Original Tender Description
The service covers needs associated with ten children's homes delivered by Hampshire County Council within the current Hampshire County Council boundaries, which require their staff to access positive behaviour support trainings. Hampshire County Council operates nine open residential children's homes providing 33 placements, plus a Secure Children's Home. Children are typically 10-17 years old but some homes may admit from age 6. Homes are located across Hampshire (north, central, south). This includes a newly developed provision for children with complex behaviours, including those subject to Deprivation of Liberty Orders; the environment is designed to flex levels of restriction to individual need. The cohort is dynamic, with periods of low or no physical intervention, but incidents can occur unpredictably; staff confidence and currency of training are therefore critical. The Secure Children's Home is an Ofsted registered Secure Children's Home approved by the Secretary of State to restrict liberty under section 25 of the Children Act 1989; it cares for up to 10 children aged 10-17 whose risks may necessitate higher levels of control than in open homes. Use of restraint are higher than open children's homes. It utilises CCTV, and Safety Pod™ equipment. In this setting there are additional lawful, last resort restraint measures to reduce immediate risk or when behaviour presents a serious risk. The provider must be trauma informed and ensure any physical interventions are used safely, proportionately, and as a last resort, tailored to each child's needs and experiences. Aims and Objectives: • Promote quality of life, dignity, choice, inclusion. • Prevent challenging behaviour through proactive, needs led practice. • Rights based practice using least restrictive approaches. • Consistency across staff and settings. • Understand behaviour as communication; teach functional assessment. • Contribute to and utilise individualised behaviour support plans and proactive strategies. • Embed de-escalation and crisis management; teach safe physical skills only when necessary and lawful. • Strengthen data recording, review, and learning. • Foster positive relationships and staff confidence in applying the chosen model. The training should include initial training and refresher training and the scope of the training must include; a) Core curriculum for all residential staff, including managers and agency staff. b) Physical intervention training aligned to Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) standards and relevant UK legislation; include decision making, dynamic risk assessment, disengagement/breakaway, and restrictive skills only where justified by training needs analysis. c) Safety Pod™ module specific to the Secure Children's Home and any open home where Pods are used; include safe and trauma informed use, risk assessment, and integration into care/support plans. d) Trainer consultancy for home specific needs (e.g., disability considerations, environment adjustments). e) For the Secure Children's Home the training provider must support independent oversight of incidents and continue to annual reporting to the Safeguarding Children Partnership in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018).