Greenfields improvement notice lifted "with immediate effect"

Monday 27 February 2023

The island's only secure unit for children is no longer subject to any improvement notices after the serious concerns raised last year were addressed, it has been confirmed.

The Jersey Care Commission identified 12 areas for improvement surrounding the provision of care at Greenfields in March 2022, with further inspections in August and September leading further issues to be highlighted.

Problems identified by the JCC included "woefully inadequate" education standards and staff being "placed at risk" due to being unable to deal with threats of violence.

Other urgent actions related to the failure to provide care leavers with a "transition plan" for leaving care, "thus compromising the care receiver’s potential to be rehabilitated to his home successfully."

Pictured: The education provision for one child at Greenfields was previously criticised as being "woefully inadequate to meet their needs".

However, in the most recent inspection – which took place last month – the inspector was satisfied that the secure children’s home had met the requirements of the notices, which have been lifted "with immediate effect".

In a statement, the Commission acknowledged the "successful efforts" made by the service to address areas of concern and said it would continue to work with Greenfields "as it pursues a trajectory of continued improvement".

"Overall, the regulation officers were impressed by the registered provider and registered manager’s responses to the latest inspection and how they had addressed the areas for improvement from previous inspections."

Pictured: Robert Sainsbury, acting Director General for Children, Young People, Education and Skills is currently in charge of Greenfields.

"As a result of the improvement notice the staff consulted provided positive feedback on the changes in the home. Staff have built positive relationships with care receivers, which they felt had a positive impact on outcomes for the care receivers and had led to improved staff morale [and] confidence," they added.

"The improvement journey has required significant investment of time and dedication to this task and the Commission would like to acknowledge the endeavour of the registered manager and his staff team in this regard."