Children's home in Gateshead

The children’s home provision is inadequate because:

 Safeguarding is extremely weak with young people placed at risk of significant harm. Young people are at risk by going missing, abusing drugs and alcohol and by being subject to sexual exploitation.  Young people receive care that fails to promote their welfare and safety or reduce their challenging behaviours. Antisocial and criminal behaviour have resulted in increased police involvement in the home and further criminalisation of young people.  The management of missing or absent episodes is poor. Police are concerned about the high numbers of young people going missing.  Staff are ineffective in managing the behaviours of young people. Since living in the home some young people’s behaviour has worsened. Disruption in the local area caused by young people from the home resulted in increased police involvement. As a result the police have issued a Community Protection Warning.  Managers admit young people whose needs the home cannot meet. The

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The children’s home provision is inadequate because:

lack of impact risk assessments has resulted in the admission of some young people whose behaviour has had a considerably disruptive effect on the existing residents, staff and neighbours.  The management of the home is particularly poor. The inaction of managers to resolve local issues has culminated in difficult neighbourhood relationships. This is having a detrimental effect on young people’s lives and exacerbates their anxiety. Staff have not been equipped to manage some very challenging behaviour. As a result, management gave notice on some placements, becoming yet another placement breakdown for those young people involved. Some staff left the home because of the challenging behaviour.  Staff do not always receive training to support young people’s individual needs. It is difficult to assess staff training and qualifications due to poor record keeping and the lack of a workforce development plan.

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The children’s home provision is inadequate because:

 The home has been without a registered manager for over two years. The interim manager has commenced the registration process with Ofsted but this is not complete. The provider has not given Ofsted evidence that they find the proposed responsible individual fit for the post. This means that Ofsted has been unable to determine whether those running the home are suitable.  Record keeping is poor overall. Many recording systems and records, required by regulation, are either not in place, are incomplete or are not fit for purpose. Staff describe not having enough time to complete records during their shifts. In one case, no healthcare plan is available for staff to follow in relation to a child with complex health needs, which is of great concern.  The response to health and safety places young people at risk of harm. There are shortfalls in the safe maintenance of the premises. Repairs to damage have not always been swift enough to ensure that young people

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The children’s home provision is inadequate because:

are safe in the building. The inspector brought the shortfalls to the attention of staff, with repairs carried out during the inspection. Not all children have been involved in a fire drill.  There is poor monitoring of the home. Management does not supply internal monitoring reports to Ofsted as required. Management does not always notify Ofsted of serious incidents, which prevents a timely regulatory response. Monitoring by the independent visitor is not effective, as the home does not always take action in response to their recommendations; this limits progress.

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The children’s home strengths

 Staff want to do their best for the young people. Some are frustrated at the recent disruption, the loss of staff and the lack of time to complete records. Most young people enjoy warm relationships with some staff. They value the time they spend together and share good humour. One young person appreciates the boundaries that a staff member sets. Another appreciates staff making them feel welcome.  In the evenings, young people are encouraged to enjoy home-cooked food by sitting round the kitchen table and sharing a meal with staff. Some help staff to prepare the meal or assist with clearing away afterwards. It is a good opportunity for young people to gather and share a meal as well as learning about good manners and how to eat at a table. Young people express a wish to learn to cook food to reflect their ethnic backgrounds and receive staff support to do so.  Some young people are now receiving limited tuition in the home. One is in

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The children’s home strengths

a full-time education placement. Engagement, attendance and punctuality are variable, and the hours of tuition provided are still below some young people’s legal entitlement. Nevertheless, this is progress for some.  Some young people like the activities on offer, such as shopping, going to the arcade and to the cinema.

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

8. In order to meet the education standard:

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Requirement Due date

(2) the registered person must ensure: (a) that staff: (ii) support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study (v) promote opportunities for each child to learn informally (x) help each child to attend education or training in 30 June 2016 accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

9 In order to meet the enjoyment and achievement standard:

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Requirement Due date

(1) that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure: (a) that staff help each child to: (i) develop the child’s interests and hobbies (ii) participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences (iii) make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community. (b) that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard:

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Requirement Due date

(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 (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other (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

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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 30 June 2016 (c) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded (d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health (e) that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. With particular reference to: - ensuring that impact risk assessments are carried out considering the likely impact one child’s admission may have on existing residents and staff - responding appropriately to self-harming behaviour - ensuring that fire doors are not wedged open, that repairs to broken fire doors are carried out promptly and that fire doors are retardant compliant - that light switches are safe and wiring cannot be accessed

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by children - that stair carpet is maintained so it does not present a trip hazard.

