Lincolnshire Secure Unit

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has Declined in Effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection of the home in July 2015 one recommendation was made. This has been fully addressed. The home is making better use of information from incidents of self-harm. They are consulting young people about the impact of the work undertaken with them. Although this is in the early stages, the collection and analysis of this data will enable better evaluation of work in this area. Managers intend to use the collected information to review, and where appropriate revise programmes to improve impact and outcomes.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people said they feel safe and have someone they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns. They continue making progress and have good experiences for the most part. Young people are mostly positive about the relationships they have with staff. They are able to have telephone calls with people important to them in the privacy of their room. Some young people and parents have raised concerns about calls. For example, not being able to get through after several attempts. Managers and staff recognise that this may occasionally be a problem and linked to the limited lines in and out. They agreed to review the system to see if it can be improved.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Admissions to the home are well planned and carried out. The processes and procedures that are implemented offer good support and sensitivity to young people’s needs, and this helps young people settle in. Case managers gather information prior to and on admission to ensure young people’s needs are known, planned for and met. Communication with parents and others important to the young people appears to be regular for the most part to keep them informed about progress. However, records do not always show when staff have spoken with parents and others and what information has been shared.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Good arrangements are in place to prepare young people for transition to adult custodial settings and for returning back to the community. Case managers are diligent in ensuring placing authorities are aware of their responsibilities to work with the home to develop clear arrangements. A positive innovation is the commissioning of a new service. Professionals come to the home to work with young people moving to other custodial settings. In this way young people get to meet the person who will work with and support them when they move on and they can ask questions about the new placement. They share information with young people about where they are going and what it is like. This helps to allay fears and concerns and supports young people in this important time in their lives.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has a well-established complaints system. Young people can raise ‘issues’, which are low-level concerns, or they can raise formal complaints. There have been no formal complaints since the last inspection and nine ‘issues’. Eight of the ‘issues’ raised have been minor concerns that have been resolved fully to young people’s satisfaction. One progressed to a child protection concern. This was referred to the local authority who came to the home to look into the matter. The enquiry found no evidence of concern and the matter was closed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been a number incidents that require the use of physical restraint. Almost all have been undertaken in line with regulations and recorded fully and appropriately. Young people raised a concern with the inspector about one incident. This incident was recorded and although the usual timescales for retention of closed-circuit television (CCTV) had elapsed, footage from one camera remained available. The available evidence indicates the criteria for the use of physical intervention as set out in regulations was not met on this occasion as restraint was used in order to secure compliance with staff requests. The initial record of the incident shows that physical intervention was not used. Managers advised at the time of the inspection that they had reviewed the incident fully and identified that it did involve physical restraint. They instructed staff involved to complete a further more accurate record. Although managers have advised they

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

carried out monitoring of this incident, they failed to identify that the criteria for restraint had not been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Monitoring of various systems, processes and practices are carried out by managers on a regular basis and through monthly visits by an independent person. Most of this monitoring is thorough and identifies where the home could improve further, how young people are progressing and the home’s strengths. However, as well as all physical restraint incidents not being robustly monitored, systems do not identify how many restraint incidents staff have been involved in so any themes, trends and patterns can be identified and any relevant actions taken. There are shortfalls in single separation records. In a recent incident which young people told the inspector about where a number of young people were placed in single separation, records were not completed. A manager advised that he had identified this shortly after the event and had asked the relevant staff member to ensure the records were completed as required. At the time of the inspection, which was five

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

days after these incidents, the records had still not been completed. There were separate records that demonstrated staff were monitoring young people in their rooms in line with their individual risk assessments. Visits by an independent person do take place each month and support managers to improve the quality of care provided. Reports from such visits are not consistently being sent to Ofsted, and where they are sent they are significantly delayed. There is no evidence in reports that the visitor is consulting parents about their views of the care their children receive at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is well decorated and furnished throughout. Young people have been consulted about how it should be decorated and improved to make it brighter and their views have been taken forward and actioned. There are two rooms where young people can have visits from family or others important to them. One of these rooms has a duel use for activities with young people. The settees in this room were marked as were the walls. The room was not homely and is stark. It does not provide an appropriate environment for any visitors to meet with young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been further improvements since the last inspection. Three new Learning Support Assistants (LSA) have been recruited to provide additional support to young people in education. This extra support will help young people to make progress and achieve their potential. LSA’s will also work alongside care staff in providing varied and constructive activities in educational holiday periods. The Rewards and Privileges (RAP) system which supports young people to develop positive behaviour has been reviewed and updated in consultation with young people. Points levels have been adjusted and the enhanced lounge, called the ‘honours lounge’, can be achieved for use by more young people as previously it was deemed too difficult for some. Young people feel the RAP system encourages good behaviour. An assistant manager has introduced to staff the ‘Theory of Change’. This gives staff a clearer and better understanding of their roles, what

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

they do and why, and this increases their knowledge and motivation to have a positive impact with young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has good partnerships with relevant professionals, agencies and services. Partnership work ensures services such as health, including mental health and education work closely with managers and staff to deliver effective care to young people.

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Information about this children's home

This secure children's home is managed by a local authority. It is approved by the Department for Education to restrict young people's liberty. The children's home can accommodate up to 12 young people, who are aged between 10 and 17 years. It provides for up to 11 young people placed by the Youth Justice Board and one place for young people accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who are placed by local authorities. Admission of any young person under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who are under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

10/03/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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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

6.—(1) The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— (a) understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— (i) meet the needs of each child; and (ii) enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home;

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure rooms used for young people to meet with visitors and people important to them are suitably and appropriately furnished and decorated 31 March 2016

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Requirement Due date

14.—(1) The care planning standard is that children— (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (d) that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, review use of the telephone system to ensure calls to and from young people are not unnecessarily delayed and there is sufficient capacity to meet all young people’s needs 30 June 2016 Ensure that restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing— (a) injury to any person (including the child); (b) serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or (c) a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home. (Regulation 20 (1)) 31 March 2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, in relation to a child in the home, specifically single separation, a record is made as set out in the regulation (Regulation 35 (3)) 31 March 2016

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must, if they consent, interview parents and relatives (Regulation 44 (2)(a)) 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI; specifically, ensure every report is provided and sent to Ofsted in a timely manner (Regulation 44 (7)(a)) 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

Maintain the system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— (a) the quality of care provided for children; (b) the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and (c) any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure the system is robust so that all incidents of physical restraint are fully and carefully monitored so that any shortfalls in expected practices are quickly identified and robustly addressed; additionally, review the system so that it identifies any trends, themes and patterns including those relating to staff members involved in restraint incidents (Regulation 45 (2)) 31 March 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 where children are sentenced to custody and placed in a secure children’s home, or remanded and placed in either a secure children’s home or open children’s home, the home should ensure they seek to establish effective working relationships with each child’s parents/carers or other relevant persons (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 12, paragraph 2.9)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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