Children's home run by Middlesbrough Borough Council

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:

 Young people are only making slight progress.

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because:

 Young people cause significant damage to property within the home, and these behaviours are escalating.

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because:

 Staff members are unable to manage young people’s behaviour, so disengage and physically distance themselves from the situation.

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because:

 Staff provide inconsistent and unclear boundaries to young people.

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because:

 Sanctions put in place are not allowed time to embed before alternative strategies are used. This causes young people to become confused and unsettled.

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because:

 Young people are struggling to make meaningful relationships with staff.

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because:

 Young people spend a significant amount of time away from the home or alone in their bedroom.

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because:

 Young people do not feel able to express their wishes and feelings.

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because:

 Young people are not engaging in activities.

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because:

 The home is an unattractive environment for young people. It does not provide them with a warm or homely environment.

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The children’s home’s strengths

 Comprehensive risk assessments are on file and are reviewed monthly.  There are no missing from care episodes, child sexual exploitation or self- harm incidents.  Young people are engaging in education.  Staff are proactive in working with family members to encourage, promote and support contact.  The registered manager has a good understanding of the young people’s needs, and staff are empowered to assist with care planning.  Staff supervision is good and provides the opportunity to reflect on practice.  The new staff structure brings new experience and knowledge to the workforce.

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular reference to maintaining the premises in an acceptable condition, the registered person must -

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c)(i) Ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. Specifically, that the contract of works is completed by the end of September 2016. 1 September

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Requirement Due date

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure - (a) that staff - (i) meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; (iv) help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; (v) communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; (viii) strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; (ix) understand how children’s previous experiences 1 July 2016 and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with

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Requirement Due date

children; (xi) de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; (b) that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the behaviour management plan is put into practice consistently by all staff through discussion at team meetings. The identified external training and advice to be provided to all staff members.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

(e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, through the implementation of monitoring of behaviour management, training, advice and support from others and regular team meetings and supervision. 1 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees – (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development; (b) Receive practice-related supervison by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)).

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Requirement Due date

In particular, additional focussed supervision should be provided to those staff that have been identified as requiring additional monitoring, supervision and training. 1 July 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the enjoyment and achievement standard further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:

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Recommendations

 Children’s homes’ staff should seek to identify and provide appropriate opportunities for children to develop themselves in accordance with their wishes and feelings and as part of the home’s plan for their care. Each child’s talents and interests should be understood and nurtured, with children selecting activities based on their personal preferences and abilities, so far as is reasonable. Staff should also support children to try activities that are ‘new’ for them, where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4).

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority home. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

8 March 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

1 December 2015 Full Requires improvement

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Recent inspection history

10 February 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Requires improvement

Young people are making slight progress, but not necessarily as a result of staff intervention. The manager recognises that ‘We are now starting to see positive outcomes but there’s still a long way to go.’ Young people are attending and engaging with education, with one young person only having one day’s absence. Staff attend school meetings. However, the links between school and the home need to be improved in order for staff to understand why there is a clear disparity between behaviour exhibited at school and at the home.

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Requires improvement

Staff are not proactive at engaging young people in engaging with recreational opportunities that are on offer. As a result, young people do not develop relationships with the staff team and miss out on taking part in activities which will provide physical, social and emotional benefits.

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Requires improvement

Some staff distance themselves from young people. This leads to young people not feeling supported or encouraged to build relationships within the home. As a result, young people actively avoid each other and spend significant time away from the home or alone in their bedrooms. This impacts on their ability to build good relationships and develop emotional resilience.

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Requires improvement

Young people do not convey their wishes and feelings to staff, with only one young person attending the weekly meetings. One young person chooses not to participate in decision-making and refuses to voice his opinions, so staff do not know his likes or dislikes. This could result in young people not sharing their concerns.

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Requires improvement

The home is in need of redecoration with evidence of young people damaging the property. This does not provide a caring and warm environment. However, the registered manager is complying with the requirement from the previous inspection and renovation work has commenced. Staff are working with young people to encourage their ideas for redecoration. They are being encouraged to identify colour schemes and furniture to personalise their bedrooms. This will help young people to develop a sense of permanence and belonging.