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Requirement Due date

13 In order to meet the leadership and management standard:

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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 (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose (b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the

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Requirement Due date

development of the quality of care provided in the home (g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on: (i) research and developments in relation to the ways 30 June 2016 in which the needs of children are best met (ii) feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must compile, in relation to the children’s home, a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

(2) The following measure may not be used to discipline any child: (f) imposing any financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

20: Restraint and deprivation of liberty

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Requirement Due date

(1) Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing: (a) injury to any person (including the child) (b) serious damage to the property of any person (including the child) (c) a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home. This is in relation to locking the front door during the day when staff are busy with a team meeting. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safe keeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

(1) After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must: (d) ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable 30 June 2016 intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire.

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Requirement Due date

(7) A responsible individual must- (a) satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c): and (b) have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must ensure that all employees: (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience (c) have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out: (a) how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home (b) the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation children in the home. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

(3) The registered person must ensure that: (b)within 48 hours of the use of the measure the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’): (i) has spoken to the user about the measure (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate (c)within five 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. 30 June 216 36: Children’s case records

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which: (a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child (b) are kept up to date (c) are signed and dated by the author of each entry. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

(1) Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. (a) The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4, (b) ensure that the records are kept up to date. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

(3)The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. 30 June 2016

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The registered person must display a certificate of registration as it is an offence not to do so. 30 June 2016

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(4) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if: (a) a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation (b) an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious (e) there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

41: Notification with respect to children admitted into, or discharged from, a children’s home 30 June 2016 (1) The registered person must notify, without delay, the local authority for the area in which the children’s home is located of every admission of a child into the home and every discharge from the home.

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

(4) The independent person must produce a report about a visit which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether: (a) children are effectively safeguarded (b) the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a review of the quality of care’) at least once every six months. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year, taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (2) When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account, the views of each relevant person, and supply HMCI with this document. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

(3) The registered person must provide HMCI with such information as HMCI may require for the purpose of considering the financial viability of the home, including:(c) information as to the financing, and financial resources, of the home and the registered provider. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events takes place or are expected by the registered person to 30 June 2016 take place: (a) a person other than the registered person carries on or manages the children’s home (e) if the registered provider is an organisation (iii) any change in the identity of the responsible individual. With specific reference to supplying HMCI with evidence of their fitness for the role.

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Requirement Due date

{an asterisk is added in the table above where Compliance = ‘Y’} * These requirements are subject to statutory requirement notice.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that, just as in a family home, children should be able to access all shared areas of the home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. This is with specific reference to reviewing locking doors in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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Recommendations

 Help children to understand in the children’s guide: - how to make a complaint in line with the home’s complaints procedure - how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible - how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. ( ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that each child has permission for staff to administer first aid and non-prescription medication from a person with parental responsibility for them recorded in their relevant plan. For children looked after, permission is sought and arranged by the child’s social worker. Where appropriate, the child’s family should be involved in supporting their child’s health needs as well as in providing permission for treatment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.14)

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Recommendations

 Make sure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

 Keep records detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (Regulation 36 (schedule 3(14). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff, or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care (see paragraph 15.2). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)

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Recommendations

 Plan staffing levels to ensure that they meet the needs of children and can respond flexibly to unexpected events or opportunities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must challenge (under regulation 5(c)) any placing authority who asks them to accept a child in the absence of a complete and current relevant plan, as the expectation that a placement of a child without the necessary information would go ahead (in circumstances other than an emergency) is inadequate in relation to their role. It is essential that homes understand what will be required of them before they accept responsibility for a child’s placement, to avoid disruption and instability for the child in future and for other children in the home. For non-looked-after children, the home should ensure they have sufficient information from the child’s ‘placing authority’ (usually their parents/carers) and other relevant agencies to effectively assess whether they can meet the child’s needs before agreeing to the placement. (‘The Guide to the Quality Standards’ page 56, paragraph 11.5)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person has a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of Regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20) The plan should: - detail the necessary management and staffing structure (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s statement of purpose - detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications) - detail the process for managing and improving poor performance - detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4)(b)) - keep appropriate records for staff in the home. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications

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Recommendations

completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 10.8)

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people 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

16 December 2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

20 February 2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Inadequate

The progress of young people is inconsistent and often poor. They live in an unsettled atmosphere and experience disruption and uncertainty. Although some young people say they feel safe in the home others state they do not want to live there. They say they are scared of threats from other young people and do not feel safe. Witnessing challenging behaviour has affected their emotional well-being. They hear noise from other young people at night which disturbs their sleep and leaves them tired during the day. The young person guide does not contain information on how to obtain advocacy services or to contact the Children’s Commissioner. This means young people do not have information of how to access independent support, advice or guidance. Management does not keep specific information to evidence young people’s progress and experiences. Such a lack of insight means they are unable to understand whether the home is making a difference to the lives of young people.

