Children's home 1183070

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.2

The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 This is the home’s first inspection. It was registered in November 2015. There have been a number of changes to the management of the home and within the staff group. The whole team requires a period of stability and skilled, experienced leadership in order to provide continuity of care. Leaders need to ensure that there is sufficient staff capacity, with the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the young people.

p.3

The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 The staff group requires further safeguarding training in order to keep young people safe and in order to support young people to keep themselves safe. There have been occasions when safeguarding procedures have not been robustly followed.

p.3

The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 There are some weaknesses in care planning. Managers have not escalated concerns when the placing local authority has not provided essential information about young people. In addition, staff and managers have not challenged when there are poor quality education plans in place.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 There is an interim manager in place working effectively with the deputy manager. They are implementing a robust action plan, addressing areas for improvement and consolidating good practice.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 The staff have recently reported that there is clear direction and strong leadership and that they feel supported and have increased confidence in their work.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 Young people are making progress from their starting points. Managers have learnt lessons from two incidents that highlighted some weaknesses in staff knowledge and skills. They are proactively working with partners to reduce and manage risks to young people.

p.3

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered persons 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

12(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(2) In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered manager must ensure

p.4

Requirement Due date

(a) that staff (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.4

Requirement Due date

(e) that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. 20 June 2016

p.4

Requirement Due date

14(1) The care planning standard is that children receive well- planned care from the home and have a positive experience of admission and transition processes.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure

p.4

Requirement Due date

(c) that each child's relevant plans are followed. 20 June 2016

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

p.5

Recommendations

 Staff need to have the knowledge and skills to understand each child's education and training targets and their next steps for learning (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.11).

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should plan staffing levels to ensure that they meet the needs of children and can respond flexibly to unexpected events or opportunities. Staffing structures should promote continuity of care from the child's perspective (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15).

p.5

Information about this children's home

This privately owned children’s home is registered for five children and young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.6

Requires improvement

Staff have built nurturing, trusting relationships so that young people feel listened to and cared for. During the inspection, the inspector observed positive and comfortable interactions between staff and young people. A parent said, ‘I think staff are definitely working to keep my child safe. The staff are consistent in their care. My child has improved school attendance and is more organised.’ The home is decorated and furnished to a high standard. Young people have contributed to decisions about the décor of their rooms, and bedrooms are personalised. There are photographs of young people enjoying events and celebrations, which create a homely environment that the young people can be proud of and feel comfortable in. There have been occasions when young people have had poor daily routines. Staff have recently introduced daily planners for the young people to encourage them to take part in a range of activities such as swimming, cinema and outdoor games.

p.7

Requires improvement

These are providing structure, constructive daily routines and enhance young people’s social skills and confidence. The young people have had difficult experiences in education in the past. Some have not had regular education attendance for some time. There are arrangements in place, and all young people are now attending education. Some have arrangements that are currently less than 25 hours a week but with a clear plan to increase provision. Staff and managers encourage young people to be aspirational, and staff have been tenacious in supporting young people to attend. However, there is improvement needed in the quality of education plans to ensure that they include aspirational targets and identify areas for development. Managers need to ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to influence discussion and decisions in education planning meetings. Staff celebrate young people’s achievements, and there are incentives and rewards

p.7

Requires improvement

to reinforce positive behaviours such as positive engagement with education and training. There are good health plans in place, which identify young people’s physical and emotional health needs. Young people have attended a range of preventative health appointments such as dentist and optician. There has been good quality individual work with young people, to enhance their understanding of healthy relationships and healthy lifestyles, and to raise awareness about risks to their health. There is a smoking minimisation policy and managers and staff are in the process of developing a plan for young people to help them reduce or stop their smoking. Staff ensure that, when there is an assessed need or concern, referrals are made to specialist services, such as the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). This means that young people are experiencing improved health. Staff share with case-responsible social workers detailed weekly updates that

p.7

Requires improvement

demonstrate young people’s progress. Referrals for placements are carefully considered and the impact on current residents is taken into account. Young people visit before moving in. As a result, there has been some good matching of placements. However, there have also been occasions when managers have assessed that more information should have been shared by commissioners and that there could have been more effective joint planning, prior to admissions. Subsequently, young people have moved on, as their needs are not being met in this home. An independent reviewing officer has reported that she was concerned that a young person’s behaviour was not being managed, and there have been disruption meetings to consider this. She was also concerned that there had not been effective communication between the social worker and the home staff. The current management team have reflected on this and have learnt lessons. They will

p.8

Requires improvement

ensure that they have all the essential information from the start, in order to limit placement moves and to improve stability for young people. Young people are provided with opportunities to contribute to decisions about the home and their care. There are weekly meetings and opportunities for individual consultation. Young people know about the complaints system and are encouraged to have contact with advocacy services. There have been two complaints involving three young people. These have been investigated, and the young people have been satisfied with the outcome. Managers have shared recommendations with the whole staff group. Staff support young people to contribute to their care plans and sensitively manage occasions when difficult information has to be shared. There are good practices in place to support and encourage young people to develop life skills. Young people report that they are learning cooking skills and

p.8

Requires improvement

doing their own laundry. Staff go shopping with them and they are developing budgeting skills. There is an accredited independence skills programme for when young people are preparing to move on to independence. Staff are proactive in facilitating and supporting contact arrangements with family and friends for young people. They have advocated on behalf of young people with social workers and family members to ensure that regular arrangements are in place. As a result, young people are experiencing improved contact arrangements. Judgement grade

