Children's Home run by Darlington Borough Council in Darlington

Unique reference number SC068000 Inspector Stella Henderson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Darlington Borough Council Registered person address Town Hall Feethams DARLINGTON County Durham DL1 5QT Responsible individual Murray Rose Registered manager Elizabeth Jean Waring Date of last inspection 27/11/2013 2 of 9 Inspection date 02/12/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness adequate

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

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Overall effectiveness

The home's overall effectiveness is judged to be adequate. Care planning for young people recognises their individuality, diversity and individual preferences. This results in generally improved outcomes at some level for all young people. Educational outcomes for some young people are particularly good but for others progress is hampered by their absences from the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are positive about how they are looked after. They say they feel safe and feel that their lives have improved during their time here. There are positive aspects to safeguarding practice but there is a lack of robust and decisive action to an accumulation of missing from home incidents.

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Overall effectiveness

The quality of care is good because staff spend time with young people and listen to what they have to say about their lives. As a result young people feel that staff are genuinely interested in them. The manager supports staff to maintain their skills and competences through relevant training. Together they work effectively with other professionals and the families of young people to bring about positive change.

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Overall effectiveness

A number of requirements and recommendations are set to help the provider improve practice in relation to safeguarding and pathway planning, and to ensure compliance with changes to regulation. 3 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is local authority managed and provides care and accommodation for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/11/2013 Interim good progress 18/04/2013 Full good 24/01/2013 Interim good progress 31/05/2012 Full good

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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) ensure that the Statement of Purpose includes all the matters listed in Schedule 1 (Regulation 4)(1) 02/01/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) implement the missing child policy and ensure that where a child who is accommodated in the children's home and for whom a care plan has been prepared is, or has been, persistently absent without permission from the children's home the registered person shall ask the local authority that looks after that child to review that child's care plan (Regulation 16)(6)(a) 02/01/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that if, in relation to a children's home, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in 02/01/2015 4 of 9 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)

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) inspect the premises of the children's home and such of the children's homes records as the independent person requires (save for a child's case records, unless the child and the child's placing authority consent to the inspection of those records by the independent person)(Regulation 33)(8)(b) 02/01/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain a system for monitoring the matters set in Schedule 6 at least once in every 3 months and improving the quality of care provided in the children's home. The system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities (Regulation 34)(1)(a)(b)(3) 02/01/2015

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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 that a pathway plan is prepared as soon as possible after the assessment of needs is completed (The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 3: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers)  ensure the home is managed ethically, effectively and efficiently, delivering a service which meets the needs of its users. This is with specific reference to reviewing the policy on financial contributions from young people (NMS 21)  ensure that information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way which will be helpful to the child when they access now or in the future. This is with specific reference to ensuring that dates and information about agreed levels of risk are accurate. (NMS 22.5) 5 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people experience mixed outcomes. Those who are self-motivated do very well, going on to university or securing apprenticeships. Others have improved their personal care, reduced aggressive and criminal behaviours and are limiting their drug use.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Outcomes for young people who present with more challenging behaviours are less favourable. Some young people spend a significant amount of time out of the home. This limits opportunities for them to engage with staff and achieve positive change, particularly in progressing their education and preparing for independence.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people have acquired some of the basic skills they need for independence, but have yet to receive copies of their pathway plans. This is because of delays in compiling these once their assessment has been made. This increases the risk of young people not getting the support to which they are entitled. It also impedes the development of the more advanced skills and understanding they need to cope with realities of adult life.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

The provider has a policy that young people who are in paid work should make a financial contribution for their board and keep. This is good preparation for managing their money once they leave the home. However in the absence of pathway plans it is hard to see whether the provider’s policy has been agreed by young people or what their views are on the matter. In addition, the policy is not clear about where this money should be kept, or what the potential consequences are if young people refuse to contribute. This could potentially expose young people to financial hardship.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people keep themselves healthy with reasonable diets and exercise, for example by playing football for local teams and cycling to work. Young people take increasing responsibility for managing their own health needs. For example, they take advantage of specialist services to help them reduce their substance misuse and are making good progress in this area.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people currently don't feel the need for any professional help with emotional and psychological issues, but they know where to go to get help. They are supported to maintain good emotional health with discussions about the positive benefits of work and productive use of spare time, the importance of relationships and the impact of substance misuse on mental health.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people like to stay close to their family and friends. They like to celebrate key events in their religious calendars such as Eid and Christmas. This promotes a strong bond with their families and communities and reinforces their positive sense of 6 of 9 identity.

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Quality of care good

Young people feel that this is a good place to live. Even those who choose to spend a considerable amount of time away from the home continue to gravitate back there and remain in contact with staff by phone when they are away.

