Children's Home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Lincolnshire

SC363422 Unique reference number 10 February 2010 Inspection date Jane Rushby Inspector Random Type of Inspection

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 9 Inspection Report: SC363422

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Brief description of the service

This home is registered for three young people aged 14 years to 17 years of either gender and is owned by a private provider. The home is a modern detached bungalow. It is situated on the edge of a small rural village and there are no immediate community facilities within a short walking distance. The home provides transport for access to services and activities as appropriate in neighbouring larger towns.

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Summary

At this unannounced interim inspection, all key standards in staying safe were inspected and improvements were monitored under organisation. A judgement has also been made in respect of being healthy and economic wellbeing due to shortfalls in practice noted at the visit. This is an inadequate service. Young people at this home are not being effectively protected from harm or their good welfare promoted. There has been weak management oversight which has not identified an escalation of aggressive and violent behaviours arising from the inability of staff to manage the needs of the group. The physical environment is in very poor condition. There are 20 actions and 4 recommendations arising from this visit. Three young people currently live at the home, all were present and participated in the inspection. The overall quality rating is inadequate. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous key inspection the registered person was asked to ensure all information set out in Regulation 26 be obtained for all staff before they start work at the home. This has not been carried out. The registered person was also asked to undertake monthly visits as set out in Regulation 33. These visits have taken place, however there are shortfalls in the quality of monitoring which are covered under the organisation section of this report. The registered person was also asked to ensure that an application for registration is submitted to Ofsted for the position of Registered Manager as required by the Care Standards Act 2000. This has not been carried out, no application has been submitted and no manager is in post. The responsible person was also asked to record any comment on the appropriateness of individual uses of sanctions with any subsequent action taken. This information has been recorded but does not

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Improvements since the last inspection

reflect the required level of analysis of information which needs to inform improvements to practice. The responsible person was asked to ensure young people are encouraged to record their views when disciplinary methods of restraint are used. This has not taken place in accordance with company guidance or this recommendation. The responsible person was also asked to ensure that a minimum ratio of 80% of care staff have completed their National Vocational Qualification Level 3 in caring for children and young people. This has not been achieved although all relevant staff are undertaking this qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is inadequate. Young people's health needs are compromised by poor arrangements for administration and recording of medication. Medication has been administered by staff who have not always been appropriately trained or experienced which has resulted in medication not always being taken as prescribed. 4 of 9 Inspection Report: SC363422

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is inadequate. Young people do not feel that their privacy is respected at this home. They very much resent staff carrying out health and safety checks and removing items which they are not supposed to have from their bedrooms. Room searches are carried out on a daily basis due to specific behaviours which require this intervention. However, the need for this arises from poor behaviour management strategies which do not prevent young people from engaging in high risk activities in their rooms. A young person said 'staff can come in at any time, it happens whenever they feel like it'. Room searches are not recorded as a formal process, which is required by company guidance. Damage to the fixtures and fittings in the home has occurred which also compromises the privacy of young people. Young people's records are securely stored in the office. Young people can make private telephone calls using an office phone in an adjacent room.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are not confident that complaints will be satisfactorily investigated. The complaints log recorded eleven complaints, some of which had been concluded. However, the log did not record the outcomes in all cases and it was not possible to ascertain what stage some of the complaints had reached. In one case the complaint had been signed off by the person about whom the complaint was made. A young person said 'there's no point making a complaint here'. The company has an effective policy in place for responding to complaints, but this is not being followed in practice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are not being protected from the adverse consequences of high risk behaviour due to ineffective safeguarding and behaviour management strategies. Young people did not raise concerns about bullying at the home. Staff are aware of the dynamics in the relationships between the young people and the potential for bullying which could arise from these. New staff are trained in safeguarding procedures during induction and staff have some experience of responding to allegations or disclosures of abuse. However, information regarding a young person being placed at risk due to poor practice was not passed on appropriately and the company's safeguarding policy has not been followed at all times. Young people are at risk of harm due to inconsistent management of high risk items which may have been mislaid. Young people have been placed at risk of harm due to poor decision making by inexperienced staff.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Arrangements to support young people record their views when sanctions are given have not been successful. Young people who are at risk of being absent without authority are responded to adequately.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people have not been supported to develop acceptable behaviour. Challenging, abusive and violent behaviour has increased and resulted in injury to staff and damage to fixtures and fittings in the home. Measures are in place to promote socially acceptable behaviour. However, these are insufficient to address the severe negative behaviours which have escalated during the period leading up to the visit. Analysis of current behaviour management strategies has not been robust and has not resulted in changes in practice to address the level of chaos present in the home. Poor management and oversight of this home have not addressed the challenges arising from the dynamics in the relationships between young people living here. A social worker expressed the view that young people have not been supported to maintain previously acquired positive behaviours which have deteriorated significantly since moving to this home. Physical

