Children's Home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Unique reference number SC066747 Inspector Jacqueline Malcolm Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Sheffield City Council Registered person address Sheffield City Council, Town Hall Pinstone Street SHEFFIELD S1 2HH Responsible individual Dorne Collinson Registered manager Hazel Frances Axon Date of last inspection 18/03/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 05/01/2015

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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 adequate Keeping children and young people safe adequate Leadership and management adequate

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Overall effectiveness

The home is judged overall as adequate. This is due to some breaches of regulations and failure to meet national minimum standards. Shortfalls relate to: sending a copy of the reviewed statement of purpose to Ofsted; medication management; records; behaviour management and peer relationships; young people not engaged in education, training and employment; staff recruitment; complaint records and management monitoring.

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Overall effectiveness

Despite the shortfalls, young people live in a caring, nurturing and supportive environment. A number of young people are well established there and positively identify with the home. They experience safety and stability in the care of good adult role models who know them well. Relatively newer young people have positively settled into home-life. All have made good progress from the point of admission. Young people who experience setbacks in aspects of their lives are supported to get back on track. For some young people not in education, employment or training, the desired outcomes are yet to be realised.

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Overall effectiveness

Overall, young people’s behaviour is well managed. The staff team work hard to support young people to reflect on their behaviours and self-regulate their emotions. However, this has not been without significant incidents and has led to some young people being vulnerable to serious allegations. Young people speak highly about 3 of 11 their relationships with staff and they have a mutual appreciation of each other. Young people say they feel safe. Professionals consider young people to be safe and well cared for at the home. A social worker said, ‘(name of young person)’ is making very good progress and I am very pleased with her placement. I have no concerns.’

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager and team are aspirational for the young people and want their lives to improve. Effective partnerships with other agencies provide valuable support to help young people reach their goals. The Registered Manager has a clear development plan and shows capacity for improvement. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a local authority. The home is registered to look after a maximum of five young people, who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2014 Interim good progress 04/12/2013 Full good 31/01/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 04/09/2012 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) provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI (Regulation 4(2)) 27/02/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that where any child in a children's home has attained the age where he is no longer required to receive compulsory full-time education, the registered person shall assist with the making of, and give effect to, the arrangements made for his education, training and employment (Regulation 18 (3)) 27/02/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) promote and make proper provision for the safeguarding and welfare of children accommodated there; specifically in relation to 27/02/2015 5 of 11 ensuring robust pathway planning and clear transitions (Regulation 11(1)(a))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that there are suitable arrangements for the recording, handling, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of any medicines received into the children's home (Regulation 21(1)) 27/02/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that a written record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of the investigation (Regulation 24(5)) 27/02/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) establish and maintain an effective system for improving the quality of care provided in the children’s home. This specifically relates to the prompt and robust action that the registered provider must take to address any issues of concern that they identify or which are raised with them. (Regulation 34(1) (b) (3)) 27/02/2015

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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 children develop and practice skills to build and maintain positive relationships, be assertive and resolve conflicts positively (NMS 3.5)  ensure that restraint is not used to force compliance with instructions where significant harm or serious damage to property are not otherwise likely (NMS 3.14)  ensure telephone enquiries are made as well as obtaining written references (NMS 16.1)  ensure there is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take prompt action when needed in order to address any shortfalls. (NMS 22) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Overall, young people have made good progress in the home, although some experience cycles of negative and risky behaviours. This has impacted on other young people when they have been involved in conflict situations that have left them vulnerable to allegations and significant incidents. Despite this concern, positive relationships have been formed between staff and young people. These attachments build young people’s emotional resilience and tenacity. As a result, young people can reflect on their histories and make future plans. A number of young people choose to spend time away from the home with friends and family. This helps them to keep connected and reinforces their sense of identity and belonging. Young people’s involvement in community activities is currently limited. Those young people who were involved in voluntary work have recently decided not to continue and their attendance at the local youth club is intermittent.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people have good independence skills. They have acquired skills in menu planning, shopping, cooking and taking pride in their personal appearance. Young people who have reached 18 years old express a readiness to move into their own residence. They are proactive in seeking their preferred accommodation, making their wishes and feelings known about the timescales to achieve this. A young person said, 'If it weren't for these staff I would not have any life skills.'

