By Sheila Mckenzie-
Children required to isolate for 14 days when they moved in secure homes during the pandemic suffered increased anxiety and, in some cases, an increase in self-harm and physical attacks on staff, Ofsted said .
Ofsted’s Chief inspector Amanda Spielman said the requirement – set by Public Health England guidance – for children to self-isolate on arrival created a form of “solitary confinement” that had a negative impact on many children’s well-being and, in some cases, undermined their safety and that of staff. It reveals the weak coping mechanism of such children, who often rely on association and engagements to keep them occupied. It also highlights some of the mental health challenge faced by vulnerable children forced to comply with strict Covid -19 rules which is too foreign to their system and incompatible with their mental health conditions.
The finding came in a briefing looking at the experiences of children in 12 of the 13 secure children’s homes (SCHs) in England and those cared for by 21 independent fostering agencies (IFAs), based on visits from 1 September to 4 December. It revealed low moods and increased anxiety during periods of isolation or restrictions which led to increased self-harm and physical attacks on staff and other professionals. The 14-day isolation period also meant some children struggled to form new relationships when first arriving at SCHs.
The ability for children to form secure and lasting relationships with staff was also undermined by the fact that many SCHs were severely affected by absences and the use of temporary staff, due to self-isolation. At one point, there were 30 staff off sick , including senior leaders, contributing to a lack of stability. Absences were sometimes covered by agency staff or those from other services or children’s homes who had little knowledge or experience of working in a secure environment. The regulator said this negatively impacted on children’s care because staff were not always equipped to deal with situations that arose, Ofsted said.
The findings reveal a void in plans to keep children in secure homes engaged and occupied when told to self isolate for so long. It also reveals a missed opportunity to establish a system that keep such children learning or occupied in incentivized educational learning.
The Eye Of Media.Com has suggested Ofsted recommending innovative schemes with rewards for such children to keep them productively busy in such circumstances. Prepared learning material with questions and answers to learn from after which they are rewarded with appreciated prizes is one idea put forward in those circumstances.
Educational documentaries or films on topics they can learn from, and which would interest them, particularly those they can relate to is another idea being put forward to the outstanding regulator.
Understanding
Ofsted found staff “generally showed an in-depth understanding of each child’s behaviours, risks and vulnerabilities”, with children having risk management plans in place to deal with self-harm. The briefing found staff made good efforts to help resolve children’s frustrations and make them feel safe, including by giving them sensory toys and activities, and regular access to health practitioners, during isolation periods.
While PHE guidance meant children’s families were unable to visit them, Ofsted praised SCH staff for enabling children to keep in contact with loved ones, through video technology and providing technical advice to families.
Children were also given increased access to phones and other devices and, as restrictions were relaxed, outside spaces were used more often. One home purchased a marquee to facilitate face-to-face contact outside, while another allowed visitors to use an outside secure area where children could see their families and talk through a baby monitor.
In relation to IFAs, Ofsted praised the work of supervising social workers who, it said, had maintained good contact with foster carers – largely virtually, though with varying degrees of risk-assessed face-to-face contact – and supporting them to understand children’s anxieties and fears
Ofsted’s briefing comes in the wake of shortage of places in SCHs, resulting in young people being placed in inappropriate accommodation. Addressing these worrying failings is reportedly under urgent examination