Children's home SC476332

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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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 The admissions process does not ensure that, on every occasion, there is sufficient information in order to plan effectively for children’s care. This contributed to a period of instability in the home.  There has been an isolated incident where staff did not promptly pass on safeguarding information to their manager. Children were not harmed, but such delays have the potential to cause harm to children in the future.  Where there are shortfalls in staff practice, managers do not always address this directly with the staff concerned.  Physical intervention records are not all of a high standard and it is not always clear what the circumstances were.  A child’s health issue has not been appropriately followed up with health professionals.  While risk assessments are generally very good, there is one important health issue which is not fully incorporated in a child’s risk assessment. Therefore, it cannot be established how risks are being managed or

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

reduced.  The recording of safeguarding issues and allegations is not effective. There are some incidents where the record does not show actions taken by staff or the outcome, making it difficult to establish how children’s safety is promoted.

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The children's home strengths

 The leadership team is very committed to the improvements needed and demonstrates capacity for improvement.  Children enjoy leisure activities and planning is highly structured and engaging.  The home is very pleasant and in a beautiful setting. Children enjoy their environment.

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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

10. The health and well-being standard In order to meet the health and well-being standard, in particular in relation to ensuring that appropriate medical attention is sought for children’s health conditions, the registered person must ensure: (2)(c) that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

12. The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, in particular in relation to risk assessments, the registered person must: (2)(a)(i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

12. The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must: (2)(a)(vi) ensure that staff take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, in relation to monitoring the home’s records and staff performance, the registered person must: (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 30 June 2016 14. The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard, with particular reference to assessing the suitability of new admissions, the registered person must: (1)(a)(b) ensure that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation sets out in particular the provision for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect (Regulation 34 (2)(d)). 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, a record is made which includes a description of the measure used and its duration and the details of the child’s behaviour leading up to the event (Regulation 35 (3) (a)(ii)(iv)). 30 June 2016

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for six children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

29 October 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Requires improvement

Children’s experiences are not all consistently good. There has been an occasion when a child was admitted with little up-to-date information. When information came to light after their admission, they had to move on. Children had built up relationships with each other by that time and were adversely affected by this, resulting in a period of instability. Children’s progress has been variable. Some have made very good progress with their health conditions, which are managed well. There is very clear information available to staff so that they understand how they should support children in this area. However, for one child, some important health information has not been dealt with as it should have been. Therefore, this child has not had their health condition assessed in a timely way. There are some examples of very good care planning. Clear information about each child’s history and clear chronologies inform care planning very well, ensuring

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Requires improvement

that it is highly individual. Staff have a comprehensive understanding of the care planning information, enabling them to support young people well. Young people’s attendance and attainment in education is significantly improved from their starting points at admission. Despite the period of instability in the home since the last inspection, children are progressing well in this area and developing some high aspirations for their future careers. Educational needs are very well considered and time is taken to make sure that appropriate placements are identified and children’s anxieties are addressed. This helps to prevent early placement breakdown. While children are waiting for a school placement to be identified, there is structured programme of educational activities which is tailor- made according to the child’s ability. This prevents educational drift. Children are positive about their education arrangements. Regular contact takes place between

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Requires improvement

schools and the home to ensure that children are supported with any difficulties. For example, it was noted by one school that a child was not completing homework to the required standard. The home’s staff had timely discussions with the child and barriers to progress were removed as soon as possible. Children have access to a wide range of leisure activities. One child told an inspector, ‘I am always trying new activities’ and was clearly pleased about this. The house and grounds are very pleasant and children clearly enjoy the abundance of resources for play and activities, both inside the home and in the child-friendly gardens. Children are able to run around and ‘let off steam’ in the garden and staff are energetic in encouraging all aspects of physical activity. One child told the inspector about their experiences in this home and said, ‘I have everything I ever wished for here.’ Although children in placement are young and not yet teenagers, there is an early

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Requires improvement

emphasis on them being as independent as possible. They receive incentives to encourage them to improve in this area. Some are working towards having more independent time in and out of the home and using public transport, which will provide them with skills that they will need for their future. There is a clear emphasis on emotional well-being. Staff really do try to understand what young people are going through. They try to find the reasons why children are displaying negative behaviour and get to the route of the problem. Consequently, staff provide effective support and children can see a positive difference in their behaviour as their self-esteem and confidence grows. This allows them to have more access to the community, and enjoy a wider range of leisure activities. They also manage their friendships better at school. One child reflected that their verbal aggression was less of an issue as a result of being at the home.

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Requires improvement

He said, ‘I am really proud’. Relationships between children and staff are positive and based on trust. Children like the staff, which helps to build up the trusting ethos. Children’s comments about staff include ‘they are good and nice’. Staff are very aware of the sensitivities around family contact and take into consideration that children are living away from their support networks. They take time to understand the link between the child’s emotions and their behaviour. This allows staff to provide empathetic help and support. Children are at the centre of all aspects of the operation of the home. They know that if they go to a staff member or manager about an issue, that it will be dealt with properly. ‘Children’s chat’ meetings are used well so children get their say about activities, food and the running of the home.

