Children's Home run by Middlesbrough Borough Council in Middlesbrough

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.2

because:

 Staff failed to respond to an allegation made by a young person according to the home’s policy and procedure. This left the young person at risk.  Some young people do not attend education. Another came to the home without a school place. Plans to address these issues are poor, and staff have been ineffective in challenging the placing authority to provide a better service.  The premises are in need of refurbishment. There is no plan to address this in a systematic and timely way. It is not an attractive environment for young people.  The evaluation of the suitability of young people for admission is flawed. This has led to young people being admitted who have had a significant negative impact upon those already living here.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 The registered manager leads the team well. Staff supervision is excellent, and helps them to provide effective support for young people.  Staff are proactive in keeping young people safe on the few occasions when they go missing.  Staff work well with other services such as health professionals. This has resulted in improvement to young people’s well-being.  Young people’s behaviour is generally good. Staff have good relationships with young people and are responsive to their needs.  Staff work in partnership with parents. They are good at supporting young people to have meaningful contact with family and friends. This helps them to maintain links with people who are important to them.

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met

p.4

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the engaging with the wider system standard with particular reference to ensuring that children who do not attend school have appropriate alternative arrangements for education, the registered person must ensure that staff: (b) and (c) seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs and if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. 15/01/2016

p.4

Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

p.4

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard with particular reference to maintaining the premises in an acceptable condition the registered person must: (2)(c)(i) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. 15/01/2016

p.4

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard with particular reference to ensuring that children are only admitted if the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children is fully assessed, the registered person must ensure: 15/01/2016 (2)(a) that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose

p.4

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard with particular reference to acting promptly and effectively when a child makes an allegation about staff in the home, the registered person must ensure that staff: (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies 15/01/2016

p.5

Information about this children's home

The home provides accommodation for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a local authority.

p.6

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.6

Recent inspection history

10/02/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.6

Requires improvement

Staff provide a good level of individualised care and support for young people. Care plans describe the needs of each young person and what staff do in their daily practice to address them. Young people are made aware of the content of their plans through very regular individual sessions with their key workers. The frequency of these sessions is much improved following a recommendation from the last inspection. The commitment of staff in helping and nurturing young people is evident, although in some cases young people are resistant to this and as a result make limited progress. A social worker said, ‘Staff are trying hard to support the young person but he is choosing not to use all the help on offer.’

p.7

Requires improvement

The quality of relationships between staff and young people is variable. Some young people choose to spend as little time in the home as possible, preferring to be with friends and family. Others engage more readily with staff, sharing conversation and enjoying activities together. Staff make strenuous efforts to build relationships, doing this by displaying patience, tolerance, and warmth. They convey to young people that they care about them and have their best interests at heart.

p.7

Requires improvement

Young people are in good health. The registered manager has addressed a requirement made at the last inspection by putting in place a child-friendly smoking policy and strengthening smoking cessation work. This has had a positive impact on some young people’s smoking habit. Staff work closely with other agencies to improve young people’s well-being. They have sought and received support from specialists to undertake direct work with young people on issues such as bereavement and loss. These professionals have also attended staff meetings to raise staff’s awareness of issues affecting young people and how best to address them. Staff use their relationship skills to encourage young people to take responsibility for their own health. For example, one member of staff was successful in persuading a young person to attend their annual health assessment, which they had previously refused to do. Young people’s educational attendance and attainment is variable. At the time of

p.7

Requires improvement

the inspection only one of the two young people was attending school. Some young people come to the home with no education placement or with one which they are refusing to attend. In these cases, bespoke education packages, including home tutoring, are put in place. In general, the quality of these arrangements is poor. There is insufficient challenge by the registered manager to ensure that the contribution of the placing education authority results in a robust alternative education plan. Staff do their best to motivate young people to learn, one home tutor saying, ‘Staff are very supportive of the young person.’ The impact of this effort is mostly negligible. One young person is recorded as having a total of only two hours 30 minutes education in the whole of the previous month. Staff are aware of the importance of maintaining young people’s links with family and friends. This is particularly so for young people whose plan is to return home.

p.7

Requires improvement

Staff have done some particularly creative work with parents to build relationships. For example, one young person’s mother was invited to Sunday lunch. The social worker said, ‘It worked really well, the young person looked after people as a good host and even helped with the dishes.’ Staff have paid for another young person to go to a football match with their father, a valuable opportunity for them to strengthen their relationship. Staff also encourage young people to see their friends, for example, allowing one young person to bring their friend on organised activities.

