Children's home run by Cheshire West and Chester Council in Cheshire West and Chester

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Requires improvement at the last 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

The home has had an unsettled period since the last inspection. The manager has had periods of absence and the management of the home has been overseen by the manager of another home, in addition to her normal duties. This has impacted on the operation of the home and the oversight and management of children‘s experiences. Two staff were temporarily redeployed to another children‘s home. To fill the gaps in the rota, staff have worked additional hours and the home has used an agency member of staff. This demonstrates the home has attempted to maintain a consistent staff team, as far as possible, so that children‘s attachments are not overly disrupted. The home continues to carry a part time vacancy. Attempts to recruit to this position have, so far, been unsuccessful. One child has had an unplanned placement ending and two children have been admitted since the last inspection. The transitions were managed as well as

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

possible, in what were difficult situations. This helped children to feel that staff care about them and want the best for them. In the main, allegations of a child protection nature have been appropriately referred to the relevant authorities. However, it is not clear that the home did everything possible to address safeguarding concerns in relation to the child whose placement disrupted. For example, records do not show that the home took robust, protective action in response to information supplied by a partner agency. Consequently, within that episode, the arrangements for safeguarding children were not strong. The home has not recognised and evaluated the shortfall in safeguarding practice and whether a more robust response could have averted the disruption of the placement. The home has developed impact risk assessments for use with children referred for placement. These reports focus on matching children‘s needs and interests to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

those of other children and the purpose of the home. This is an improvement as no such reports had previously been in use. Consequently, placement matching is very much improved. However, the reports lack clarity about whether the staff team has the specific skills to meet children‘s identified needs; in particular, their risk-taking behaviours and safeguarding needs. This means that children with complex behavioural needs have been admitted to the home, and while early signs are that they are settling in well, the records do not demonstrate that the staff team is sufficiently trained and competent to manage their challenging safety needs. Notwithstanding the issue with the content of impact risk assessments, there are obvious strengths within the way young people are admitted to the home. The manager, or a senior member of staff, visits newly admitted children in their previous placements and arranges for the children to visit the home. This shows

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

children have been effectively consulted about the move and their views informed decisions about their care. On admission, children have worked with staff to develop their own person-centred risk assessments and behaviour management plans. This helps them to understand and buy into the purpose of the placement. Most children, report they feel listened to and are happy with the care and support they receive. Children‘s experiences and progress have been variable. While there is evidence of one child making steady progress across all areas of development, other children‘s progress is less good. There have been a number of serious incidents including assaults on staff and one assault on a child. Children who go missing are not always protected in line with the home‘s policy; children‘s individual protocols or with the statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care. For example, staff do not always search for

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

missing children, even when they have a good idea of the likely whereabouts of the child. This is because there are sometimes insufficient staff on duty to enable staff to search for and bring back a child, safely. The log of missing from care incidents does not clearly differentiate between incidents where children are reported missing to the police and those where children are deemed to be absent without permission and unlikely to be in danger. This makes it difficult for managers to have a good overview of patterns and trends of children‘s missing behaviour. Missing from care and key worker records do not demonstrate that staff or an independent person routinely speak with children on their return from being missing, to ascertain why they have failed to return home or why they went missing. The influence of external factors on one young person is high. Consequently, despite living at the home for some considerable time, they are

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

unresponsive to staff‘ efforts to help them reflect on their frequent missing incidents. This makes it difficult for staff to understand whether children are anxious and unhappy about some aspect of their life in the home or whether they are being drawn to something or someone outside of the home. There has been a degree of improvement in the completion of restraint and other records. However, some do not yet meet the standard for a good home. The descriptions of some incidents lack detail and the inappropriate language used to describe events suggests that some staff lack understanding and empathy. Some records are unsigned, so the author is not apparent. The management oversight of incident records has not been good. Records do not demonstrate robust reflection or challenge to staff where the recording raises questions about staff competence or behaviour management practice or where there are gaps in records. For example, one record reports that the child,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

‗attempted to attack staff and so was restrained‘. It is not clear how the child had attempted to attack staff. It later reports, ‗After the restraint she broke down into a rant that included accusing staff of various things‘. The report does not show what the child was accusing the staff of and there is no indication that the manager has looked into this as a possible allegation against staff. The child‘s views about the incident and restraint have not been recorded. This means that the arrangements for monitoring incidents are not robustly protecting children. Staff supervision records do not demonstrate that the management of serious incidents is effectively evaluated and reflected upon with staff to aid their professional development. There is an imbalance of male and female staff. As a result, there are some shifts when there are no female staff on duty. This does not ensure that the four teenage girls in placement have access to female staff, should they wish to discuss

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

sensitive issues such as personal health matters. Communication within the team needs improvement. Pertinent information is not always shared at handover. For example, information relating to a child‘s health and the reason for a child missing a day at school was not clearly shared with a senior member of staff on the day of inspection. The home works in partnership with the placing authority. It provides social workers with weekly reports on children‘s progress and information relating to serious incidents. It has effective working relationships with the local authority designated officer for safeguarding, virtual head and schools that children attend. It is developing relationships with other children‘s homes and the police in the area. The home has made some progress in meeting the requirements and recommendations made following the full inspection. The statement of purpose has been reviewed and a copy has been submitted to Ofsted. While, it clearly lays out