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Inadequate

Some young people feel that they are managing their behaviour better. However, this is not borne out by their further involvement in the criminal justice system during their time in the home. Young people receive poor support in their learning. There has been some progress regarding obtaining a few hours’ tuition for a few young people. One resident does not receive any form of education. Staff describe difficulties with securing this, for example through the virtual head teacher. One young person says they are, ‘happy with tutoring but would like to go to school.’ Another is frustrated at not receiving any education at all. Progress and attendance is variable, even when tutoring is easy to access in the home. Staff fail to provide consistent routines or encourage young people to lead productive lives. Some young people are aimless and unoccupied when they do not have tuition or school. Some stay up late at night and lay in bed during the

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Inadequate

morning. Staff do not sufficiently support young people to develop good night-time routines which would help their learning. Although a sign states that young people must not enter the office, they spend time there so that they can enjoy staff company. They complain of being bored. Staffing arrangements mean young people are not fully supported to learn during the ‘school day’. . For example, tutors want young people to read, visit the library and do research to extend their tuition. Homework is set but there is not always support to complete this, such as helping young people to learn spelling or to obtain recommended books. The home has only a very limited range of books. Young people experience a limited range of activities. Some would like to have a greater range of activities and more to do. Visiting an arcade is a popular activity. Young people are not positively engaged in community-based activities and have

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Inadequate

not experienced a holiday. They are not encouraged to take part in individual activities which may help to build self-esteem and confidence, such as volunteering or work experience. There appears to be an over-reliance on TV and electronic media to occupy young people. The quality of health care has limited impact. Lack of planning and recording inhibits a full assessment of progress in relation to young people’s improved health. Some young people reject services which may improve their emotional health, such as counselling.. Some trust the staff enough to confide in them, but progress in improving associated behaviour is limited. Some young people refuse to access health services to improve behaviour and well-being. Such as issues with self- harm, or to reduce risks relating to sexual health, drug or alcohol abuse. Their reluctance to engage is very risky and harmful to their health and welfare.

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Inadequate

Young people are not safe living at this home. Poor management and ineffective staff practice has led to a failure in keeping young people safe. At times, young people have not been safe and protected from harm when some staff have not supervised young people closely enough nor responded to very challenging behaviour. As a result, they have not been aware of peer-on-peer sexual exploitation or responded proactively to incidents of self-harm. For example, on a shopping trip, with one-to-one staff supervision, a young person managed to drink half a bottle of spirits and seriously self-harm, requiring hospital admission. On another occasion, peer-on-peer sexual exploitation took place in a young person’s bedroom.

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Inadequate

Behaviour management is weak. There is limited promotion of positive behaviour. There are no behavioural management intervention plans or guidelines on how to address each individual’s behaviour, other than basic information in risk assessments. The staff do not have any structured responses to young people’s behaviour. Staff and neighbours frequently call police to the home to deal with challenging behaviour, both in and outside of the home. Monitoring of the management of behaviour is poor so opportunities to review the effectiveness of behaviour management are lost. For example, one young person has a behaviour contract listing 18 targets. No monitoring of targets takes place. . Staff say, ‘It is linked to their placement closing if they do not abide by targets. They do break the conditions and the placement continues, so it is ineffective.’ Staff do not make regular use of restorative practices to help young people’s sense

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Inadequate

of personal responsibility and reduce the heavy police involvement in the home. For example, no young person’s file contained details of positive reward programmes.

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Inadequate

The use of physical intervention is inconsistent. One inappropriate restraint has no recorded investigation and no comments from the young person involved. This increases the risk to young people and does not promote effective oversight.

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Inadequate

Impact risk assessments are not in place. There is no evidence of considered decision-making in relation to any admission. Not considering how the staff will meet young people’s needs or the impact some admissions may have on other young people have had serious consequences on the home’s atmosphere and functioning. This includes considerable disturbance to residents and neighbours, increased criminal and antisocial behaviour and an unsafe influence on some residents. As a result, relationships with neighbours are not positive and some young people have been further involved in the criminal justice system following incidents in the local vicinity.