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Quality of care good

Young people feel that staff treat them and their families with respect; they also feel that their diverse cultural backgrounds and traditions are understood and respected by staff. Young people have used the complaints procedure on occasion. They felt their concerns were listened to and things got better as a result.

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Quality of care good

Key to this good quality care are the positive relationships that staff build with young people whose behaviour and choices in life can sometimes be very challenging. Staff are skilled at showing young people how much they are valued, even though at times young people choose to resist this. Staff keep open the lines of communication, have meaningful conversations with young people, persist when young people are getting things wrong and generally treat young people as the emerging young adults they are.

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Quality of care good

This nurturing care does not always show immediate impact, especially when there are strong 'pull' factors for some young people in the wider community. But over the long term this provides young people with experience of warm, nurturing relationships, positive attachments to adults they can trust and good role modelling of acceptable and respectful behaviour. This is demonstrated in the stability of placements, the reduction both in damage caused to the home and risk-taking behaviours, and the ability of young people to maintain relationships with others.

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Quality of care good

Staff value the views and wishes of the young people and actively consult them about their care and the running of the home. Partnership working is strong, particularly with families, and this helps to fulfil the requirements of young people's care plans. Young people say they understand what plans are being made for the future and feel involved in this process.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people find it difficult to resist the 'pull' factors of life outside of the home. They are clearly 'voting with their feet' and often choose not to be at the home, despite their care orders. This has resulted in a high number of unauthorised absences and 'missing from home' incidents for some young people. 7 of 9 For example, 13 absences or missing from home events are recorded over one month for one young person. Although the frequency of such incidents has fluctuated, it is not yet on a consistent downward trend. Young people involved have not been well served as, despite the persistent nature of these events, no reviews of their care plans have been undertaken.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people tend to keep in touch during their time away from the home. They often spend time with their families, and regularly come back to the home for food, money and to shower and change their clothes. They keep up with appointments outside of the home, such as drug advisory agencies. The manager and staff use any opportunity they can to try to get young people to engage with them, but with limited success.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff fully understand the triggers for young people remaining away from the home. They work with friends, families, the police and other professionals in order to address these issues, and to locate and retrieve young people. Staff follow agreed protocols and there are frequent meetings to discuss the situation. However all of these measures have not improved matters for the young people concerned.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Risks associated with going missing from home, such as involvement in criminal activity are well assessed and these concerns have diminished. However there is no 'stand alone' risk assessment for missing from home incidents.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

This is contrary to the provider's own 'missing child' policy which requires a separate risk assessment rather than one that is conflated with other risks such as drug taking. Agreed levels of risk are not always accurately recorded. This may cause confusion and lead to staff taking inappropriate action.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The home has a range of other safeguarding measures which ensure young people are safe at the home. Those who live there say they feel safe and have no concerns. One young person explained that when there was a problem with staff practice, this was promptly dealt with.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

No new members of staff have been appointed to the home for some time. The provider has suitable vetting arrangements in place to ensure that new employees do not present a risk to young people. The manager ensures that the environment meets health and safety requirements, while maintaining a well-furnished, clean and comfortable home for young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

8 of 9 The Registered Manager has managed this home for several years. She is very experienced and has a recognised management qualification. The Registered Manager has close knowledge of direct care practice at the home and is swift to address any concerns; she continually strives to make life better for young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

A number of regulatory shortfalls are identified. Although most of these shortfalls have no direct impact on young people, they reflect a failure of the Registered Manager and provider to keep abreast of legislative changes.

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Leadership and management adequate

For example, the manager's monitoring process does not reflect recent changes in regulation and fails to take into account the view of young people, their parents and other professionals. This means that an important source of feedback on the performance of the home is overlooked. The Registered Manager sends monitoring reports to Ofsted each month. This is unnecessary as they are required to be sent on a quarterly basis only.

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Leadership and management adequate

The independent visitor provides an additional layer of scrutiny to the home. It is not clear that the visitor has secured permission from young people and their social workers to look at their case files. This may breach their right to confidentiality.

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Leadership and management adequate

Practice within the home is as described in its Statement of Purpose, although this too is not fully compliant with new regulations. A shortfall was also identified in the failure to alert Ofsted to a notifiable incident, although appropriate action was taken to support the young person concerned.

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Leadership and management adequate

Young people are cared for by a qualified and motivated team of staff. They keep up to date with professional training and say they are very well supported by the manager. The very low turnover of staff is a real strength of the home and provides young people with stability, security and consistency.

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Leadership and management adequate

Other aspects of the home are managed effectively and efficiently. There is well- established partnership working and the Registered Manager acts on findings from complaints. She is a visible presence in the home and ensures it is well-resourced for the benefit of young people. The Registered Manager's development plan sets realistic objectives for improving the quality of care for young people at the home. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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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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