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the home‘s arrangements for meeting the Quality Standards, the home is not always operated in line with the stated aims and objectives. The process of staff induction to the home is under review. The manager has taken steps to ensure that all staff have completed the requirements of the corporate induction and she is developing a home-specific induction with guidance on the day-to-day running of the home. Satisfactory progress has been made with this, although the effectiveness of the induction has not yet been tried and tested. Most staff have completed First Aid training so that the home is able to ensure that there is always a member of staff on duty who is qualified to administer emergency aid. Despite the manager‘s efforts, the home has not yet scheduled further safeguarding training for the staff team and this is now a priority. The arrangements for staff supervision have improved. In most cases, staff have

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

received one-to-one supervision each month. However, there are some gaps. In particular, gaps coincide with the manager‘s absence from the home. Arrangements for the day to day management of the home in the absence of the manager have not been strong and they have not engendered confidence in all staff members. When in work, the presence of the manager in the home is an issue, as they do not have a dedicated work base in the home. This reduces the visibility and accessibility of the manager for staff and young people. That said, there is an obvious rapport between the manager and the residents and with the staff group. The authority is supporting the Registered Manager‘s completion of the Level Five Diploma in Leadership and Management within the required timescales. Reports of visits to the home by an independent person have been completed as required and these are now received by Ofsted in a timely manner, to enable the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

regulator to maintain regular and up to date scrutiny of the operation of the home. The home has taken steps to engage better with the wider system. In particular, the manager has applied to participate in the local multi-agency chid sexual exploitation meetings, in recognition of the importance of this work in relation to the significant needs of children living at the home. Her application has been turned down by the local authority but she is pursuing this with senior managers. The manager is liaising with the local agency responsible for carrying out independent return interviews with children who have been missing, in order to promote children‘s better access to and engagement with this service. The impact of this work on children‘s safety is not yet evident. Attempts to set up safe internet access at the home for children‘s use have been unsuccessful. This remains work in progress. However, the pace of addressing this

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

matter needs improvement. Children who need to use the computer for school work are unable to do so. Where possible, children access the office computer, supervised by staff, but this arrangement is not wholly satisfactory as children are receiving mixed messages about entering the staff office. The manager has gathered information about criminality and the safety of the local area to inform the location assessment. She is in the process of updating this document to provide a better assessment of the suitability of the home‘s location, in particular, in relation to children‘s safety.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home‘s progress in reviewing the rotas has not been satisfactorily addressed. The home has not taken sufficient action to ensure that staff handover times at weekends do not impede staff from engaging in activities and outings with children. This does not demonstrate that the home takes appropriate action to respond to children‘s views about how the home can improve their care, experiences and progress.

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Information about this children's home

 The home is run by the local authority and provides care and accommodation for up to four children with 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

08/12/2015 CH - Full Requires improvement

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Recent inspection history

30/03/2015 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

The protection of children standard, with particular reference to assessing and acting on information that potentially jeopardises children's safety and welfare.

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Requirement Due date

12.—(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a)that staff— (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; and (vii)are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies; (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

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Requirement Due date

from harm; (e)that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly. 01/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard, with particular reference to ensuring sufficient staff are on duty to enable the home to robustly protect children who are absent without permission or missing. 01/05/2016 12.—(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a)that staff— (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; and

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Requirement Due date

(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.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard, with particular reference to driving improvement through effective scrutiny of restraints and serious incident records.

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Requirement Due date

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that – (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to - (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 01/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard, with particular reference to driving improvement in team communication so that children‘s welfare is not compromised.

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Requirement Due date

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that – (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 01/05/2016 (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to - (b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate

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Requirement Due date

The education standard, with particular reference to the provision of a computer with internet access to support children‘s education.

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Requirement Due date

8 - (1) The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure – (a) that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child‘s learning. 01/05/2016

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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 you plan staffing levels to ensure that they meet the needs of children and can respond flexibly to unexpected events or opportunities. In particular, review the rotas to ensure staff handover times do not impede staff from engaging in activities and outings with children (The Guide, page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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Recommendations

 ensure that practice has regard to the statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from care. In particular, maintain accurate records of missing incidents and encourage children who return from being missing or absent without permission to engage in an independent return home interview (The Guide, page 45, para 9.25, 9.30)

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Recommendations

 promote the development of safe, stable and secure relationships with staff that are central to the ethos of the home and support the development of secure attachments that, where appropriate, persist over time. In particular, take steps to strengthen staff skills in supporting and influencing children. (The Guide, page 39 para 8.11)

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Recommendations

 ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Children's case records must be kept up-to-date and signed and dated by the author of each entry (The Guide, page 62, para 14.3, 14.4)

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Recommendations

 ensure that staff refresh their skills in safeguarding so that they recognise and are alert to any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm (The Guide, page 43, para 9.12)

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Recommendations

 ensure that clear arrangements are in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave (The Guide, page 54, para 10.20)

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Recommendations

 demonstrate through relevant plans that the home only accepts children whose assessed needs it can respond to effectively and that the registered person has fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. In particular, show that staff have the skills to meet children's assessed needs and that any shortfalls in skills, training or resources are identified and addressed (The Guide, page 56, para 11.4)

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Recommendations

 ensure that, whenever possible, staff in day to day contact with children include staff from the different gender groups. In particular, ensure that staff teams comprise both male and female staff (The Guide, page 54, para 10.22)

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Recommendations

 ensure that those with a leadership and or management role are visible and accessible to staff and able to deliver their leadership and/or management responsibilities. In particular, review the arrangements for the situation of the manager's office so that the manager has a dedicated work base within the home. (The Guide, page 52, para 10.7)

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Recommendations

 all managers working in a children‘s home must have the the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) (―the Level 5 Diploma‖); within the relevant timescales listed in regulation 28 (3), namely 3 years after the date on which that person started managing a home. (The Guide, page 53, para 10.12)

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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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