Children's home in Belfast

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.

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because:

 The home has been through a period of significant disruption with ineffective behaviour management. This has resulted in aggression and sexualised behaviour between children.

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because:

 The moves of some children have been influenced by the levels of disruption and the concern of the placing authorities. Staff and managers have not worked effectively with placing authorities to plan moves and make them less stressful for children.

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because:

 While children are involved in education, there are not high aspirations. Some areas of educational need are not supported.

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because:

 Records of the administration of medicines are unclear. For some children, health needs have not been met.

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because:

 Children do not have access to a telephone without having to ask staff.

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because:

 Some records and plans for children lack clarity and consistency.

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because:

 Some staff are not appropriately qualified, and some have not had the training required for them to manage challenging behaviour.

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because:

 Staff who are subject to disciplinary proceedings do not have plans to support them and promote improvement.

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because:

 Records of physical intervention and sanctions lack evaluation. There is no effective discussion with staff and children following these incidents to help improve behaviour and practice.

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because:

 Complaint outcomes are not clearly recorded.

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The children's home strengths

 There has been a recent significant improvement in the care and safety of children.

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The children's home strengths

 The two children at the home at present are settled and happy in their placements. They have good relationships with staff.

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The children's home strengths

 One child who recently moved into the home had a good introduction.

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The children's home strengths

 Both children are engaged in education.

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The children's home strengths

 Good behaviour is recognised and encouraged.

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The children's home strengths

 There are appropriate responses to safeguarding concerns and allegations.

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The children's home strengths

 Children’s friendships and contact are supported.

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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 ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of the outcome of any complaint investigation (Regulation 39(3)). 8 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child (Regulation 23(2)(b)(c)). 8 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are provided at all reasonable times with access to a telephone on which to make and receive telephone calls in private, which they may use without reference to persons working in the home (Regulation 22(3)(a)). 29 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

12. The protection of children standard: In order to meet the protection of children standard with particular reference to having up to date, comprehensive and accurate risk assessments, the registered person must ensure that staff: 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; 8 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of 8 July 2016 the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes all of the information required under this regulation. This relates in particular to the effectiveness of any consequences of the use of the measure. Further, that the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure (Regulation 35(3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff have the appropriate qualifications for the work that the individual is to perform (Regulation 32(3)(b)). 30 November 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. The system must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff (Regulation 45(2)(a)(c)(5)). 31 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

14. The care planning standard: In order to meet the care planning standard with particular reference to having accurate, up to date plans which inform care of children, the registered person must: (2)(c) ensure that each child’s relevant plans are followed. 8 July 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):

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the ethos of the home supports each child to learn, emphasising the value of independent study and reading for enjoyment. The home must make available suitable facilities, equipment and resources for learning. This relates to clear plans to support and encourage homework and reading, and providing experiences relevant to young people's expressed career choices (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person works with placing authorities to ensure that each child's transition is planned, and help each child to prepare for leaving, both practically and emotionally. This relates to contributing to ‘moving out’ plans and ensuring that all relevant information and belongings are available to move with the child (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff understand factors that affect children's motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Further, that staff encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child's relevant plans. This relates to having full behaviour management plans in place for children (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13).

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Recommendations

 Ensure that, as part of the performance management process, poor performance is addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5).

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned home provides residential care and accommodation for up to eight children and young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties. An on-site school room provides education for children and young people.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

3 February 2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

17 February 2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Requires improvement

There have been times since the previous inspection when there was a high level of disruption and assaults on staff by children in the home. Two of the three children left the home and there have been some changes to the management. More recently, the home has been much more settled and the two children in the home at the time of the inspection showed good relationships with staff. They were happy to spend time talking to staff and, when asked if they liked it at the home, one said ‘yes, very much so.’ The use of agency staff has been reduced significantly, so that there is more consistency for children. There had been times with higher use of agency or relief staff, when children were looked after by some people who they did not know well. The increased consistency and stability of staffing helps children to feel secure. It has also allows staff to have a better knowledge of children and to provide more individualised care.