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people have a good insight into their health needs and they recognise the serious implications of neglecting their health. This enables young people to engage in their health care plans and improve their health outcomes in conjunction with health professionals. Young people enjoy healthy, balanced meals that meet their dietary and health needs. They are knowledgeable about the benefits of regular exercise and the risks associated with poor sexual health. This helps them to make well informed choices. Young people understand how their smoking habits may lead to poor health outcomes.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Most young people regularly attend their educational provision and their progress is steady. Those young people who attend school and college are relentless in their aspirations to achieve their career goals. A young person said about working towards formal General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) qualifications, 'GCSE's get you further in life than friends do.' Older young people have good experience of work placements and apprenticeships. For various reasons, these have not been sustained through no fault of the young people involved. However, at least two young people aged 16 years old and over are not in any formal education, employment or training. Plans to re-integrate these young people back into meaningful work and education placements are yet to show the desired progress. 7 of 11

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Quality of care adequate

Young people’s individualised placement plans highly personalise and promote their care needs, including needs arising from their identity. Older young people have pathway plans, but insufficient attention to detail in one of the plans has the potential to miss specific issues of concern. In addition, the timescales are lengthy and unrealistically involve key professionals at a time when they would have ceased involvement. This does not assure robust care planning.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff act as positive role models to the young people and appropriately parent them. This values young people and promotes clear routines and boundaries that young people understand. Staff use good de-escalation techniques to defuse challenging behaviours and situations, based on their positive relationships with the young people. However, some conflicts between young people have not been fully resolved in a timely manner. This has resulted in a number of serious incidents that impact on the vulnerability of the individuals involved and the group dynamics have suffered. Despite this issue, young people highly rate the quality of care that they receive and they feel fully integrated into home life. Typical comments from young people include, ‘This home has the best facilities and the best staff'; 'A really nice bunch of staff' and 'It feels like home. They (staff) are always there.’ This supports the positive

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Quality of care adequate

and constructive relationships that young people share with staff most of the time. The strong, child-focused staff team speak with great affection about the young people and show genuine concern for their welfare. This is irrespective of the significant challenges that some young people present.

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Quality of care adequate

Effective relationships between the home, families and professionals from social care, youth justice, education and the police promote consistent practice. This includes the good support from health professionals and the consultant psychologist who is a regular visitor to the home. They offer an invaluable service to the staff team and the service provides individual sessions to young people to help address their issues. This level of intervention supports young people’s physical, emotional and psychological health and behavioural needs.

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Quality of care adequate

The arrangements for dealing with medication are effective in minimising errors. However the practice used to achieve this objective is not considered good practice. It involves removing medication from the original dispensed containers and putting them into another one in advance of the time of administration. This practice gives responsibility to staff without the protection of them knowing that if something goes wrong they may be liable. In addition the communication between the home and school relating to medication administered to young people is not implemented. This does not ensure a full oversight of the administered medication between the home and school.

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Quality of care adequate

Good consultation practices empower young people to regularly speak up about their care and the running of the home. Young people confirm that they feel listened to and respected. They have opportunities to express themselves in arenas such as key 8 of 11 work sessions, young people’s meetings and statutory reviews. Young people understand that their wishes and feelings are acted on where possible and staff are good advocates for them. Young people know how to complain and some have used the complaints procedure. All complaints are taken seriously and they are addressed in practice. However, not all complaint records detail how they have been resolved.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people live in a suitably located home that is well designed, furnished and maintained to a high standard. Young people have sufficient communal space and they enjoy the privacy of their own rooms. These are personalised to suit their diverse tastes. Young people have good access to the community and to their families and value their home. A young person said the home, ‘is a really nice place to live and feels like home.’

