behaviour, it is essential that an overview is taken of the individual and combined impact of different measures. Consequently, we welcome the current review of care and control and related procedures used at Rossie. Copies of the review report should be forwarded to SWSI and the Care Commission within 6 months of the publication of this inspection report.
78. Security also remained a high priority for senior management and staff. There had, however, been a recent escape from secure accommodation during the night. Initial investigation of the incident had been completed by a senior member of staff. It had also led to prompt action to further strengthen security arrangements. In addition the incident had resulted in a loss of confidence by night care staff, for instance they were uncertain about leadership in dealing with crisis situations. We were pleased to note that senior management were going to meet with night care staff to discuss their concerns.

79. EFFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATIONAL PROVISION

    Overall quality of attainment

80. The overall quality of attainment was fair. In general, students coped well with coursework which was of interest to them. However, gaps in teaching programmes (see paragraph 57) restricted students' achievements. Periodic disruptions to lessons (see paragraph 71) also reduced the pace of learning and resulted in some students not achieving as well as they might. At S1/S2, students had settled well into classroom routines but generally required further assistance in making progress towards planned targets. At S3 to S6, students responded well to opportunities to attain National Qualifications (NQ) units. The school should ensure that certification is extended to a wider range of curricular areas.

81. Structure of the curriculum

82. The structure of the curriculum had some important weaknesses. The school ensured that young people did not have extended holiday periods without education. It had a shorter week than mainstream schools, which restricted the breadth and balance of students' learning activities. The subjects on offer did not include science and religious and moral education, and the programme for personal and social education was limited due to staff absence. Curricular links across subjects were not sufficiently well integrated. The school should continue to develop its curriculum and provide further challenge for higher-attaining students.

83. English

    Attainment

84. Overall, the quality of attainment in English was fair. Students generally did not apply themselves well during lessons. They were able to talk well informally but they had too few structured opportunities to develop skills in listening, talking and discussion. Students were making insufficient progress in reading. They required more support overall to help them access text and read for pleasure. Some were capable of producing personal and imaginative writing of high standard, but generally progress was not being promoted sufficiently during coursework. The level of national certification achieved in 2001-02 was low.

85. Courses

86. The courses in English were fair overall. The programme at S1/S2 had some important weaknesses and required to be developed, taking due account of 5-14 national guidelines. At S3 to S6, the school had made a start in developing programmes of study. However, courses did not provide sufficient opportunities for students to continue to the next stages of learning. Higher-achieving students required greater challenge in planned activities, including reading and writing. As programmes are developed, there should be more opportunities for students to use computer software to improve their skills in literacy.

87. Mathematics

    Attainment

88. The overall quality of achievement in mathematics was good. Students generally performed well in tasks set in class. Some relied on a high level of support and found it difficult to progress at a steady rate. Others required further assistance in developing their skills in problem-solving and enquiry. In 2000-2001, many students had attained certification in NQ units at Access Levels 2 and 3. However, there had been a significant decrease in certification during 2001-2002 due to staff absence. In the current school year, opportunities to gain certification had increased once again.

89. Courses

90. Overall, the programme for mathematics was good. At S1/S2, students undertook work relating to 5-14 mathematics. A strength was the good consideration given to promoting students' understanding through individualised activities. Across S3 to S6, students followed NQ units at Access Levels 2 and 3 and at Intermediate 1. In general, coursework at all stages needed to place a stronger emphasis on oral work, practical activities and problem-solving and enquiry.

91. Social subjects

    Attainment

92. The quality of attainment in social subjects was fair overall. Students were able to present points of view about contemporary issues such as the causes of war. However, some students had not been sufficiently challenged in coursework. They generally required more assistance in developing their knowledge and understanding of social and environmental issues. Some had achieved NQ units in 2001-02.

93. Courses

94. Overall, courses in social subjects were good. The programme at S1/S2 required further development, with due attention given to 5-14 national guidelines. At S3 to S6, there was a good range of appropriate NQ units at different levels. Students' progress within NQ units was well monitored. The school should continue to develop its courses across S3 to S6, taking due account of students' interests and needs.