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Requires improvement

The changes in senior staff and period of disruption have had a negative impact upon the transitions of the two children who have moved. While one of the moves was planned, it was brought forwards because of the concerns that the placing authority had at that time. The home was not able fully to contribute to the leaving plans as staff missed a meeting, moreover information on the child’s savings, including a bank book, were not provided at the time of leaving. The social worker for the other child said that it was difficult to know who to get in touch with at the home, due to the changes. Moves of placement for children are highly significant and can be traumatic times. Not working effectively with other agencies to facilitate the moves can make it much harder for children. One child has recently moved into the home. Her move has been planned and supported. As a consequence, she has settled well into the home.

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Requires improvement

Both children are receiving full-time education and have made recent improvements in their attendance and engagement. One is at a mainstream school. Her attendance did drop earlier in the year during the times of disruption, but it has improved significantly now. Her school says that she has a new, better- fitting uniform and is noticeably taking more care of her appearance, as would be expected of a child of her age. She also has friends at school whom staff support her to see out of school. She likes baking and has taken cakes into school for teachers. Developments in meeting her health needs have helped her to participate in her education. The school says that it is pleased with how things are going now. However, while this is good, staff do not have sufficiently high aspirations for the child. She has expressed an interest in animal care as a career, which staff have not fully encouraged and supported. Also, homework and reading are issues that

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Requires improvement

have been identified as important to her, but there is no clear and delivered plan to help her with these.

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Requires improvement

The other child has been at the home only for a few weeks. The on-site school is not registered to deliver education to her level (key stage 4) and is in the process of registering for this. In the interim, a teacher from the school is providing home tuition in which the child is engaging. This is significant progress for her, as she had been out of education for four months before coming to the home, and has not been in mainstream high school education at all.

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Requires improvement

The health needs of the current children are being met, including through specialist services such as therapy. Records of the administration of medicines for a child who has left are not sufficiently clear. There are numerous gaps in the records of applying a medicated cream for an infected finger, including for the whole of March 2016. It is not clear if the medication was applied but not recorded, was refused or was not offered. As such, this child’s health needs were not met. Children are helped to develop the skills that they will need to look after themselves and succeed in adulthood. For younger children this includes activities such as cooking with staff, which is made into fun in itself.

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Requires improvement

The children are involved in a good range of activities with staff and in the community. One has friends locally who she is able to visit and see at the park. These are important relationships to her and allow her to have normal age- appropriate experiences. Contact with families is encouraged, and children are supported through difficult times relating to their contacts. This helps them to maintain important connections with their families and to learn how to manage the emotions that these may give rise to. Children do not have access to a telephone which they can use without asking staff beforehand. This limits their ability to raise concerns outside of the home.

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Requires improvement

Children’s views are listened to and they are included in the running of the home. They have been consulted over the home’s development plan, and one issue that they raised was their ability to have pets. Both children are now working towards having a pet, as part of their incentive systems. Both children said that they know how to make a complaint. Complaints are recorded and responded to, but not all complaints records have clear outcomes recorded. This can make it more difficult to monitor the complaints and to identify any required changes of practice.

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Good

While there have not been any incidents of children going missing from care, clear written plans inform staff of what to do if this should happen. Staff are aware of these plans. This helps to provide a safeguard for children. Plans on how to keep children safe, and what resources may be required for this, begin before children move into the home. This helps to increase their safety from the beginning of their placements.

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Good

Children are helped to take age-appropriate risks, such as cycling to see friends and spending time in the local park with their friends. This allows them to experience normal and enjoyable childhood experiences and to understand better how to keep themselves safe. Staff help children to understand how to use the internet safely. This can include discussions and monitoring of electronic devices so that children know they are being kept safe, but begin to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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Good

Behaviour management has been an issue, with children often being beyond staff control. The change in the group and the different approaches introduced by the temporary manager have made a big difference to this. There is a strong focus on recognising and rewarding children’s achievements and good behaviour. These have included rewards such as a trip out with a friend, and buying baking ingredients and cooking with staff. The rewards have been given for achievements such as positive comments at a parent’s evening, helping staff to cook dinner and not responding to a peer’s behaviour. Boundaries are still in place, but thought is now given to implementing them in ways which include the children, rather than imposing them on children. There are behaviour management plans for children but for one child, for the first two weeks of her placement the plan consisted of just two lines of text. This did not provide staff with sufficient detail and

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Good

information on how to work with a child who had just moved into the home and who they did not know.