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Requires improvement

Staff are proactive in engaging with family members to promote and support meaningful contact for young people. One parent reported, ‘The staff care about the support they give my son and myself. Also the staff always make you feel welcome any time I visit the home.’ Some staff have been attempting to engage with the young people with one young person ‘responding well to the nurturing members of staff.’

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Requires improvement

Staff do not understand child development, particularly the impact of insecure attachments on young people’s behaviour. This results in escalating outbursts, with staff unable to manage challenging behaviour.

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Requires improvement

Staff fail to incorporate the strategies highlighted in the detailed behaviour management plans within their practice. As a result, a young person is able to take control during his outbursts. Consequently, this has led to significant damage within the home and on occasion’s results in injuries to staff.

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Requires improvement

In support of young people, staff prevent them from being criminalised by not involving the police; however, given the lack of structure and effectiveness of their responses, there are times that police intervention could be warranted and beneficial.

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Requires improvement

There are a high number of sanctions used to address poor behaviour. Staff do not consistently follow through agreed sanctions. They do not have the confidence to challenge the behaviours of young people. This has led to a lack of boundaries and inconsistent approaches which causes the young person to become confused and unsettled. A young person reports ‘The rules change all the time and I don’t know what I am doing.’

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Requires improvement

Link worker sessions take place, but for one young person, staff miss opportunities for conflict management and use restorative practices to increase his sense of personal responsibility.

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Requires improvement

Records are not detailed and robust. Staff are not accurately recording observations of behaviour and minimise young people’s actions, with no reflection on their response. This makes it difficult to assess any future risks.

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Requires improvement

Anonymous concerns about staff conduct have been raised with the local authority designated officer. An external professional visiting the home also echoes this following observation of staff. These concerns have been taken seriously by the manager and have been investigated through a management review. This has led to additional training, staff supervision and monitoring to improve the situation for young people.

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Requires improvement

There are detailed and individualised risk assessments on file. These are reviewed and amended following staff feedback at team meetings. The registered manager has oversight of these. There have been no missing from care episodes and no child sexual exploitation concerns.

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Requires improvement

The management team are on the panel of the vulnerable young people’s group with other multi-agency personnel, who share intelligence about the area. This provides insight into local trends and issues. This information is passed to the staff team to make them aware of any possible locality concerns. This proactive approach provides further safeguarding to the young people.

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Requires improvement

Staff have received relevant training and demonstrate a good knowledge of the safeguarding and whistle blowing procedures. A complaint by a young person was appropriately responded to and actioned.

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Good

The manager is suitably qualified with an NVQ 4 in caring for children and young people and a certificate in management. She is highly experienced and has extensive social care experience, holding registered manager status of this home since 2009, re-registering in 2013 following new ownership of the home.

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Good

The manager is proactive within the home. She has a good knowledge of the young people, has a visible presence within the home and has a good relationship with the young people. She empowers the team by involving them in decision- making during team meetings.

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Good

New staff have joined the team. There is a robust interview and induction programme in place, with new staff reporting that they feel welcomed by the existing staff team. External recruitment has led to a diverse staff group to provide ‘creativity and ideas’. The new enthusiastic seniors have experience in attachment, intervention work and independent living skills, which will further enhance the staff and ‘upskill the team’. The new staff structure enables more staff reflection on their practice.

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Good

The manager’s and staff’s supervision take place regularly, with annual appraisals completed. Team meetings take place monthly, with evidence of advice sought from other professionals about the young people.

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Good

Following the assessment of staff practice, the manager has been proactive in putting an action plan in place to address staff deficiencies. This includes addressing behaviour management with staff, individually during supervision and collectively at team meetings. Training is booked and advice sought and received from professionals. A team development day is planned to create a more cohesive team approach.

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Good

The manager has implemented new forms, including a behaviour monitoring form after identifying the lack of detail recorded. This will provide detailed and consistent recording within the staff team.

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Good

The manager works with the local authority designated officer and takes appropriate action when needed. She has developed many links with other agencies and professionals and promotes the use of advocates for the young people. An assessment and improvement plan is in place for 2016/2017. Property renovations have commenced, with a detailed plan of work. Efforts are being made to limit any disruption to the young people.

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Good

Monthly regulation 44 independent visits take place and a detailed report gives an opinion as to whether young people are safeguarded.

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Good

Regular fire tests, electrical and health and safety checks provide additional safeguards to staff and young people in 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, but 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, work- based 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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