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Requires improvement

The very high level of incidents, physical interventions and allegations reflect the children’s complex needs. Most incidents have been dealt with effectively and referred to the relevant professionals in a timely way. However, there is an isolated incident where staff knew of a concern about a colleague and did not pass it on for four weeks. No children were harmed because of this, but this shortfall had the potential to place children at risk. Management monitoring of safeguarding matters is not effective because the records are poorly kept. If any investigation were needed, this would prove difficult. For example, there was an allegation about a staff member where the actions taken were not recorded. The outcome of a separate allegation is also poorly recorded, meaning that it is not clear. In addition, where a child has been admitted to the home with bruising, there was no record of the investigation,

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Requires improvement

despite the matter being dealt with by the placing authority. Poor recording does not allow for proper monitoring and would not be sufficient in detail should there need to be an investigation in the future. Behaviour management is good. There is a high level of restraint in the home, largely due to children’s complex needs. When children are admitted, they are often in crisis. The high level of restraints is a reflection of the children’s situation and there are good plans in place to reduce levels of restraint over time. Staff support children very well and are patient and kind. The registered manager and senior managers monitor all restraints. Patterns and trends are noted and evaluated so that effective de-escalation strategies can be developed. However, some reports contain inaccurate information, and the way that children are escorted around the house is not always evident. When restraint recording is poor,

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Requires improvement

and does not reflect the actual detail of the event, this is not always addressed in a timely manner with the responsible staff. Children report that they are safe and feel safe, apart from the times where they get into altercations with each other. It is clear that staff manage these altercations well and that their response is swift. Children are protected as a result. Children are supported well by staff to learn about respect and safe boundaries. One child spoke about incentives for good behaviour and that they have learned to ‘walk away’ since coming to this home. Despite children’s needs being complex, their episodes of going missing are few and far between. This is because staff are vigilant. They supervise children well, always know where they are, and follow them when necessary. Local police comment very positively about the staff’s work in this area and say ‘there are no concerns whatsoever, staff are proactive’, which demonstrates the staff’s positive

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Requires improvement

work. Health and safety is well managed and there are regular checks on the safety of the building, including checks on fire protection equipment. Where shortfalls are found, there is an effective process for maintenance work to be carried out. This ensures that the building stays safe for all who use it.

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Requires improvement

Leadership and management are not yet good. There are shortfalls in meeting the regulations which contribute to the fact that some young people’s experiences in the home have not been good. The process of admitting children to the home is not always effective. Weak placement matching systems have contributed to some negative experiences for young people. For one young person, up-to-date information was not gathered sufficiently prior to their admission. Some weeks later, they had to move on from the home after managers received more up-to-date information that identified risks. On the day that the child moved out, they and other children were very upset, resulting in several incidents in the home and a very difficult time for all concerned. For example, there was a very significant episode of self-harm, where an ambulance had to be called. The statement of purpose sets out that the home will support children who have

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Requires improvement

experienced trauma. There is clear evidence of this ethos being carried forward. For example, the home’s dedicated psychologist is actively involved in the development and implementation of care plans. This is particularly effective in helping young people understand and come to terms with their previous life experiences. Leaders are realistic about how soon children are able to make progress, due to their level of trauma prior to admission. They are aware that it takes some children a long time to come to terms with what has happened to them. Staff at every level are fully aware that, for some children, negative behaviours will increase before progress can be made. The three requirements from the last inspection have been met. Two were in relation to there being no registered manager at that time, which is now resolved. One was in relation to the independent visitor. At the time of the last inspection,

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Requires improvement

the independent visitor was not asking the staff for their views about the home. This now takes place as a matter of course. Where monitoring systems identify shortfalls, such as the restraint recording, there is not always a robust management response. For example, when a member of staff failed to pass on an allegation in a timely way, this was not addressed formally and managers could not show how this issue has been managed. The manager does not effectively monitor safeguarding records. Important safeguarding information could be missed as a result. The experienced manager holds the level 4 qualification in Management and is completing her level 5 diploma. She has been registered since February 2016. She is working towards improvements and the home has made some progress since its last full inspection. Progress includes improved education arrangements. New systems and strategies to support staff while they are working with very complex

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Requires improvement

children have also been put in place. For example, targeted supervision meetings now take place with staff to reflect on practice and to discuss specific issues. The registered manager is supported by a highly effective deputy manager. Together they are fully committed to the required improvements. They have the capability to run the home well and the capacity to make improvements. Staff and managers have developed some very good quality relationships with other professionals such as teaching staff at local schools. Managers put great effort into working with placing authorities and social workers and have some effective systems for passing on relevant information about difficulties and progress. Where they have felt that other professionals are not acting as swiftly as they should, they have spoken out to make sure that children’s progress is not adversely affected.

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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 that 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 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

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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