Children's Home run by After Care (NW) Limited in Sefton

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness .

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person has moved into the home since the last inspection. He is very new and is still settling in to his new home and area. However, there is some slight progress in his education attendance: an increase from no attendance whatsoever to five hours per week with the company’s tutor. There is no plan in place to demonstrate how the home or placing authority intends to progress this further. The home has not yet received his statutory care or education plans, despite the manager chasing these documents with his social worker. Consequently, this young person is not yet benefiting from effectively planned care where targets for progression are clearly identified.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Another young person is soon to move onto semi-independence. The manager said: ‘she has outgrown the home and is having a negative influence on other young people. She is taking (name) out to night clubs and putting them both at risk by staying out all night.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When this happens, staff follow ‘missing from home’ procedures and escalate concerns to specialist safeguarding services, including child sexual exploitation (CSE). This ensures a multi-agency response to serious safeguarding concerns.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When young people return from missing, the host local authority arranges for an independent person to visit the home. This provides young people with the opportunity to talk freely about why they went missing and helps to identify any trends or additional concerns. On two occasions, young people have refused to allow this worker into the home. Consequently, the reasons for them going missing and any related factors have not been independently assessed. Equally, opportunities to try to prevent reoccurrence are missed. This demonstrates how some staff struggle to inspire young people to build trusting and respectful relationships with others, particularly those who are there to support and protect them.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people have recently missed important health appointments, including appointments with the sexual health clinic, sexual exploitation workers and doctors. All of their physical and emotional health needs are not, therefore, being appropriately assessed or addressed.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have not managed or recorded all serious safeguarding concerns appropriately. This was particularly evident when a young person made an allegation that a member of staff had assaulted her. There was a delay in reporting this allegation to the relevant safeguarding professionals, as staff failed to follow company procedures to report and record the matter immediately. Consequently, due to the registered manager and other professionals not being swiftly informed, there was a delay in investigating the matter. However, once the manager was alerted to the allegation, she acted quickly and escalated her concerns to all relevant professionals, including Ofsted.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This demonstrates that some staff do not understand the difference between a complaint and an allegation. The member of staff to whom the young person disclosed this incident did not recognise it as an allegation and offered the young person a complaints form. Company policy and local child protection protocols clearly state that staff must initiate safeguarding procedures immediately when any allegations are made against staff. Not only does this reflect gaps in staff’s knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures, including staff not grasping their own safeguarding roles and responsibilities, but it highlights shortfalls in staff’s recording. This includes not consistently recording all use of physical restraint.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On another occasion, staff did not recognise signs that all three young people had potentially taken a psychoactive substance (legal high drug). The young people refused to go to bed, and staff were unable influence them and enforce safe boundaries. As a result, the young people stayed up all night and were in and out of each other’s bedrooms, which is a breach of their individual risk assessments. During the night, two young people showed clear signs of being unwell, including vomiting, diarrhoea, swelling of the mouth/lips, and complaints of an upset stomach. Staff failed to assess the situation for risk and take appropriate action to ensure young people’s safety, including calling the on-call manager and seeking emergency medical assistance.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Additionally, staff failed to make a record of this incident before leaving the home, and neither did they provide this information to the staff taking over. Furthermore, a member of staff finished his shift an hour early without authorisation, leaving only one member of staff in charge of all three young people. As a result, there was not a sufficient number of staff on duty at the home, particularly as one young person is funded for one-to-one care. This does not support safe recording practice, consistency in care or good team working.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has not been consistently led in a way that promotes the service’s aims and objectives. The registered manager has missed good opportunities to address these concerns with the staff in question. For example, the manager has since undertaken professional supervision with a member of staff who was on duty at the time, but the supervision records do not demonstrate robust challenge or reflection of staff’s practice. Staff are not therefore being encouraged and supported to learn from their mistakes, and improve their practice.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s rotas do not accurately detail the actual rotas worked. The manager is not consistently included on the rota and it is therefore unclear when she is working. Some changes, such as cover for sickness, have not been updated. This does not support effective safeguarding practice as it does not provide an accurate account of staff’s working arrangements and the times they are present at the home.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most of the previous inspection requirements and recommendations have been met. A bedroom carpet has been replaced, staff have attended e-safety training and discussions have taken place with the independent visitor to improve the quality of these reports. Ofsted has not yet received a recent report, so this has yet to be tested.

p.4

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are still significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice, particularly in relation to staff not recognising risk, or following risk assessments and safeguarding procedures. Gaps in staff’s knowledge and understanding of drug and alcohol use, safeguarding policy and procedures, and reporting and recording incidents, continue to compromise young people’s safety and welfare. This requirement has therefore been repeated.

p.4

Information about this children's home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up-to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural needs.

p.5

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Recent inspection history

16/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.5

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.6

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationship standard, the registered person must ensure that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based -

p.6

Requirement Due date

11 (1) (a) mutual respect and trust (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour (c) positive responses to other children and adults. 08/04/2016

p.6

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must, in particular, ensure that staff -

p.6

Requirement Due date

12 (2) (a) (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(2) (b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. 08/04/2016 13: The leadership and management standard

p.6

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must -

p.7

Requirement Due date

(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 (b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child (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. 08/04/2016

p.7

Requirement Due date

14 (a) In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person must ensure that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 08/04/2016

p.7

Requirement Due date

Ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes:

p.7

Requirement Due date

35 (3) (a) (i) the name of the child (ii) details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure (iii) the date, time and location of the use of the measure (iv) a description of the measure and its duration (v) details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure (vi) the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure (viii) a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure (Regulation 35 (3)(a)). 08/04/2016

p.7

Requirement Due date

Ensure the records in Schedule 4 are maintained in the home. With particular reference to the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual rosters worked (Regulation 37 (2)(a) Schedule 4 (3)). 08/04/2016

p.7

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’.

p.8

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.

p.8

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 .

p.8

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.9

Information about this inspection

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

p.9

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.9

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.9