Children's Home run by Clouds Children’s Care Ltd in Derbyshire

Inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Recruitment practice is poor. Staff are not properly vetted to ensure their suitability.  Safeguarding procedures have not been followed. Where there have been disclosures, allegations, or concerns about the home, these have not been effectively managed or reported to safeguarding agencies, senior managers, Ofsted, or other relevant professionals. Consequently, there has been delay in taking actions to protect young people.  Senior managers have been unaware of their responsibilities to meet regulations and have allowed for some breaches of regulations to develop and continue. There has not been sufficient management oversight of safeguarding matters in the home, including the recruitment process.  The independent visitor has not reviewed sufficient information to be able to form an opinion as to whether young people are safe in the home, this is in particular relation to recruitment records.  The arrangements for administering medication in the home do not always

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

promote young people’s health.  The arrangements for fire protection are not adequate. Several fire doors do not close properly. Therefore, their effectiveness in reducing the spread of fire is compromised. In addition, some fire doors are propped open when they should be closed.  Not all young people are accessing education. One young person has been allowed to drift without any educational arrangements since before Christmas.  The admissions and discharges register is not kept in line with the regulation and there is some key information missing such as the young person’s surname.  Privacy and confidentiality is compromised because young people can hear what is being said in the staff office.  Not all young people’s risk assessments contain the steps that staff should take if they go missing or run away.  Records are not always made of supervision meetings with staff, therefore workers’ performance cannot be effectively scrutinised.

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The children's home strengths

 Some young people make very good progress with their education and are accessing school for the first time in several years.  There are some very positive relationships between young people and staff. This allows for a good level of support.  Young people feel more able to manage their anger than they did before coming to the home, and feel settled.

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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

8. In order to meet the education standard, the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

ensure that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 29/2/2016

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Requirement Due date

*13 The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

13. In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must:

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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. 29/2/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the privacy of children is appropriately protected. (Regulation 21(a)) 29/2/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that medicine which is prescribed is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed. (Regulation 23(2)(b)) 29/2/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the home. (Regulation 25(1)(a)) 29/2/2016

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(3)(d)(Schedule 2)) 29/2/2016

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must in particular, provide for the prompt referral to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located. (Regulation 29/2/2016 34(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered person maintains in the home the records specified in Schedule 4, this is in particular relation to the home’s admission and discharge register. (Regulation 37(2)(a)(Schedule 4.1)) 29/2/2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the independent person produces a report about a visit which sets out in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 44(4)(a)) 29/2/2016

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to statutory requirement notice.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care the service should also take account of the following recommendations:  A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (The Guide to the Children’s Homes Quality Standards, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how staff should support the child on their return. (The guide to the Children's Homes Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.28).

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care and accommodation to three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Inadequate

Young people’s overall progress and experiences at this home are inadequate. Significant safeguarding shortfalls mean that their safety has not been fully considered and their welfare has not been fully protected. Significant weakness in the leadership and management of the home further contribute to the fact that young people are not effectively safeguarded.

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Inadequate

Young people’s outcomes in education are variable. Some young people make good academic progress, with very regular school attendance for the first time in several years. Other young people have their education stalled, due to a lack of planning. One young person’s education has been allowed to drift, with their previous education placement finishing before Christmas. This young person has not attended any education this term. Staff and the young person are unaware of any plans to address this.

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Inadequate

The arrangements for the administration of medication do not fully promote young people’s health. One medicine has not been given in accordance with the prescription. This shortfall could impact negatively on young people’s health outcomes. There are examples of very good progress with other aspects of health. For example, one young person has been well supported to have treatment for a medical condition. Their progress with this matter has made a positive difference to their health and their overall well-being. Another young person has stopped smoking, drug taking, and using alcohol since their admission to this home, which impacts very positively on their overall health.

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Inadequate

The confidentiality of young people’s information is not effectively protected. Young people, placing authorities and staff all have concerns about the confidentiality of the office. Whilst staff are speaking to each other or using the telephone, they can be easily overheard. One social worker said that a young person had, ‘heard things which they should not have heard’. The poor soundproofing means that staff and managers find it very difficult to share information over the telephone or hold meaningful discussion about young people and their issues. This limits the ability of the home to develop effective care plans.

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Inadequate

There are trusting relationships between young people and staff. Young people’s comments about staff include ‘staff are wicked’. One young person speaks very positively about staff, referring to one as a ‘legend’ and another as ‘my idol’. These trusting relationships have allowed young people to make progress in a number of areas such as the development of positive family contact arrangements. Young people know that they can speak to staff about their problems and regularly do so. There are regular key working sessions where young people receive individualised support, which helps them to move forward with their issues and concerns.

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Inadequate

Staff know young people very well and are consistent. This ensures that young people understand what is expected of them. Young people learn to behave in a more positive way and to regulate their behaviour better. One young person illustrated this point by saying ‘I feel calm and I didn’t feel calm before, I have not kicked off for ages’.