95. Technical education

    Attainment

96. The overall quality of attainment in technical education was good. Students responded very positively to the learning environment and made very good progress in practical coursework. At all stages, they used a broad range of hand and power tools with confidence and produced a good standard of finished craftwork. Students showed good awareness of safe working practices. Most had a good knowledge of the materials and joints used in construction and some had begun to develop an appreciation of the factors influencing their designs. Most students presented for awards in woodworking skills in recent years had achieved success.

97. Courses

98. The quality of courses in both technical education and woodworking skills was good. The 5-14 programme in technical education placed a good emphasis on promoting design and craft skills in woodwork. Facilities did not permit students to gain experience in using other materials. Programmes in woodworking skills gave good opportunities for constructing techniques and in developing hand and machine skills. Homework was used effectively to consolidate students' learning. Course materials linked well with other curricular areas.

99. Art and design

    Attainment

100. Students' attainment in art and design was fair overall. Some students had made good progress in their coursework but standards varied considerably among classes. Motivated students demonstrated good ability in using colour and pattern and some had developed a good knowledge and understanding of line drawing. Overall, however, their general level of skills was limited. Most students lacked confidence in some aspects of design and in their knowledge of the design process. The school had not presented students for external awards in the recent past but opportunities were now being organised to address this deficiency.

101. Courses

102. The courses in art and design had some important weaknesses. The recently appointed class teacher had developed programmes which followed 5-14 and Standard Grade guidelines. However, many students did not see courses as meeting their needs and had yet to establish a pattern of attendance and behaviour which would allow programmes to run successfully. Some students viewed art and design as a recreational activity and were reluctant to follow the required Standard Grade syllabus. The structure of programmes and assessment procedures required to be improved further to promote greater motivation among students.

103. Personal and social education

     Attainment

104. The overall quality of students' achievements in coursework in personal and social education was good. Students generally showed a growing awareness of the benefits of self-control and of good relationships with others. Some were beginning to gain a knowledge of the world of work. They generally responded well to tasks which were set for them but gaps in the programme hindered their pace of learning and restricted progress. Further attention to skills in working with others and in coping with different points of view would enable many students to achieve more. They did not have sufficient opportunities to gain NQ units in aspects of personal and social development.

105. Courses

106. The programme in personal and social education had some important weaknesses. Positive features included the emphasis placed on improving students' self-confidence and sense of well-being. Care and teaching staff gave thoughtful consideration to anger management and to work experience for some students. The school had developed materials for a range of relevant topics, such as bullying and drug education, but still had to fully implement these aspects and evaluate their impact. In general, there was a need to develop a more comprehensive and integrated personal and social education programme across care and education. Areas of development included sex education, nutrition and healthy living.

107. Learning and teaching

108. In general, teaching staff provided students with clear instructions and promoted their confidence when undertaking coursework. However, at times, they required to adjust set tasks and the pace of lessons to meet more fully students' needs and interests. Eighteen per cent of the lessons observed were very good, 50% were good, 9% were fair, and 23% were unsatisfactory.
110. The teaching process was usually good. Teaching staff generally demonstrated patience and sensitivity when working with students and made good use of praise. On occasions, planning for lessons needed to be more structured and better focused on learning outcomes. When well motivated, students responded well to their programmes of study. Learning experiences were sometimes disrupted by poor behaviour on the part of some students who required further assistance to improve their motivation and concentration. The school should continue to develop its use of information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance students' learning. Tasks for students were not always well matched to their special educational needs. At times, staff needed to provide more challenging work, particularly for higher-achieving students. The use of assessment as part of teaching varied in quality across curricular areas but was good overall. The school was making steady progress in developing its approaches to reporting on students' achievements. In reviewing and taking forward its procedures for assessment, recording and reporting, it should develop the use of forms which provide a clear overview of the attainments and achievements of individual students.