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Inadequate

Management does not always inform Ofsted of serious incidents. For example, a young person streamed online a film of themselves brandishing a large knife and saying that they were going to stab someone. Staff were not aware of this until police attended. The home then terminated the placement. Management did not record this as an incident or notify Ofsted. Poor information sharing potentially prevents Ofsted from taking regulatory action.

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Inadequate

The home has an e-safety policy and staff are aware of the risks posed by young people’s use of mobile phones and the internet. However, no review of the incident mentioned above took place following this incident. Staff switch off internet access at night and this is the only control of its use. The home therefore has ineffective controls and supervision of internet-enabled technology.

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Inadequate

Arrangements to protect young people from going missing are inadequate. Young people have experienced misuse of drugs and alcohol, exposure to criminal activity and, in one case, sexual exploitation while absent/missing. Records of absence/missing are poor, with staff actions incomplete and no action recorded when young people return. A photograph is not available to share with the police for one young person who goes missing. Staff do not search for young people when they are missing. There is not always a coordinated response when staff know young people’s whereabouts. For example, arrangements were not made to help a young person return to the home who had been absent without permission for a few days.

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Inadequate

Evaluation of missing or absent incidents is not undertaken. The home does not have a strategy or individual plans to reduce young people’s periods of absence/missing. Worryingly, an independent person does not conduct return interviews with young people and management has not challenged placing authorities to ensure they occur. Therefore, opportunities to learn about patterns, destinations and threats to young people when absent/missing, and the chance to reduce risks, are lost.

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Inadequate

Plans do not support staff to manage specific behaviour, such as self-harm/suicidal tendencies, and to reduce risk. For example, for a highly vulnerable young person, there is no effective plan for working with them. There are just basic actions to take, with no effective plans to reduce the risk and no healthcare plan. This is of great concern as it places the young person at risk.

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Inadequate

Young people do not get enough opportunities to talk with their key workers to discuss their behaviour and how they might reduce risk. For example, the care plan for one young person indicates that they should work on drugs and alcohol awareness, incidents, sanctions and anger management in one-to-one sessions with staff. However, the last recorded session on file is 10 months old. Therefore the young person is not receiving support to improve their outcomes and reduce risk.

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Inadequate

Arrangements for medication are poor. Management do not obtain consents for young people to receive first aid or emergency treatment. Records do not always show what medication staff have administered to young people.

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Inadequate

Healthcare arrangements are inadequate. For example, on one file a young person does not have a completed healthcare plan, despite their high needs in this area. There is poor maintenance of records, such as dates and staff signatures. It is not always evident that young people get the help they need with identified health matters. Staff do not always explore those issues identified in young people’s health plans. For example, serious issues such as drug taking do not have a clear plan of action and there is no coordination of appointments. Some young people do not receive the encouragement that they need with long-term addictions, such as cannabis use, to improve their health outcomes.

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Inadequate

Young people live in a home that is hazardous to their safety. Some aspects of the building are not safe and present risks to young people. A fire door was wedged open and did not have a complete intumescent strip, making it ineffective in preventing the spread of smoke. On another fire door, the closer was broken. This compromises safety in the event of a fire. In one young person’s room, plaster around a light switch was missing, exposing the wiring. This is of particular concern considering the young person’s needs. Carpet at the top of the stairs presented as a trip hazard, as it was no longer contained in the runner. Action was taken to rectify these shortfalls on the second day of the inspection after the inspector drew these faults to management’s attention. Such a poor response to health and safety is further highlighted by the fact the requirement to improve the safe maintenance of the premises made at the last inspection has not been

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Inadequate

Recruitment of staff is mostly thorough, ensuring that there are checks on adults before they start to work with young people, for example by obtaining references and a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service. However, records do not show verification of references. Also, the reason for leaving employment is not determined for those who have previously worked with children. These additional checks are good practice to protect young people.

