Children's Home run by Progressive Care Limited in Sheffield

Inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and their care and experiences are poor.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Staffing levels are insufficient to support young people’s needs.  There are not enough qualified, experienced and suitability trained staff to meet the very complex needs of young people who live in this home.  Some staff have limited knowledge of young people’s individual risk assessments, in particular of high risk behaviours such as self-harm.  The home is not working within its statement of purpose in particular regarding therapeutic input, education and self-harm support to young people.  Medication procedures are not routinely followed. Medication recording sheets are not consistently completed.  Significant events have not been notified to Ofsted to allow thorough assessment of safeguarding procedure and 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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

ensure in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to (a) understand apply the homes statement of purpose. (Regulation 6 (2) (a)) This specifically relates the experience of staff, the therapeutic input, and education input detailed in Pathways Statement of Purpose. 19/06/2105

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to (i) meet the needs of the child (Regulation (6) (c) (i)) specifically relating to the house being properly heated, children have lights and a clean home free from hazard’s stated in their risk assessment. In particular ligature and trailing wires in bedrooms. 19/06/2105

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Requirement Due date

ensure the registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines in Childrens home (Regulation 23 (1)). This is in reference to ensuring staff attend development and training for medication. To ensure there are no omissions in recording and it is clear if medication has been administered. 19/06/2105

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Requirement Due date

*ensure the registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if (e) There is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considered to be serious (Regulation 40 (4) (e)). 19/06/2105

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Requirement Due date

*ensure in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure (a) that staff (i) Assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information the child relevant plans, and if necessary make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child (Regulation 12 (2) (a) (i)). This relates to ensuring young people’s risk assessments are up to date and risk assessment are followed in every area. 19/06/2105

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Requirement Due date

*ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child (Regulation 13 (c )). This relates to there being enough suitably skilled, experienced and qualified 19/06/2105 staff on shift to meet individual complex needs and to be equipped to deal with any crisis.

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Requirement Due date

*ensure that the staff (a) seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans (Requirement 5 (a)). 19/06/2105

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): None made

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Information about this children's home

This section should outline:  the home's registered numbers and any categories of registration  whether the home is privately owned, a charitable organisation or local authority managed  the change of needs for whom the home intends to provide care as written in the home's statement of purpose  any specific facilities or specific services provided as outlined in the home's statement of purpose  any other relevant registration information, for example, if the service is also registered with the Care Quality Commission.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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inadequate

Some staff do not have confidence and experience to meet young people’s needs. One professional commented `they are taking young people they cannot cope with. They try their best but they are not experienced to deal with complex young people’. This does not fit with the statement of purpose which states that young people will ‘receive professional care and support... Staff are skilled in working with difficult young people with a range of complex needs.’

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inadequate

Only four out of thirteen permanent staff are qualified in care, with some new to care work. No staff have had ligature training. This is an identified risk to some young people.

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inadequate

Staff have tried to address young people’s smoking, however, young people continue to do so. Some young people continue to have episodes of alcohol use; on one occasion this resulted in hospitalisation. This will affect young people’s physical health now and in the future.

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inadequate

The home does not meet its Statement of Purpose which states `We deliver high standards to young people in our care in terms of education.’ Despite attempts by the manager of the home, some young people’s access to full time education is limited. Young people do not have opportunities to mix with their peers and have told professionals `I feel like a caged animal.’

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inadequate

Educational courses are delivered by care staff that are unqualified in this area. As a result young people are completing work then failing to gain accreditation for their efforts. This potentially affects their confidence and motivation to engage in education.

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inadequate

Young people are not receiving specialist therapeutic input in the home as the Statement of Purpose states they will do. Staff are not aware of therapeutic models or that there is a therapeutic team in place in the company.

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inadequate

Young people live in a house that they state is cold. In certain areas it is in need of repair and is dirty. Bedrooms have no working lights. One young person commented `The windows need replacing in my room, its cold. My backs broke with the bed springs coming through.’

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inadequate

Young people are engaging in physical activities of their choice such as rock climbing, boxing and golf. This is promoting physical health and motivating young people to engage when activities are on offer. Staff try to build relationships with young people. A young person said `I like some staff better than others, they are all ok,’ another young person commented `I like the manager.’

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inadequate

Safeguarding practices in this home are insufficient. Some staff look to managers to give them confidence to follow safeguarding procedures. Some staff do not feel confident to make judgements when children go missing or are at risk of harm.

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inadequate

On some shifts there is a lack management delegation. On occasions staff are leading shifts when they have just completed their probation period. One staff member commented `sometimes I’m a bit worried on shift depends who I’m on with, if they know what they are doing.’

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inadequate

Safeguarding decisions are made in isolation. Some young people’s staffing levels have been changed without consultation with the placing authority or other professionals. This conflicts with the young person risk assessment and care plan. This leaves the young person potentially at risk to himself and others.

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inadequate

Young people are placed at potential risk as staff do not fully understand their risk assessments. Staff are lone working with young people who in times of crisis need two people to safeguard themselves and others. The environment is not tailored to young people’s specific needs. Items which young people could use to harm themselves are readily available to them.

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inadequate

This home has experienced significant management instability. The current acting manager is the fourth home manager in seven months. She is has applied for registration. The manager has been a registered manager within a family residential centre. Her qualifications include NVQ level 4 in Leadership and Management. Health and Social Care in Children and Young People level 4. The acting manager has some understanding of the strengths and weakness of the home. She is able to identify a high proportion of the staff team are inexperienced. When the manager is in the home she leads by example working with young people directly. However when she is absent on some occasions there is a lack of suitability qualified or experienced staff to lead shifts and take responsibility for children’s health and safety.

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inadequate

Staff report feeling supported by the manager. Young people all refer to the manger as being the person they would talk to if they had a problem. One staff member reported `she is supportive... I have regular supervision, but I can go to her or ring her any time.’

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inadequate

Management are not consistently able to motivate staff to engage in development activities such as team meetings. This has been demonstrated by a lack of commitment when staff have not attended the last two team meetings. This impacts on young people’s care and staff improvement. As a result staff training is ineffective. For example there continues to be omissions in administration and recording of young people’s medication. Potentially leaving young people receiving the incorrect amount of medication.

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inadequate

The relationships between staff and outside agencies is inconsistent. One professional commented ‘they are good at communicating I receive weekly emails and telephone calls.’ Other professionals are not fully aware of changes in young people’s care. It is not clear how some decision and changes have been reached. This leaves potentially confusing situations which could lead to unsafe care.

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inadequate

The home has failed to notify Ofsted of significant events without prompting from external monitoring. This hinders the regulator from effectively analysing safeguarding practice and ensuring young people’s welfare is prioritised.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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