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Notification of all significant events to Ofsted have not been made. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: SC363422 Young people's welfare is compromised by shortfalls in health and safety arrangements. Young people are familiar with evacuation procedures, but do not necessarily evacuate when the alarm sounds. Required repairs to a fire door have been requested but not carried out. Young people are at risk from the consequences of repeatedly dismantling smoke alarms and smoking in the home. A risk assessment process is in place for individual young people and specific activities. Although staff have knowledge of the risks involved, risk assessments have not all been updated to reflect pertinent information. Staff responsible for preparing meals at the home have not all been adequately trained and demonstrated unsafe practice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The procedures in place to ensure that staff are thoroughly checked have not all been carried out. Visitors can gain access to the home through unsecured doors.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is inadequate. Young people do not benefit from a positive physical environment as there is extensive damage to the accommodation and furniture arising from poor behaviour management strategies. Furniture has been smashed and young people's bedrooms do not all have the required items conducive to comfortable homely accommodation. Frequent requests for repairs and maintenance are made and some are carried out. However, the level of destructive behaviour exceeds the ability of the company to keep up with the repairs and the accommodation is generally shabby and poorly maintained.

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Organisation

The organisation is inadequate. Young people do not have their welfare promoted at this home as a consequence of poor management. There has been no Registered Manager at this home for some considerable time. Changes have been made to the management support which have not been notified to Ofsted. The previous manager has moved to another home in the company and for the past three months there have been several people overseeing the running of the home by carrying out visits. The staff team have not been able to meet the needs of the group of young people currently placed due to a combination of inexperience and poor leadership. The management monitoring systems did not highlight the extent to which behaviour had deteriorated at the home in the period immediately prior to the visit or identify significant shortfalls in staff practice. Young people at this home do not benefit from all staff having a clear understanding of the

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Organisation

need to provide consistent and positive role modelling behaviour.

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Organisation

Regulation 33 visits have taken place at the required intervals. However, these have mostly been carried out when the young people are not in the home and there is little evidence they have been consulted during these visits. Management oversight arrangements are not clear and there is the potential for conflict between responsibility for managing the home and monitoring the extent to which this management has been satisfactory. This has not resulted in significant management shortfalls being identified through the monitoring process. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: SC363422 Staff who do not have relevant National Vocational Qualification at Level 3 are undertaking this training.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Childrens Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Due date Action Standard

31 March 2010 make suitable arrangements for the recording, handling, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal or any medicines received into the children's home (Regulation 21 (1)) 31 March 2010 ensure that each child is provided with sleeping accommodation which is suitable to his needs including his need for privacy (Regulation 31 (8) (a)) 31 March 2010 ensure that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration other than, if the registered person considers it appropriate, at the informal resolution stage only (Regulation 24 (2) (b)) 31 March 2010 ensure that a written record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of the investigation (Regulation 24 (5)) 31 March 2010 ensure that any activities in which children participate are so far as reasonably practicable free from avoidable risks (Regulation 23 (b)) 31 March 2010 without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of

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Due date Action Standard

significant events listed in the table in Schedule 5 (Regulation 30 (1)) 31 March 2010 operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular - provides for the suspension of an employee where necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children accommodated in the home (Regulation 27 (2) (a)) 31 March 2010 ensure that each child is provided with guidance, support and advice on health and personal care issues appropriate to his needs and wishes (Regulation 20 (2) (d)) 31 March 2010 ensure that the placement plan is consistent with any plan for the care of the child prepared by his placing authority (Regulation 12 (4) (a)) 31 March 2010 ensure that all persons employed at the home receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal (Regulation 27 (4) (a) 7 of 9 Inspection Report: SC363422 31 March 2010 keep under review and where appropriate revise the behaviour management policy (Regulation 17 (3) (a)

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Due date Action Standard

31 March 2010 ensure that all parts of the home to which children have access are so far as reasonably practicable free from hazards to their safety (Regulation 23 (a)) 31 March 2010 take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment (Regulation 32(1) (a)) 31 March 2010 ensure that unnecessary risks to the health or safety of children accommodated in the home are identified and so far as possible eliminated (Regulation 23 (c)) 31 March 2010 obtain for all staff, before they start work at the home, all the information set out in Regulation 26. 31 March 2010 forthwith give notice of the name of the manager so appointed and the date on which the appointment is to take effect (Regulation 7 (2) (a) (b)) 31 March 2010 ensure that an application for registration is submitted to Ofsted for the position of Registered Manager as required by the Care Standards Act 2000 Part II, 11(1).

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Due date Action Standard

31 March 2010 operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse, of a child accommodated in the home to an appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted Regulation 27 (2) (b)) 31 March 2010 visit the home in accordance with this regulation by an employee of the organisation or partnership who is not directly concerned with the conduct of the home (Regulation 33 (2) (c)) 31 March 2010 interview, with their consent and in private, such of the children accommodated there, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as appears necessary in order to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the home. (Regulation 33 (4) (a))

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure young people are encouraged to record their views when disciplinary methods or restraint are used (National Minimum Standards 22.14) • room searches are carried out only in accordance with appropriate guidance and only on clear grounds (National Minimum Standard 9.8) • risk assessments are carried out, recorded in writing and regularly reviewed and address the potential for abuse within or outside the home (National Minimum Standard 26.2) 8 of 9 Inspection Report: SC363422 • ensure that a minimum ratio of 80% of care staff have completed their National Vocational Qualification Level 3 in caring for children and young people (National Minimum Standard 29.5). 9 of 9 Inspection Report: SC363422

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