Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Shropshire

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.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Staff were not effectively or consistently supported, led and managed during or after the ill health and subsequent resignation of the registered manager.  Children’s behaviour became more challenging and their anxieties increased, resulting in frequent physical interventions by staff. This led to significant injuries to staff and numerous allegations against them.  Managers did not debrief children and staff in a timely way or keep records of physical interventions, allegations and complaints under careful review. They did not analyse or learn quickly enough from serious incidents, leaving the few remaining staff unsure about their practice.  Children were adequately safeguarded, but remaining staff were concerned that the safety and progress of children could not be sustained without more staff and consistent day to day leadership.  At the same time, the organisation experienced a recruitment crisis, making

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

it impossible to staff the home adequately. In July 2015, senior managers in the organisation decided to close the home.  Two children were moved without full review of their individual relevant plans.

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The children's home strengths:

 Long standing staff continuously strive to help children gain and retain a positive self-view and a sense that they are valued and kept in mind.  Children were helped to learn about keeping safe through age appropriate and engaging games, play and visual prompts that staff creatively devised.  A core of devoted staff worked extremely long hours to keep consistency for children when staff numbers were critically low.  Staff carefully planned each child’s farewell to the home and their move to their new home. At least one familiar member of staff went with each child and the group of children enjoy some continued contact with one another.  An energetic, well organised, insightful new manager has learnt valuable lessons from reviewing the home’s difficulties. She has rebuilt what is left of the staff group and prepared the new team well for the careful, gradual admission of children whose needs the home is now able and ready to

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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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must, in particular— (2) ensure— (b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. 29/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must, in particular— (2)(a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; (g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— (i) research and developments in relation to the ways in which the 29/01/2016 needs of children are best met; and (ii) feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints

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Requirement Due date

received; and (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person must ensure— (2)(e) that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if— (i) the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. 29/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint, a full record is made; that within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so has spoken to the user about the measure; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)) 29/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 29/01/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that approaches to restraint recognise that children are continuing to develop, both physically and emotionally. Any use of restraint should be suitable for the needs of the individual child. The context in which restraint is used should also recognise that, as a result of past experiences, children will have a unique understanding of their circumstances which will affect their response to restraint by adults responsible for their care. (The guide to the Quality Standards, page 48 paragraph 9.54)  Ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the

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Recommendations

person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. (The guide to the Quality Standards, page 61 paragraphs 13.3 and 13.4)

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is run by a private organisation and offers care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

18/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement

There were no children on roll at the time of the inspection. Three children lived in the home between the last inspection in March 2015 and its temporary closure on 22 July 2015. These children’s relevant plans were to stay here long term and their good progress was being sustained at the time of the last inspection. However, children’s relationships with staff fell in both quality and quantity during the months after March. Staff and managers left and different people came to cover the management of the home. A few new senior staff started, but soon left. This was difficult for children because they had lost trusting, nurturing and stable relationships with long-standing staff. Children became anxious that other staff would leave too and began to show increasingly challenging behaviour. Children continued to experience good daily routines and they received good support to continue with their education, hobbies, and interests. They continued to

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requires improvement

go swimming, fishing, skating and to the golf driving range. However, some children particularly missed the quality time they spent, for example, with male key carers and previous therapists. One child became completely disengaged from all education and therapy, despite staff’s innovative and tenacious efforts to overcome the disengagement. Remaining staff tried all kinds of creative ideas to distract children from their worries and celebrate their progress and achievements. For example, staff introduced ‘Proud and Pleased Boards’ for each child’s room. Staff and children used these boards to write messages to each other, sharing positive parts of their day. Staff also posted certificates of achievement and photos of happy memories on the boards in an effort to help children link good memories and good feelings to times when they were praised and behaved well. Children’s views and wishes were taken into account generally well, but children

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requires improvement

were not consulted about the home closing and the decisions to move them to other homes. Only one of the three children had a proper review meeting that included their social worker and independent reviewing officer in discussion about whether the proposed home closure and placement change met their individual needs and relevant plans. However, ‘Children’s chat’ meetings continued throughout the period, despite acute staffing shortages. This gave children the chance to talk about what they wanted to do and what they wanted to buy with their pocket money. In addition, various ideas were tried to help children say their worries and manage their anxious feelings. For example, each child had a worries book or a worries teddy in their room where they could write down their worries. Staff regularly checked if any worries were put there and they made sure they spent time helping the child deal with them. Children had good help from staff to say goodbye to this home. A party was held

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requires improvement

‘for the house’. Staff also arranged a ‘graduation’ day: they covered the house with sticky notes containing positive achievements, such as, ‘I turned 11’; ‘I started a new school’, ‘I learnt to swim.’ Staff invited children to run around the house collecting the notes and sticking them to themselves to ‘physically attach themselves’ to their achievements. Children then received a certificate for ‘Graduation 2015’ and had their photograph taken in a graduation hat to recognise their hard work here. Children were prepared well for moving and were integrated thoughtfully to their new homes within the organisation. Each child moved to their new home with their key carer, who worked with them there for a few months to help them settle in. On each of the days before moving, staff encouraged children to pick a sticker from their memories box. (Staff had typed a good piece of their behaviour on each sticker.) Children stuck the sticker on their bedroom wall each night before going

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requires improvement

to sleep. Staff aimed to reinforce children’s self-worth by reminding them how many good ‘facts’ exist about what they have done well and what they can do again.