111. Pastoral care

112. Overall, teaching staff gave good attention to students' care and welfare during lessons. They generally were alert and approachable regarding the personal and social needs of individual students. They were aware of the importance of supporting socially vulnerable young people in a caring and thoughtful manner. However, at times, the volatile and inappropriate behaviours displayed by some students in classes were not addressed sufficiently to enable them to examine their emotional feelings and improve their self-control. The school had recently established an awards system to operate across care and education. This initiative needed to be reviewed and developed to ensure that staff were confident in its use and their ability to use it consistently in promoting positive behaviour.

113. Support for learning

114. The school's arrangements for supporting and enhancing learning were fair. Due to staffing shortages, the school had been unable to offer its planned level of learning support. It needed to provide more focused assistance for some students who required significant intervention in overcoming barriers to learning, for example, in developing their skills in literacy. On occasions, staff needed to support students in relating better and learning from one another in small group work. The school had detailed IEPs for some students. It should extend its use of IEPs and ensure that short-term and long-term targets are more specific for measuring success and matched more fully to coursework.

115. MANAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

     Overall management and leadership

     Internal management

116. There had been a complete turnover in the senior management team, including the appointment of a new chief executive, since the previous inspection. The new chief executive had been responsible for the management of succession, largely because of the retirement of previous post holders. She also had to deal with a series of staffing problems, for instance through disciplinary procedure. In addition, she had been responsible for the introduction of a new duty rota and the recruitment of a substantial number of additional care staff. Finally, she had to tackle the long list of recommendations, requirements and action points arising from previous SWSI and HMIE reports. To-date her tenure had been characterised by change which was necessary for the school to fully meet national care standards.
118. Not surprisingly staff had been stretched at every level and the chief executive readily acknowledged the need for consolidation. The staged implementation of the quality development plan, within the context of a longer-term strategy, should assist the process of consolidation. In addition, the school's sustained commitment to staff training was bearing dividends with all managers, most supervisory staff and two thirds of the care staff with the required basic qualifications. Managers and supervisory staff had also been trained as trainers. The future training plan will need to be more closely aligned with the quality development plan, particularly the need to deliver or commission more focused programmes of work with young people. Consequently future training is likely to be more specialised and diverse, and consideration will need to be given to the delivery of training, particularly for advanced learners.
120. The heads of care and education both reported to the new deputy chief executive. This assisted in further promoting collaborative working, commenced by the chief executive, such as the adoption of thematic approaches across the school, for example in promoting positive behaviour. This needed to be extended to include the provision of focused programmes of work, for instance health promotion and education.
122. The quality of leadership with regard to educational provision was fair overall. The head of education had other corporate responsibilities which impacted on the time which he could spend on educational matters. The recent appointment of a deputy chief executive as his line manager should now provide him with extra support in managing education. On a day-to-day basis, he related well with teaching staff and involved them in the work of the school. He had taken steps to improve the school's general ethos and had encouraged good quality teamwork. However, some aspects of the management of educational provision needed to be improved. In particular, the head of education, together with his staff, should take further action in developing the curriculum, monitoring and improving achievement across subjects, and co-ordinating development plans.
124. The three assistant principal teachers collectively provided good support for the head of education. They were well informed about the role of the school within secure provision and had good opportunities to contribute to its overall management. In general, teaching staff should continue to develop co-operative work with care staff. A good basis had been established for ensuring that collaborative practices could be taken forward.

125. External management

126. There had been turnover in the membership of the Board of Governors with new members recruited from relevant professional backgrounds. The business of the Board and its sub-committees continued to be conducted without a clear statement of its remit. The production of a paper setting out the Board's role and responsibilities was a pressing priority. We were pleased to note that members of the Board continued to visit the school on a monthly rota. Visits included contact with young people and staff and monitoring the building, facilities and key log books. However, visits were restricted to the daytime. Consequently, night care arrangements were not subject to checks by external management. School visits by members of the Board should include some night visits, for instance, covering the handover between day and night care shifts.