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people are cared for and monitored by a conscientious staff team who go the extra mile to safeguard and protect them. Staff are trained in safeguarding children and young people. They have a good understanding of their responsibilities to promote young people's welfare and they know how to whistle blow. However, interventions to minimise conflict between young people has not fully protected some vulnerable young people who have been targeted. As a result, serious incidents have occurred because of indecisive action to improve matters. Young people say they feel safe in the home. They know that staff act in their best interests to keep them safe. A young person said, 'It’s always been safe.' Staff and other professionals work with young people on their identified risks to help minimise risk to themselves and others. This protects young people who are for example at risk of child sexual exploitation.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people are well informed about self-protection strategies due to their good engagement in individual sessions and their participation in strategy meetings. A social worker said, ‘(keyworker and staff team) are following up on all issues in regard to (name of young person’s) safety and welfare as (name of young person) has recently been in a very risky situation regarding (name of an internet search engine) and exploitation. Staff have followed this up according to the policies and procedures and continue to work with the core group around the safety planning and follow up’.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people say that staff deal with any incidents of bullying when it happens. Good levels of staff vigilance ensure that these matters are quickly resolved and police intervention is used only as a last resort. Strong professional relationships between the home and the local police community support officer stimulates a positive presence in the home. The advice and guidance from the police to both staff and young people helps young people to reflect on their behaviour to help avoid their entry into the criminal justice system.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Good risk management strategies address how young people’s risks to themselves and others will be minimised. Good communication from the home ensures that 9 of 11 partner agencies are fully appraised about the current risks impacting on young people’s outcomes. However, the minutes of relevant meetings are not included in young people’s files to ensure up to date and current information is available to staff. Young people rarely go missing from home. However, when young people have gone missing, staff follow the agreed protocols to ensure their safe return. Young people say that staff show concern for their welfare on the few occasions that they have failed to return home. This makes them feel cared about.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people experience minimal use of physical restraint because staff maintain good boundaries and implement effective de-escalation techniques. However, on a few occasions, physical intervention has been used to remove young people from environments when they have refused to leave. The Registered Manager has recognised this practice as forced compliance. She is addressing this matter with the staff team to avoid repeated incidents.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Good recruitment and vetting practices minimise opportunities for young people to be cared for by unsuitable adults. All new staff have disclosure and barring clearance before they are deemed safe to care for young people. These checks continue to be updated at regular intervals to ensure young people’s continued protection. However, although requests for references are sent through secure systems, they are not routinely verified by telephone. This does not ensure consistently robust recruitment practices are followed.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people are protected by good health and safety arrangements. This includes regular fire checks ensuring that young people can evacuate the home in the event of a fire. Checks on gas and electrical appliances are completed to ensure their safe use. These arrangements keep everyone safe from hazards to their safety.

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Leadership and management adequate

Overall, this is a well managed children’s home. The Registered Manager has a social work qualification and the Registered Manager’s Award. She is very experienced and has been registered with Ofsted since 2007. She leads a stable, aspirational and motivated team that is now fully staffed. Strong deputising arrangements ensure the smooth running of the home in the manager’s absence.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has capacity to improve. This is demonstrated in the good development plan and the monitoring systems in place that highlight the home’s strengths and areas for development. However, there have been a number of missed opportunities to tackle weakness in a timely and decisive manner. For example, there has been a lack of urgency to identify and address issues in relation to medication management, recruitment, checking the clarity of pathway plans and chasing risk management documents. The response to specific young people’s vulnerabilities has drifted and has resulted in further serious conflict. 10 of 11 Although the statement of purpose has been reviewed, a copy has not been sent to Ofsted for review.

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Leadership and management adequate

Young people’s records are generally good and show their progress over time. However, due to the longevity of some of placements, the related files have become bulky. This may present a challenge to monitor information and track all young people’s progress.

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Leadership and management adequate

Young people are well cared for by a trained and competent staff team who experience good team morale. Staff feel well supported by the management team and colleagues. A staff member said that the team was a ‘really good staff team.’ Staff and students on placement are regularly supervised which supports their development and practice. A previous requirement made at the last inspection regarding supervision of agency staff has been suitably addressed. Team meetings provide good opportunities to discuss the young people and their diverse challenges and progress. Training courses enable staff to increase their knowledge and enhance how they care for young people. This ensures that they can continue to meet young people’s needs and support them to reach their full potential. Professional stakeholders consider the home to be good at communicating information about young people to them. One said, ‘The staff have been very helpful and kept me in

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Leadership and management adequate

touch via e-mail’ and ‘Staff communicate very well with myself and (name of the young person’s) family. I was contacted when there was a serious incident a few weeks ago to update me on the situation.’

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Leadership and management adequate

Significant events are notified to the relevant authorities, including Ofsted, and appropriate action is taken to protect young people and promote high standards of care. 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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