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requires improvement

Staff and managers were not able to reverse the increase in damaging and harmful behaviour that children showed in the period since the last inspection. A cycle developed where staff felt that children sought out physical intervention ‘holds’ in order to feel safe. Staff felt children resorted to exhibiting extremes of violent and damaging behaviour in order to be ‘held’. Staff also received conflicting messages from managers about whether they could physically intervene at all.

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requires improvement

Staff continued to risk assess activities and children’s presenting moods and behaviours, but they were not able to minimise increasingly frequent incidents in the home. A number of staff experienced serious injuries and were not able to continue working. Children also made numerous allegations that staff had hurt them. Anxieties and stresses were evident in both children and staff, but the registered manager and subsequent cover managers were not effective enough in helping staff or children. In a few instances, managers criticised staff for the techniques they had used, but did not provide effective or timely enough support, debrief or solutions.

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requires improvement

Those long-standing staff that remained in the home used safeguarding procedures robustly. They maintained one to one adult to child ratios. They recorded and referred all behaviour incidents and allegations to placing authorities and the home’s host authority for safeguarding. They also notified Ofsted as appropriate. They tried nurturing, soothing and therapeutic approaches to behaviour management and sought the advice of the home’s assistant psychologist. They introduced a soothing box for each child where children put their own chosen items to use when they needed to calm. Staff also devised group board games, outdoor challenges and ‘superhero training’ to engage the children in understanding bullying, abuse, false allegations, car safety, house rules and stranger danger. Despite their clear boundaries and best efforts, staff were not able to produce a feeling of well-being and security for children at this time.

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requires improvement

The support and care staff gave to children did not help them become increasingly safe. Staff responded consistently to children. However, depleted staff numbers, lack of clear management support and ineffective consultation with placing authorities, meant that staff’s work was uncoordinated and made little impact. Nevertheless, children did not go missing; were not at risk of exploitation and did not harm themselves. Children were not criminalised unnecessarily and did not suffer harm. They wanted to be with staff and would regularly remind one another that staff should be listened to because ‘they are trying to keep you safe’. Children often expressed frustration to staff about another child’s loud and disruptive behaviour and said that they wished another child would move on. This child said to staff at the time: ‘it’s hardest to be good when you’ve been here ages.’ The organisation’s senior managers made their decision to close the home partly

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requires improvement

on safeguarding grounds. Insufficient staff to sustain good staffing ratios any longer was central to the decision. Their solution threatened each child’s sense of safety and security because they had to move away from the environment they felt safe in. Nevertheless, the decision to move each child to fairly local homes, with their own member of staff, helped minimise the adverse impact on children’s sense of safety and security. Judgement grade

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requires improvement

Leadership and management of the home was inconsistent and ineffective until a new manager started in the home in July 2015. Staff did not receive well organised supervision, support and leadership. The registered manager became unwell and was not consistently present in the home during April and May 2015. He resigned his registration in June and was subsequently re-deployed to various positions within the organisation. The deputy manager also left and his replacement only stayed for a short time. Children lost male role models who they respected and were attached to. For about two months, a deputy manager from another home covered the management of the home in conjunction with two temporary support managers and the area manager. The skeleton staff group had little prospect of help because the organisation was unable to recruit staff or spare them from other homes. Children’s behaviour was indicative of feelings of insecurity and disrupted

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requires improvement

attachments. Managers did not address this through robust, coordinated or timely review of behaviour incidents. They did not give staff or children clear, coordinated support and help. Children were damaging the house and essential items were being broken. As a result, senior leaders in the organisation decided to close the home on 22 July 2015 and start afresh in December 2015. The new manager of the home is going through registration with Ofsted at the time of this inspection. She has children’s home management experience and suitable qualifications to level 5 diploma in leadership and management and level 4 in care of children and young people. She works well with the new registered individual for the home. She has prioritised re-establishment of a strong, cohesive, confident staff and management team. She has overseen a complete re-decoration and maintenance of the home. She has ensured that the new and existing staff

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requires improvement

have regularly met for training and support throughout the five months she has been in post, even though many staff have been working in other homes during this period. The new manager has made practical, well thought out and pertinent plans to make sure that everyone is ready for children to be admitted. (No requirements or recommendations were made at the last Ofsted inspection.) Most importantly, the manager has thoroughly reviewed records and de-briefed remaining staff to learn lessons from the difficulties in the home. All staff are now refreshed in behaviour management, physical intervention and safeguarding training. They understand the procedures and records for these. The manager has helped staff to consider more individualised and effective consequence setting. She reviews records and supports and debriefs staff with insight and high standards, so that staff have renewed confidence in their practice.

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requires improvement

All the home’s staff team are now working back in the home. The manager and registered individual were considering referrals to the home at the time of the inspection, but there are no children yet on roll. They are making well considered admission decisions. For example, they seek out all necessary information that is not made clear on referral documentation, in order to inform their decisions. They always speak to the child’s present carers. They consider carefully how well any referred child matches with the ethos and environment of the home.

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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

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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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