127. Staff development and review

128. Very good progress has been achieved in the production of a staff handbook a copy of which was held by each member of the staff. This included school policies on a wide range of subjects, such as staff supervision and training. Progress in implementing policies had been mixed. We have already noted (see paragraph 22) that supervision was not regularly available for all staff. Access to regular supervision was particularly important for new and inexperienced staff. Conversely, very good progress had been achieved in reaching care staff training targets (see paragraph 75). Future training plans will also need to offer more specialised and diverse training. In addition, we were pleased to note that sickness absence was now subject to routine monitoring and report. Finally, we welcomed the adoption of a holistic approach to personnel and training functions with the establishment of an over-arching committee responsible for human resources.
130. Overall, the school's procedures for the professional review and development of teaching staff were fair. Teachers were engaged in the process of identifying their professional needs and had some good opportunities for training in a variety of topics. Links had been established with Angus Council Education Department. However, current arrangements were not sufficiently well based on a thorough audit of the particular needs of students or of the school as a whole. Senior managers should review the school's procedures to ensure that professional reviews are held at appropriate times for all teaching staff and lead to relevant opportunities for development. In planning further professional training, attention should be given to the development of certificated courses, the effective use of ICT in learning and teaching, and the implementation of IEPs.

131. School development and planning

132. We have already acknowledged (see paragraph 14) the contribution of the school quality development plan to driving forward the improvement agenda for care. The current plan covered developments in education, health and social care. It set aims and objectives for children, staff, and at the corporate level and identified necessary action. This was a useful start. However, we noted that some significant recent developments, for instance the designation of Dalhousie as a living unit specialising in remand and sentence cases, appeared to fall outwith the plan. In addition links between different parts of the plan were tenuous. For instance, the implications for staff recruitment and training and accommodation of developing a "needs led service" were unclear. The quality of the overall plan needed to be improved, particularly in terms of scope and integration.
134. The quality of planning for improvement in education had major weaknesses. Constraints arising from staffing shortages had hindered the preparation and implementation of an appropriate plan for educational development. The school had given insufficient attention to curriculum development and to raising the attainments and achievements of students. It needed to make greater use of quality indicators in identifying development priorities. It also needed to produce a detailed plan which clearly indicated how senior managers and staff would monitor progress and evaluate success. Individual subject areas required further guidance on developing their plans and linking them more clearly with the school's overall priorities. Staff should take due account of the recommendations made in this report when considering developments and evaluating progress.

135. Approaches to improving quality

     Case files and other records

136. Case files on young people residing in all house units were examined. Progress has been achieved since the last inspection. Files had a standard layout with key pieces of information, such as the care plan, held separately from detailed pieces of information, such as the case notes. Links between the care plan and case notes were clearer because of the use of a common structure for recording. However, there was little evidence of more focused sessional work either by the key worker or external agencies and projects. Most files included assessments completed by the psychologist and education reports. Few files included health information or cross-references to the source of such information. Further progress needed to be achieved. First, developing an individual summary, including key pieces of health information, would assist rapid retrieval. Second, making links between the individual's assessment, care plan and programme should be more explicit.
138. Health information was recorded separately. This included a medication/pharmacy cardex and a health log. They were kept in different places making it difficult to access a clear and concise picture of each young person's health status. This information needed to be unified into a single health record, encompassing a summary of past and present health needs, ongoing health and dental management, dispensed and "over the counter" drugs and accidents/first aid. This would permit rapid review of the young person's health.
140. We completed an audit of establishment and house unit logs. Overall, some progress has been achieved both in the maintenance and development of logs but further progress could be achieved. One illustration of good maintenance was the completion of medical assessment forms and dental checks. We also found a record of fire drills both by day and by night. However night drills must be practised more regularly given the turnover in young people. We were pleased to note that all establishment logs included a statement of purpose and guidance on completion but these were still missing from unit logs. In addition the proforma for recording the use made of single separation could have been further developed to record whether parent(s) had been notified.

