Children's Home run by Crossways Care Ltd in Somerset

This monitoring visit

The home was judged as inadequate at the full inspection in November 2015. Six statutory requirements were raised in relation to the protection of children, the quality of care and the suitability of staff working in the home. Following the previous inspection the registered persons provided Ofsted with an action plan documenting the work leaders and managers recommended to redress the weaknesses. A monitoring visit carried out on 07 January 2016 included the inspector speaking with the young person living in the home, interviewing members of staff and scrutinising records. The inspector found that the registered persons had taken prompt action to deal with the immediate safeguarding concerns relating to the suitability of staff working in the home. Managers now only allow staff who they have assessed as competent, to lead shifts. Greater stability in the staff team is evident as a smaller number of adults are now

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This monitoring visit

working in the home. The young person says that she likes the majority of staff that work with her but, not all. Managers are working with the staff team and young person to improve this but, have not rigorously assessed the potential implications now that increased lone working is taking place. Previous weaknesses in the vetting of new staff are being dealt with. To improve his knowledge of safer recruitment the registered manager is now included at interview panels. A company policy change now requires the registered manager to scrutinise and assess new employee records to ascertain their suitability before they start work in the home. These proposed improvements are yet to be evaluated as no new staff have been appointed to work in the home since the previous inspection. Processes to ensure the young person is protected from exploitation have strengthened. Staff members now have a greater understanding of how to help the

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This monitoring visit

young person to stay safe on the internet and when she is using social media. More rigorous checks are now taking place and staff supporting the young person are aware of the people and behaviours that pose a risk. As a result, members of staff have identified potential concerns promptly and have applied the correct safeguarding procedures in response. Additional training in child sexual exploitation and e-safety is planned for all members of the care team in January 2016. Overall, members of staff are now supervised more frequently. The quality of supervision however, requires improvement. Poor practice issues are not routinely managed in supervision or recorded in the supervision records. Opportunities for the staff team and young person to formally discuss their feelings and views following incidents have decreased. Primarily this is due to staff not recording incidents on an incident report form and therefore, missing the prompts to

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This monitoring visit

undertake debrief discussions. Managers monitoring has not identified this weakness. The young person’s views about living in the home have improved since the previous inspection. She now says she generally likes living in the home and is pleased with the support the staff team have given her. Since the previous inspection the young person is now able to take more age appropriate risks including having her own mobile phone. Improvements to the home have resulted in a more welcoming and domestic setting. The bar on the outside of the young person’s bedroom window has been removed and the windows in the ground floor of the home are now unlocked. A further full inspection will be carried out to assess the team’s ongoing performance and impact on the young person’s experience and progress.

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Information about this children's home

This children's home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one child who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities. 

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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 ensure that staff-

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. In particular, ensure all staff have sexual exploitation training and e-safety training and use intelligence to ensure monitoring of children's use of the internet is effective 12/02/2016

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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-

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. In addition, ensure that when staff lone work with young people there is a rigorous risk assessment undertaken that determines the suitability of this arrangement

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Requirement Due date

(2)(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 the care provided in the home

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Requirement Due date

(2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home 12/02/2016 33: Employment of staff

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. In particular, ensure that the supervision is good quality and includes clear discussions and action taken in relation to poor performance issues and learning from incidents.(Regulation 33(4)) 12/02/2016

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the home since their last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. 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

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

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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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