p.8

Requires improvement

In general, young people understand and respect the boundaries of acceptable behaviour within the home. There is no bullying. Staff use positive incentives to encourage young people to carry out basic household chores such as tidying their room and bringing their clothes to be washed. There are also ‘instant rewards’ which staff can give to young people if they do something particularly helpful or considerate of others. This approach is effective in maintaining a reasonably orderly community. There has been only one restraint since the last inspection. When sanctions are used, the registered manager keeps a record which evaluates their impact. This is sometimes reviewed weeks after the incident, enabling a longer-term assessment of whether the sanction has worked or not. Staff have a good awareness of what makes each young person vulnerable and how to manage the impact of any potential threats. One particular young person,

p.8

Requires improvement

at high risk of sexual exploitation, was admitted since the last inspection. They have subsequently moved on. The planning around this young person was meticulous and included: a series of introductions and visits; very detailed risk assessments; the provision of additional staffing to provide 24-hour waking supervision; controlled access to communication; and training for staff in how to handle specific risks such as serious self-harm. This kept the young person safe within the home. Young people who live here currently do not go missing to any great degree. Since the last inspection, the home has had success in reducing the number of such incidents. Plans set out how staff should respond if a young person goes missing or fails to return. There is good evidence that staff are very proactive in looking for young people and working closely with police. This reduces the likelihood of young people being absent for pronged periods. Staff are also good at ensuring that

p.8

Requires improvement

young people are interviewed by an independent person when they return to the home. Such practice gives young people the opportunity to discuss any concerns they may have. It also enables the placing authority to gather information which may be of use in identifying threats within the community.

p.9

Requires improvement

Young people know how to use the complaints procedure and are able to contact a range of people outside the home should they have any concerns or worries. The home’s policies and procedures around child protection are satisfactory. On one occasion, a young person made an allegation about a member of staff. Other staff on duty failed to manage the response to this in accordance with these policies. As a result, the young person was left potentially at risk for a period of time. This indicates that not all staff have the required level of awareness of how to react in this situation or lack the confidence to do so. It also compromises the safety of all young people.

p.9

Requires improvement

The registered manager is highly experienced and suitably qualified. Staff are consistent in reporting the quality of her leadership. One said, ‘We get really good support from the manager and deputy. We work well as a team which makes it more consistent and caring for young people.’ Staff receive regular supervision and appraisal from the home’s managers. Records show that the quality of supervision is excellent. It is detailed, child-centred, helps staff to reflect on their practice, and focused on achieving better outcomes for young people. In addition to training in mandatory areas such as fire safety and first aid, staff have access to other learning opportunities. One member of staff, with the registered manager, is part- way through a course on ‘First Aid in Mental Health’. She is applying this learning already, gaining a better understanding of one young person’s recent experiences which have affected their behaviour.

p.9

Requires improvement

The home’s statement of purpose sets out the home’s ethos and how it supports young people to make progress. It is clear that the home will only provide a place for a young person if it can be reasonably expected that they can be helped without undue risk to themselves or others. To this end, information about a young person who is referred is used to assess their impact on the existing group and vice versa. On at least one occasion, the registered manager has admitted a young person despite her assessment raising concerns about how their risks could be safely managed. The process of this evaluation, and how the final decision on admission is reached, therefore needs to be improved in order to safeguard young people and promote their welfare.

p.9

Requires improvement

The registered manager has addressed all of the statutory requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. Important documentation from the placing authority are now on young people’s files. Staff are more aware of the need to challenge social workers and independent reviewing officers when a young person’s looked after review is out of timescale. They also ensure that young people who need them have pathway plans and needs assessments sufficiently early. This means that young people can be prepared in good time for their transition into adulthood.

p.10

Requires improvement

The premises are safe, clean and tidy but in poor condition. Décor is dated and needs refreshing. The bathroom is old-fashioned and unattractive. Paint is peeling on the timber window frames and some are rotten. One young person’s bedroom has a very large single glazed window which is draughty. Young people’s case files and other records are kept in the attached garage which serves as an office. This is not centrally heated and so staff cannot work in there during the winter and paper files are cold and damp. Staff themselves have undertaken some painting and decorating to smarten up some areas, such as the kitchen (one young person choosing the colours). Although some estimates for refurbishment have been obtained, there is no plan which sets out priorities or timescales to bring the building up to an acceptable standard. The condition of the premises does not convey to young people that they are valued.

p.10

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.

p.11

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

p.11

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.11

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

p.12

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 .

p.12

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,

p.13

Information about this inspection

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

p.13

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.13

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

p.13