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Inadequate

Young people enjoy their home life and are pleased about the activities that they can access. Young people develop their interests and talents because they have plenty of opportunities to try out new activities. One young person is currently enjoying ‘roller booting’. Another has become very dedicated to a local boxing club, which they not only thoroughly enjoy but also appreciate the discipline that this has taught them. There have been no new referrals since the last inspection. Despite identified shortfalls, young people say that they feel very settled and the quality of care is said to be ‘amazing’.

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inadequate

Young people’s welfare is not protected sufficiently. Recruitment procedures are not robust. Unsuitable people could get a job in this home and have access to young people without sufficient checks being undertaken. Previous criminal convictions are not fully taken into consideration and records do not demonstrate the suitability of all staff. There has been an occasion where the registered manager interviewed a staff member alone. For the same staff member, the registered manager also wrote a reference himself. He did not follow up the staff member’s references as specified on the application form or appropriately follow up checks about their background. These poor recruitment practices could put young people at risk of harm or abuse from unsuitable adults. The company does not routinely keep personnel files in the home. One staff member was found not to have a personnel file. Should enquiries need to be made

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inadequate

about staff performance or suitability, key information would not be available. The arrangements for dealing with allegations or disclosures of abuse are not effective. Concerns about inappropriate staff conduct are not promptly followed up by the home, or referred to the relevant authorities, leaving young people in a potentially vulnerable position. Ofsted have also not been informed about some safeguarding incidents, as they should have been. This has not allowed for the regulation of safeguarding matters in the home. Poor information sharing means that opportunities to protect young people are being missed. Several fire doors do not close properly and, therefore, the fire door seal would not be effective should there be a fire. In addition, one self-closure devise was not attached to the door as it should have been. Two fire doors were also found to be propped open during the inspection, making them ineffective in the event of fire.

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inadequate

Although young people and staff regularly practice evacuating the building so that they are familiar with what they should do if there is a fire, ineffective fire safety systems place young people at risk. There are some very good risk assessments in the home. It is clear that thought goes into managing young people’s safety and welfare when they are engaged in activities in and out of the home. However, although staff know their general responsibilities in the event of a young person going missing, some young people at high risk do not have specific or individual plans for staff to follow. This could cause confusion, should that young person run away from the home. Behaviour management is good and young people are protected through the staff’s well-developed knowledge of behaviour management strategies. Very positive relationships with young people are seen as the key to positive behaviour management. Restraints are only undertaken when all other methods are

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inadequate

exhausted and are necessary to keep young people safe.

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inadequate

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced. However, he has been absent for three weeks and it is likely that he will be off work for more than 28 days. The provider has arranged for an acting manager to lead the home in his absence as an interim measure.

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inadequate

Poor leadership and management have contributed to the serious failures highlighted in this inspection. There has been a lack of understanding about who is responsible for ensuring safe recruitment practice in the home. Senior managers have not had any oversight of this. Staff have been allowed to work in the home without proper checks being undertaken regarding their suitability. Senior managers were unaware of their regulatory responsibilities to monitor this area of safeguarding practice. They were also unaware of their responsibilities to ensure that regulations are adhered to in relation to the management of allegations against staff. As a result, the appropriate agencies have not been informed in a timely way and opportunities to safeguard young people at an early stage have been missed. The organisation has employed an independent visitor who has regularly visited the home, however this visitor has not viewed all the recruitment

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inadequate

files to ensure that staff are suitable. Therefore, quality assurance processes are ineffective in ensuring young people are safe.

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inadequate

Staff receive formal supervision. However, good records are not routinely kept, so the performance of staff cannot be scrutinised or monitored effectively. A recommendation, set at the previous inspection to address this shortfall, has not been met and is repeated.

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inadequate

There are some staff shortages; however, the current staff are covering these vacancies. The provider is making every effort to recruit new staff and has plans in place to ensure that a full staff team is established as quickly as possible. This is not affecting the care of young people because the existing staff group say that they are happy to work extra hours to ensure continuity of care. The acting manager is also covering staff vacancies. This limits the time she has available to undertake management duties. The provider knows that this is not good practice and is working hard to resolve staff shortages so that management tasks can be completed to a high standard.

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inadequate

There is an admissions and discharge register in the home but the information contained does not meet the regulations. For example, it only contains the first name of the child with no surname and does not show the young person’s previous address. Should the whereabouts of young people need to be scrutinised in years to come, the key information required may not be evident.

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inadequate

All the requirements and one of the two recommendations set at the last inspection have been met. Improvements since the last inspection include restraint practice. This is now safer with all staff being clear about the methods they should use. Because specialist safeguarding training has been provided, staff have a better understanding of how to protect young people at risk of sexual exploitation. There is always a member of staff on duty with a first aid qualification, should this be needed. A car has been purchased for the home so that young people can fully access the community. There are also improvements to the home’s statement of purpose, which clearly set out how the home intends to provide settled care to young people. The visitor’s book is improved because it now provides a clear record of all visitors to 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

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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