141. Agenda for improvement

142. The school's approach to evaluating the quality of educational provision was fair. The head of education held frequent meetings both with promoted staff and with the staff as a whole. In addition, the assistant principal teachers offered support for staff within designated subject areas. These various meetings provided a useful means of planning how future improvements could be implemented. However, the school was not making effective use of robust evidence, including a year-by-year analysis of students' achievements in subject areas, to ascertain where improvements were most required. It should adopt a more systematic approach to self-evaluation and to the implementation of strategies for improving educational provision.
144. Senior management monitored the quality of care by a number of means, including direct observation, reading case files and logs, staff supervision and regular meetings with management and supervisory staff. Consequently they were aware of aspects of the school's strengths and weaknesses in delivering good personal care and promoting individual development. Staff were the school's most important asset in improving services for young people. Thus arrangements for providing staff with leadership and support were critical. We found a mixed picture. On the one hand, some of the arrangements for supporting staff were impressive, notably the staff handbook, core training opportunities and the occupational health scheme. However, others were less impressive, particularly the failure, to varying degrees, to provide all staff with good practice models and access to regular supervision. These shortcomings might have been reflected in the low morale of some groups of staff, particularly night care staff, and the significant levels of sickness leave in some groups, for instance unit managers. The chief executive's desire to consolidate after a period of change was timeous and appropriate. Consolidation should focus on enabling and supporting staff to deliver commendable policy objectives, notably a "needs led service" and make full use of staff expertise. This is a significant challenge. It will require a combination of practice modelling by senior staff and external agencies, regular staff supervision and support, the development of personal learning plans with appropriate access to specialist training and the adoption of thematic approaches across the school, for instance, health promotion and education.

145. KEY STRENGTHS

• Young people feel safe and secure.
• The high level of sustained commitment by staff to supporting young people.
• The good quality of food.
• The comprehensive staff handbook.
• The provision of core training for care staff.
• The high quality of primary health and dental care.
• The management of succession in senior management posts.
• The school's very good accommodation and facilities for education.
• The provision of resources for education.
• The development of care and educational links with the wider community.
• The general climate and relationships among staff and students in living units and the education wing.

MAIN POINTS FOR ACTION

Action is required by the Board of Governors and senior managers and staff at Rossie School on the following main recommendations.

2. A clear statement of the Board of Governor's roles and responsibilities should be produced (paragraph 79). The Board should continue to be vigilant in ensuring that the school is able to operate to capacity (paragraph 4). The temporary de-commissioning of beds should be reported to the Scottish Executive Education Department (paragraph 4).
4. Senior management must ensure that more robust arrangements are in place for supporting staff, particularly inexperienced staff, in the management of challenging behaviour (paragraphs 22, 38 and 88).
6. The review of care and control and related procedures at Rossie should be completed and copies of the report forwarded to SWSI and the Care Commission within 6 months of the publication of this report (paragraph 54).
8. The estate manager should ensure that the quality of living accommodation, furnishings and fittings and cleaning arrangements are more consistent (paragraph 19).
10. Senior management should consider how a step-up in the availability of focused programmes of work with young people can be achieved (paragraph 31). Consideration should be given to the nature and level of psychological input (paragraph 48), developing in-house resources (paragraph 88) and the implications for staff training (paragraph 75).
12. Smoking policies for young people and staff need to be reviewed with a view to introducing a non-smoking policy on a staged basis (paragraph 40).
14. Each living unit requires a designated health lead with responsibility for health provision and assessment, health education and promotion and contributing to health and safety across the school (paragraph 44).
16. All health information should be unified into a single health care record (paragraph 85).
18. The education department should improve the structure of the curriculum and programmes of study in subject areas, as outlined in this report (paragraphs 56 to 69).
20. Teaching staff should develop and extend opportunities for students to undertake National Qualifications units across the curriculum (paragraph 56).
22. Care and teaching staff collectively should continue to develop a more comprehensive and integrated personal and social education programme (paragraph 69).
24. The education department should establish and maintain an effective system for supporting students who are experiencing learning difficulties. It also should further develop and extend its use of individualised educational programmes. (paragraph 73)
26. The education department should develop its procedures for improving educational provision through more rigorous approaches to staff review and development, self-evaluation and development planning (paragraphs 81,83 and 87).

27. Rossie and Placing Local Authorities

28. Rossie and placing local authorities should work together better to ensure that existing community-based resources are used to address the reasons for admission and prepare for a successful return to the community (paragraphs 28 and 52).

29. First Minister

30. Scottish Ministers should re-approve secure accommodation at Rossie 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 Board of Governors, senior managers and staff in Rossie School, 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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