Children's Home run by Green View Young People Limited in Barnsley

Unique reference number SC386057 Inspector Parveen Hussain Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered manager Neil Davison Date of last inspection 24/03/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 24/09/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection There has been no enforcement action since the last inspection.

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Overall effectiveness inadequate

Outcomes for children and young people adequate Quality of care adequate Keeping children and young people safe inadequate Leadership and management inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

The home is judged as inadequate overall because the management arrangements have not adequately safeguarded young people from harm and promoted their welfare. There are shortfalls with regard to implementing care plans which has negatively impacted on health outcomes. The Registered Manager's oversight and supervision of staff on a day-to-day basis has been poor. There are further shortfalls in monitoring the quality of the service and the Statement of Purpose is of poor quality. This impacts on how well the manager ensures the aims and objectives of the setting are met. As a result safeguarding and leadership and management are also judged inadequate.

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Overall effectiveness

Staff are not adequately promoting the health needs of some young people. The care provided is not in line with individual care plans or consistent with the advice of health professionals. Staff are therefore not adequately promoting the health and wellbeing of the some young people. Young people continue to misuse substances despite the efforts of staff to engage them with relevant services.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people do enjoy living here. They feel the home has provided them with a level of stability to assist them with rebuilding their relationships with the key people in their life. Young people have positive views about the quality of care afforded to 3 of 11 them and it helps them to feel safe. Young people feel staff are caring and respectful of their situations and support them in planning for the future. Young people are able to participate and influence the running of the home and feel contact with key people is promoted through the homes welcoming environment.

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Overall effectiveness

The registered manager has a committed staff team and is committed to meeting their training and development needs. They work together with young people and other agencies to ensure their basic needs are met. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children's home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/03/2014 Interim good progress 04/12/2013 Full good 23/01/2013 Interim good progress 02/10/2012 Full outstanding

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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

4 (2001) compile in relation to the children's home a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as "the Statement of purpose") which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1 (Regulation 4-(1)). 10/10/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

5 (2001) keep under review and, where appropriate, revise the Statement of purpose and the children's guide; and notify HMCI of any such revision within 28 days (Regulation 5 (a) & (b)). 10/10/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) prepare and implement a written policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated at the children's home from abuse or neglect 10/10/2014 5 of 11 (Regulation 16 1 (a))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) 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)) 10/10/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed receive appropriate supervision (Regulation 27 (4) (a)) 10/10/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure visits by the independent person under paragraph (1) shall take place at least once a month and may be unannounced (Regulation 33 (7). 10/10/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the independent person’s reports include an opinion as to whether children accommodated at the home are effectively safeguarded and that the conduct of the home promotes their wellbeing (Regulation 33 (8) (a) (i) & (ii) & (9)) 10/10/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities (Regulation 34 (3)) 10/10/2014 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Outcomes for young people are adequate. Young people have made some progress in their general health and wellbeing. They are registered with a GP, dentist and optician. Young people in need of prescribed medication are adhering to these requirements. There continues to be areas in need of improvement in order for all young people to be physically, emotionally and psychologically well. For example, one young person is not actively taking on board the advice relating to maintaining a healthy balanced despite the attempts of staff and health professionals to help young people understand the importance of this. Young people’s misuse of substances impact on their overall health and wellbeing. Staff are active in securing services to ensure young people understand the risks associated with cannabis use. Young people however choose not to engage with these.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people engage with other support services to help improve their behaviour and reduce risks of offending behaviour. On a small number of occasions young people still dictate their own behaviours, limiting the interventions of staff and the opportunities to engage with staff to achieve positive change. Young people have displayed aggression over money and illegal substances. On these occasions staff are not always able to curtail these behaviours. The levels of aggression from young people does put them at risk of police involvement and further negative consequences.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people understand the importance of education. Some young people take full advantage of the opportunities available to them while others are not maximising their potential. For example some young people value their education more and the prospects it brings. They have progressed into college and have the self-motivation to travel there independently. In contrast, other young people only engage on a part time basis and do not make use of the full benefits and opportunities available, despite the best efforts of staff. Staff are active at helping young people recognise the impact of this and attempt to motivate them in making progress through other vocational pathways.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

One young person has positive links with the wider community and networks although has not been able to establish a positive relationship with family members. Staff however are very good at maintaining relationships with the people that are important to him. For other young people, relationships in the community are linked to pursuing illegal substances. This includes negative behaviours with family members that are not helpful in maintaining good health and wellbeing. Staff in this case work hard to sustain working relationships with family members in an attempt to them contributing to the overall care and wellbeing of young people 7 of 11

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Quality of care adequate

Young people are not always cared for in line with their care plans despite some good care being afforded to them. Staff are not implementing the advice of some health services and therefore some young people are not achieving good emotional, psychological or physical health.

