Children's Home run by Young Foundations Limited in Darlington

Unique reference number SC061439 Inspector Deborah White Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Young Foundations Limited Registered person address Alexander House, Highfield Park Llandrynog Denbigh Denbighshire, Wales LL16 4LU Responsible individual Niall Stephen Kelly Registered manager Darren Wheatley Date of last inspection 04/06/2014 2 of 7 Inspection date 03/03/2015

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged adequate at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has declined in effectiveness .

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This inspection

Young people are making good progress. They are happy living in the home and have positive relationships with staff and with each other. Young people are confident and are achieving in most areas of their outcome areas. Feedback from all young people is good with comments that include, ‘this home is the best place to live’ and, ‘it’s good here I like it and I like the staff’.

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This inspection

Educational outcomes are overall good. All young people are attending either school, college or a vocational placement. This prepares young people for future careers. Staff work in partnership with education providers, which has directly impacted on young people’s progress.

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This inspection

Improvements in the environment are having a positive impact on young people. Their bedrooms have been redecorated and re-fitted with high quality furnishings and fittings. This shows young people they are worth investing in. Staff have supported young people to personalise their rooms with stunning results. A young person said, 'I love my room, it's the best room I've ever had.'

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This inspection

Young people’s health needs are met. They access the healthcare services they need and live a reasonably healthy lifestyle. The home has good links with local support agencies that work with young people. These include agencies who advise young people about safe sexual health; the dangers of drugs and alcohol and how to recognise potential exploitation. This educates young people about how to stay safe. A young person said, 'Staff talk to you about being healthy. They have supported me with my health.' Young people also have access to a psychologist employed by the home who provides formal and informal support. Young people value this service. A young person said, 'I can talk to our psychologist when I want to. She is there for us.' 3 of 7 The home has progressed by meeting a number of requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. Staff are clear about the reasons for using restraints in a children’s home and the recording of restraints is overall

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This inspection

improved. The Statement of Purpose is updated and reflects how it is to live at the children’s home.

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This inspection

There are improvements in the home’s monitoring. The Registered Manager has a range of audit tools to check the home’s performance and young people are consulted about the homes operation, which includes them. A young person said, ‘Staff talk to us, ask us what we think. They really listen to you.’

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This inspection

Regulation 33 visits now occur monthly and consultation with young people is evident. However, the reports do not include information about how young people enjoy and achieve and there is no clear analysis of how behaviour is managed. This information is important to evaluate young people's care and welfare.

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This inspection

Staff are reviewing the home's written residential plans to better show young people's needs and how these will be met, with some positive results. However, the plans are not written in a child-friendly format that is attractive to young people. This impedes young people's understanding and contribution to how they will be supported.

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This inspection

Record keeping is deficient in some areas. This affects the organisation and management of the home. Some electronic records that are stored on the provider computer server cannot be printed. Therefore hard copy information is missing from young people’s case files. Some hand-written records are illegible which impedes robust monitoring. For example, some restraint records. Additionally, there is sensitive information about young people recorded in the home’s general logbook. This compromises their privacy and confidentiality.

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This inspection

There are good child protection procedures in place and staff receive regular safeguarding training. Young people say they feel safe and know they can talk to staff if they are worried about anything. However, there are some safeguarding concerns that have impacted on the overall judgement of this inspection.

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This inspection

Not all allegations of potential harm have been taken seriously or promptly addressed in line with the home’s safeguarding policy. An allegation made by a young person was not reported to the host local authority, which potentially compromised a young person’s welfare. Additionally, the home investigated the allegation without involving an independent social worker or safeguarding agency. This is contrary to safeguarding legislation and guidance that is in place to protect vulnerable children and young people. The home also failed to keep a record, in their child protection log, of the allegation made and the actions taken in response.

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This inspection

The Registered Manager has a good understanding of what constitutes a significant incident and generally communicates well social workers and Ofsted in relation to 4 of 7 notifiable events. This shows good, transparent practice. Nevertheless, there has been an occasion where notifications were not made when a young person attended hospital after complaining of an injury. This potentially compromises young people's welfare.

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This inspection

There are three requirements and three recommendations arising from this inspection. 5 of 7

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private company and provides care and accommodation for up to five young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties, or learning disabilities, or mental disorders. It is also registered as a school.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2014 Full adequate 03/10/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 20/06/2013 Full adequate 24/01/2013 Interim good progress

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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

9 (2001) ensure the registered manager shall carry on and manage the home with sufficient care, competence and skill. In particular, ensure records in the home are accessible; legible; and at all times take into account children's privacy and confidentiality (Regulation9 (1)) 16/04/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the children's home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the safeguarding and welfare of children accommodated there (Regulation 11 (1) (a)) 31/03/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) prepare and implement a written policy which is intended to safeguard children that shall provide for written records to be kept of any allegation of abuse or neglect, and of the action taken in response (Regulation 16 (2) (d)) 31/03/2015 6 of 7

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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 Regulation 33 visits scrutinise how the home is supporting children to enjoy and achieve and be satisfied that the home has an effective approach to behaviour management (Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 5: paragraph 3.12)  ensure information about the child is recorded clearly and in a way which will be helpful to the child when they access their files now or in the future (NMS 22.5)  ensure all significant events are notified by the registered person to the appropriate authorities and appropriate action is taken following the event (NMS 24) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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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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