p.8

Requires improvement

Young people living in the home report that they feel safe and cared for and that they have good relationships with staff. There have been occasions when young people’s behaviours have been very challenging and disruptive to their peers, and one young person has reported feeling bullied by a peer. This was addressed by staff. There have been two incidents when the staff did not respond to the safeguarding needs of the young people as robustly as they should have done. One involved a response to young people missing and one to a young person attending hospital in an emergency. These raised concerns about staff’s knowledge and experience. Managers have responded promptly to these concerns. Lessons have been learnt and staff have been given clear guidance about seeking support and advice in a timely way. They have also received supervision about adhering to the home’s child protection procedures and policies. The management team recognises that staff

p.9

Requires improvement

require additional safeguarding training, consistent support and capacity in order to meet the complex needs of the young people. There is good information and practice in addressing risks to young people of exploitation. The deputy manager has lead responsibility for this. She is experienced, has received comprehensive training and is conscientious in sharing information and skills with staff. The managers have proactively requested professional meetings when there are concerns about risks to young people. Young people have been involved in meetings and have had direct work sensitively undertaken with them, to raise their awareness and influence their behaviours. There was a particularly challenging situation that staff and managers handled very well, and as a result young people have reduced risk-taking behaviours. A police officer who has been working closely with young people and staff said, ’It has been a pleasure to work

p.9

Requires improvement

with a team that has such positive and proactive attitudes when faced with very challenging behaviours. I have to commend the way the staff have handled some challenges. In my experience, communication between the staff is excellent. When I am contacting the home, it does not matter which staff member I speak to because they have shared information effectively.’ This police officer also reported that managers and staff consider very carefully the consequences for young people when police have been called to the home. There have been a number of missing incidents, and in most cases, staff have followed missing procedures, liaising appropriately with police, social workers and families. Staff have actively looked for young people. There is detailed recording by staff that managers have reviewed, and strategy meetings have been requested when necessary. There has been one occasion when staff did not follow all

p.9

Requires improvement

procedures, as referred to earlier, which has been addressed by managers. After missing from home episodes, young people are welcomed back to the home, and staff ensure that social workers arrange to meet with them to encourage them to share information to help staff prevent this from happening again. Missing incidents are reducing. There are good, detailed behaviour and risk plans in place, which staff and managers review and update. The impact of these is improving. Staff have child-focused individual sessions with young people, which are linked to risks, and behaviours. These include issues such as healthy relationships, use of the internet and mobile phones, self-harming behaviours and vulnerability to sexual exploitation, as identified in the young people’s plans. There has been a high level of incidents when young people have displayed challenging and potentially harmful behaviours. However, there has been a relatively

p.10

Requires improvement

low number of occasions when physical interventions have been necessary. Staff have managed to de-escalate difficult situations. Managers are role modelling implementing consistent boundaries and routines while building nurturing relationships with young people. As a result, staff are growing in confidence in managing challenging behaviours. On two occasions, managers have referred allegations against staff to the designated safeguarding officer, and on other occasions have sought advice. Allegations have been investigated and concluded and lessons learnt have been shared. Managers understand and have adhered to safer recruitment practices. The home and grounds are subject to regular health and safety checks. However, this inspection identified one potential hazard to young people and staff that required a risk assessment and clear guidance on how to prevent accidents. The manager has addressed this, a detailed risk assessment is in place and the manager is ensuring

p.10

Requires improvement

that health and safety monitoring is timely and includes identification of potential hazards. Judgement grade

p.10

Requires improvement

The management team has changed, and there is currently an interim manager whilst recruitment is undertaken. The interim manager is suitably qualified and is an experienced deputy manager, with an excellent track record, from an outstanding home. The deputy manager is also an experienced manager. This relatively new management team reports that members work well together. This is supported by staff feedback. Managers are aware of the strengths and areas for development within the staff group and service. They have a detailed action plan that they are implementing. They have prioritised and actioned additional safeguarding training for staff, to ensure the safety of young people. They have also acted to ensure that there is sufficient staff capacity to improve practice and to support young people to make progress. This includes a review of shift patterns with staff. While there have been a number of changes in the staff group, managers have

p.11

Requires improvement

limited the impact on the care of the young people by using support from a small number of colleagues working for the provider. There is a range of quality assurance mechanisms in place. A recent report by the independent visitor has appropriately identified some shortfalls in safeguarding practice and the need for additional training for staff. The managers have welcomed the scrutiny and challenge and have responded in a timely way by drawing up an action plan. The action plan includes the careful management of admissions at this time, in order to focus on the needs of the current residents. Managers have good working relationships with partners. The new manager quickly introduced herself to professionals, families, key contacts in the local community and neighbours and has received a positive response. The management team is now challenging partners when it has not received essential information and has advocated on behalf of young people to promote

p.11

Requires improvement

their best interests. However, there have been occasions in the past when managers should have escalated concerns when they have not received a timely response. The current management team has learnt from this and has an escalation process in place. The managers ensure that there are supervision arrangements in place for each member of staff. Due to staff changes, some supervisors have changed. However, supervision has always been provided. The inspector observed a supervision session. The supervisor was facilitative and enabling, and the session demonstrated that the member of staff knew the young people’s needs well. The current management team is reviewing the quality and effectiveness of supervision and establishing training needs. Training, covering a number of safeguarding topics, has already been planned. The interim manager said that her vision for the service was that, ‘the children and young people that live here have the confidence to do well as a result of the care

p.11

Requires improvement

they receive and the relationships they build and that when they leave us they leave with lots of positive memories.’

p.12

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’.

p.13

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 children looked after 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

p.13

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm, or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.13

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 that 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. Whenever 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 whom 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

p.14

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 .

p.14

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.15

Information about this inspection

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

p.15

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.15

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.15