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Inadequate

A chronic lack of stable and effective leadership and management results in a service that provides young people with poor, unsafe and inconsistent care. The home has been without a registered manager since 2014. Ofsted had received an application for the interim manager to be registered, but this is incomplete. Similarly, the provider has not sent Ofsted information to confirm their suitability checks on the proposed responsible individual. Therefore, Ofsted is unable to confirm either person’s fitness to manage, or be responsible for, a children’s home. This is of concern as decisions made by the acting responsible individual, such as to allow unsuitable admissions, have had a considerable impact on the home, adding to its decline. The approach to monitoring the quality of care is weak and ineffective. Management does not monitor what takes place in the home, so is not identifying shortfalls or helping the home to improve, despite previous inspection reports

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Inadequate

requiring them to do so. This is unsafe practice. An independent person visits the home each month and makes some useful recommendations in reports of their visits. However, management does not act on all of these. The independent person’s reports do not meet regulation as they do not specifically comment on whether young people are safe in the home and whether their welfare is protected. This is of particular importance given the significant levels of safeguarding concerns affecting the young people. Poor record keeping limits opportunities for leaders and managers to learn from practice and feedback to improve young people’s outcomes, experiences and safety. Management does not ensure that staff record all incidents. It is not always clear if staff have taken further action to ensure that young people are safe and that any lessons are learned. For example, the home’s running log records a potential child

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Inadequate

sexual exploitation incident, but this is undated, with no further investigation recorded. The interim manager was not aware of this incident until the inspector brought it their attention. Management has not kept Ofsted informed of all serious events, as they are required to do. Therefore, the regulator is uninformed and prevented from taking regulatory action in order to protect young people. Managers fail to promote the inclusion of young people in the community. Following a high number of complaints to the police about resident’s antisocial and criminal behaviour, relationships with neighbours are extremely poor. Leaders and managers are not working proactively with the local community to improve relationships or to help young people to develop a sense of belonging to the area. Management have also failed to complete a suitable location risk assessment to operate a children’s home in the area. The home’s complaints process is not fit for purpose. Management has not

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Inadequate

recorded any of the complaints made directly to the home and has not formally responded to these. There is no record of action taken to try to resolve complaints. No learning from complaints occurs, as management does not track their frequency or the nature of the effectiveness of their interventions. Management is no longer working proactively with the local community. This is of particular concern considering the deterioration in relationships between the home’s staff, residents and people in the local community. Staff turnover has been high, with use made of agency staff to cover vacancies while recruitment checks on newly recruited staff are completed. There is not always a shared approach among the team to managing challenging behaviour, with some incidents outside the home remaining unchallenged. At times there have been insufficient staff to supervise young people. For example, young people go

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Inadequate

into each other’s rooms at night, possibly drinking alcohol. Management put additional staff on some shifts in response to some incidents rather than having sufficient staff to prevent serious events occurring in the first place. Staff do not consistently follow up concerning behaviour, such as some young people’s continuing use of cannabis. Young people’s case records are poor. They do not provide a clear record of decision-making about young people’s care and their time in the home. Some case records show insufficient input from staff in key work sessions to help support young people’s individual needs and improve their behaviour. For example, in one case record there is a gap of nine months between one-to-one sessions. This does not provide young people with insufficient interaction and support, and does not promote good outcomes. Not all staff receive appropriate supervision, including the interim manager.

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Inadequate

Supervisors do not always have time to complete records of supervision, doing this in their own time. Appraisals have not taken place, although, with the turnover of staff, this may be because longer-term staff have moved on from the home. There is a considerable gap between team meetings. Staff report that at times there have been insufficient funds for food, activities and pocket money. Management advised that this was due to changes in how petty cash was funded which has since been rectified. Some areas of the home appear shabby and some areas, including some young people’s rooms, are in need of repairs and redecoration. The registered provider has not met all the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. A number of these were also made at the inspection prior to that. This indicates management’s inability to take seriously shortfalls in meeting requirements and recommendations, and to improve the service that

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Inadequate

young people receive. The home’s statement of purpose does not include all the information required by regulation. Therefore, staff and others do not receive all the information they need about the home. For example, the statement of purpose is not child-focused, lacks details of staff experience and arrangements for the supervision of staff. Some policy statements do not explain how the home will support those with special needs, promote educational achievement or support young people’s linguistic needs. Crucially, it contains confusing information on who to contact if there is a complaint, and there is a confusing and incorrect definition of when restraint is used, which could lead to inappropriate actions by staff. Management has not met a requirement to improve the statement of purpose made at the last inspection. The children’s guide is easy to read and provides young people with some useful information about what they can expect during their time in the home. However, it

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Inadequate

describes sanctions which are fines and that are not restorative in nature. The complaints procedure is poor, as it does not tell them how to complain about the management of the home.

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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 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

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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 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 children looked after 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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