Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lincolnshire

Unique reference number SC456347 Inspection date 11/12/2013 Inspector Catherine Honey Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 12/06/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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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Brief description of the service

The home is managed by a large, private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties or learning disability.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making inadequate progress .

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Progress

At the previous full inspection in June 2013, the home's overall effectiveness was judged as adequate. At the last inspection, two requirements and four recommendations were made. The two requirements and one of the recommendations have been met. Two previous recommendations are repeated. A third recommendation is not met and is now a requirement. In addition, one further requirement is made at this inspection. Since the last inspection, outcomes for young people and quality of care have deteriorated. The home has not demonstrated sustained improvement.

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Progress

Since the last inspection, the home had a period of closure and has recently reopened. There has been a change in management and there is currently no Registered Manager in post at the home. In addition, the deputy manager has recently left. The provider has put in place appropriate management oversight of the home during the recruitment for a new manager. Acting managers have already identified some areas for immediate development, such as improving the staff rota system to allow staff more rest time between shifts. Some young people are progressing relatively well in placement. They are attending school and keeping themselves safe by not going missing. Some young people are relatively new in placement and as such are displaying some difficult behaviours while they settle in. The acting manager has a behaviour management plan in place to ensure there is consistency in the approach of the staff team. Young people are

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Progress

beginning to respond positively to incentive plans and the clear boundaries put in place by staff. Since the last inspection, internal doors within the home are now left unlocked during the day time, allowing young people free access around their own home. Young people enjoy spending time with staff and using the games room and lounge.

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Progress

If safeguarding incidents occur, safeguarding procedures are promptly followed. However, in a recent incident, the care of young people was not promoted. This does not demonstrate how staff practice has developed sufficiently since the last inspection in relation to promoting, modelling and supporting positive behaviour within the home.

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Progress

At the previous inspection, concerns were raised about inappropriate use of physical intervention. Use of physical intervention since the last inspection has decreased significantly. Physical intervention is now used appropriately and only at times when young people are at risk of causing injury to themselves, others or to help prevent serious damage. In addition, police officers are called to the home with much less frequency to support staff with behaviour management. Although the police attend the home less frequently, on one occasion Ofsted were not notified of an incident where the police attended. This limits the effectiveness of the overview of the regulator. In addition, links and relationships with the local police force are in their infancy. This means there is no agreement in place on police involvement with the home and this recommendation is repeated. Physical intervention records are now

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Progress

made in a bound volume which means records are less likely to be lost or tampered with.

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Progress

At the previous inspection, the home was asked to consider ways young people could be involved in staff annual appraisal. Although there is consultation with young people in relation to the day-to-day running of the home, the home could not demonstrate how this recommendation has been acted on or taken forward in to a service development plan. This recommendation is repeated. An additional shortfall was identified in records of staff supervision held in the home. Staff do not always sign their supervision records. This means that staff may not have had the opportunity to sign their agreement with, or comment on, important information in the document regarding their practice.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure if any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table (Regulation 30 (1)) 06/01/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that there is at all times, having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the health and welfare of the children accommodated in the home, a sufficient number of suitably competent and experienced persons working at the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1) (b)) 06/01/2014

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure the home follows procedures and guidance on police involvement in the home, which have been agreed with local police (NMS 3.22)  ensure that written records of supervision held for each member of staff are signed by the member of staff at the end of the supervision (NMS 19.5)  consider ways in which staff appraisal takes into account any views of children the service is providing for. (NMS 19.6)

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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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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