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Good

The previously high level of physical interventions has been significantly reduced. However, the records of these and of sanctions are not full and clear. They lack evaluation and discussions with staff and children to help reflect on the incidents. Without this, opportunities are missed to find alternative ways of working and behaving that avoid the use of sanctions and physical interventions.

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Good

Risk assessments are regularly reviewed, but there are some areas of risk assessment which are not fully or accurately recorded. Staff do have an awareness of the risks to children and what they need to do to reduce them, but a lack of comprehensive, accurate, written assessments limit this, to a degree.

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Good

There have been times since the previous inspection when children have not been safe at the home. There has been aggression towards staff and between children. There has also been some sexualised behaviour between children. This has improved significantly since the temporary manager took up her post and with the change of the group dynamics among the children. There is now more consistency of staff, and children have relationships with staff that allow them to raise concerns or worries. Children are listened to and their allegations have been responded to appropriately. Safeguarding concerns are passed onto those responsible for investigating them. Children are now safer at this home.

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Requires improvement

There is currently no registered manager home overseeing the home. The registered manager was moved by the organisation shortly after the previous inspection. An interim manager was put in post, but they were unable to continue after an accident outside of the home. A second interim manager was identified and is currently in post. A new permanent manager has been appointed, but has not yet taken up their post. Consequently, the period between the last inspection and this one has been one of change and uncertainty for staff and children. Work with other agencies has been inconsistent, but social workers report that this is much better now.

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Requires improvement

There have been high levels of disruption in the home and, for a period of time, no effective behaviour management. However, the current temporary manager has provided clarity for staff on how they are expected to work with young people. Staff say that they appreciate the clear expectations, and feel that they have benefited and learned from the temporary manager. They feel supported by the manager, and the frequency of their supervision has increased. Staff spoke about some recent, good-quality training which has helped them in their work, particularly in meeting children’s individual needs. However, seven staff have not had training on working with challenging behaviour. This is significant, given the recent history of this home and the level of challenging behaviour that has been exhibited. Some staff do not have the qualifications required by the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. A well-trained workforce is better able to

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Requires improvement

deliver good care and meet the needs of children, and lacking these qualifications limits this. Staff who have been subject to disciplinary matters do not have recorded plans to help to support them or bring about improvement in practice and care of children.

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Requires improvement

The interim manager has begun to gain an awareness of the strengths and areas of development in the home. However, a number of the shortfalls identified during the inspection had not been identified through monitoring, so were not able to be addressed to improve the quality of care. The interim manager has produced a report on the quality of care in the home. This report contains some significant inaccuracies. For example, it states that there had only been five physical interventions in the reporting period of three months, when there had been 16 in February and March 2016 alone. It also states that there had not been any disciplinary hearings or grievances, when there had. The report does not consider the opinions of children, parents, staff or placing authorities. As such, this is not an accurate or informed report, and so does not provide sound information on the quality of care.

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Requires improvement

There is some good work with children, but this is not always reflected in the records and plans for them, as they are not always accurate or updated. There are a number of requirements and recommendations in this report which indicate the amount of work which is still to be done. However, the manager has prioritised the safety, care and needs of children in the home. One young person who has been at the home during the period of disruption has now settled and is doing well. The other child, who has only been at the home for a few weeks, has begun to settle and is happy to be at the home. This is a significant improvement. The manager and staff have a good awareness of the young people and their needs. The home had not been achieving its aims and objectives, as set out in the statement of purpose, but is beginning to do so now.

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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 ‘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 0300 123 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, work- based 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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