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Quality of care adequate

In spite of intervention from child mental health services, staff at the home have not adequately recognised the potential harm to some young people’s physical and psychological wellbeing. In particular, they have not adhered to the advice of the health professionals regarding diet and well-being. Staff have not taken sufficient action to challenge poor eating habits. This has resulted in some young people continuing to snack on unhealthy foods while missing important meals leading to their health being compromised.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people do have access to standard and specialist health care facilities. They are supported to attend appointments with mental health services and as a result assessment and intervention is underway and in place with young people being prescribed necessary medication. There is emphasis on ensuring young people are able to access sexual health and substance misuse services where appropriate. Despite the best efforts of family members, staff and professionals, tackling substance misuse remains a concern for young people in the home.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people living here are quite new to the home and as a result the manager is seeking to meet their immediate needs before longer-term plans for transition and independence are progressed. However staff are supporting young people in acquiring practical life skills that they will need later in life.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff ensure young people are given opportunities to engage in purposeful activities and for some this is working well. It enables young people to take part in their choice of activities with friends. Others do not receive the full benefits of activities as they choose to utilise a combination of their pocket money and activity allowance on substances. Staff have not used effective measures consistently to support young people to reduce this risk-taking behaviour.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff work closely with substance misuse services to ensure young people are adequately advised and informed of the dangers associated with cannabis use. The aim is for young people to work towards abstinence and improve their overall health and wellbeing. However young people chose not to fully engage with such services and are not forthcoming in working with staff to address their substance misuse. When young people do engage with staff they undergo effective key working and these interventions help and guide them to recognise the risks and dangers involved with their behaviours.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people are clear that they love living here and describe positive relationships with staff. Young people speak to staff about their views and feel staff adequately 8 of 11 promote their wishes and are respectful of their culture and identity. Young people are supported by staff who make themselves available to help them deal with any worries and concerns. This leads to young people feeling secure and settled and able to discuss any difficulties they may experience in their day-to-day lives. Increased confidence with staff and feeling safe allows young people to take some control and have some influence over the day-to-day running of the home. Young people know how to complain and who to speak to should this need arise and utilise the residents meetings to identify any areas that warrant discussion.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff support young people to learn and understand the need for routines. They prompt young people to adhere to boundaries where necessary and engage young people in ways which promote flexibility, allowing them to be seen as individuals. This approach enables better communication and cooperation with staff and young people. Young people understand what plans are being made for their futures and feel staff are available for advice and support to help them in areas relating to their health, education and behaviour.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff encourage attendance in education and ensure young people are supported in getting to and from their place of learning. This helps young people feel safe in the community. Staff focus on multi-agency working to ensure young people’s needs are met in line with their individual care plans. They are welcoming of key people to the home and work effectively with parents, family and young people’s wider networks to ensure consistency of care and relationships with important people are maintained.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff work hard to manage difficult behaviours from young people and implement strategies that encourage young people to reflect on their actions thus avoiding the need for restraints. Staff are accepting of young people’s differing needs and respond to young people individually and take a restorative approach to any behaviours that warrant this intervention. This leaves young people more likely to recognise the impact of their behaviour on others and amend their actions for the future. It teaches young people to be respectful of their environment and other people who they share their home with.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Young people are not adequately safeguarded at the home despite them feeling safe and well cared for. Appropriate action is not taken to identify and report concerns to children services or to the police in order to safeguard young people at risk of harm. Staff have not adequately responded to or explored concerns about young people’s welfare. For example in relation to threats from third parties and financial debts in relation to substance misuse.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

Staff have still not taken steps to implement safeguards for young people despite serious concern for their safety being raised by the parents of some young people. In addition to this, staff have been party to conversations between young people living 9 of 11 at the home and the people that supply him with substances. Staff have documented threats of harm being made however have taken no action to safeguard young people’s welfare. This has led to a young person being injured and leaves the potential for future incidents to escalate in seriousness.

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Keeping children and young people safe inadequate

There are positives areas of care which have been noted. Children do not go missing and return to the home within the expected timeframes. Staff try to understand young people’s behaviours and therefore use appropriate interventions to manage these rather than utilising physical interventions. There are no allegations against staff and where complaints are highlighted, immediate action is taken to resolve these. The provider has recently taken on new staff and has utilised safe vetting procedures to ensure staff are suitably qualified and experienced and that they do not pose any risk to children and young people.

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Leadership and management inadequate

Since the last full inspection in December 2013, the home has declined in performance and making improvements, leadership is now inadequate. There are new concerns about the Registered Manager’s ability to run the home effectively. This includes failures to adequately safeguard young people and ensure their care plans are fully implemented.

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Leadership and management inadequate

The manager has been in post at this home for six years and has appropriate management qualifications. The staff team are close but have recently experienced some staffing difficulties leaving the manager without a significantly experienced counterpart. As a result the day-to-day supervision of staff and monitoring of care has let young people down.

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Leadership and management inadequate

The manager has not reviewed the Statement of Purpose since 2011. This document about the home is significantly dated and does not meet regulatory requirements. The manager’s oversight of care practice does not ensure that the care provided to young people accommodated meets the aims and objectives of the service.

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Leadership and management inadequate

The independent visitor has not explicitly evidenced in the monthly reports their opinion on whether young people resident at the home are being appropriately safeguarded. There has been no evaluation of the impact, if any, there may be on young people from the conduct and management of the home. In addition to this, reports have not been consistent or timely in being made available to Ofsted.

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Leadership and management inadequate

The manager’s quarterly monitoring is limited with regards to consulting young people resident at the home about their welfare. This can potentially leave the views of young people unheard. However given that young people are happy and feel they have good relationships with staff, the impact of this shortfall is minimal.

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Leadership and management inadequate

There is evidence of good team relationships between staff and with young people. 10 of 11 Feedback sought from parents and professionals associated with the home is generally positive with the exception of the concerns identified during the inspection. The manager is committed to the young people resident at the home and carefully considers all referrals to ensure adequate matching takes place before admission. He has refused admission previously as the match has not been considered suitable.

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Leadership and management inadequate

The home has a good previous track record. Previous requirements have been addressed timely and appropriately resulting in the impact on young people being minimised. The view of young people living at this home is that they are afforded good care and they enjoy living here therefore stability can be maintained. Staffing levels at the home are appropriate and the manager ensures a good level of training is in place for staff to equip them to confidently manage their day-to-day role.

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Leadership and management inadequate

The home is well maintained and is decorated to a good standard. The ample outdoor area ensures young people have an additional quiet space to spend time alone or with staff, friends and family. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management inadequate

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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