Children's home in Buckinghamshire

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:

 There has been no registered manager in place for over six months.  The staff’s efforts to obtain outstanding information and documentation for young people are poor resulting in them having lack of awareness of the care plans  Managers do not effectively challenge decisions that may not be in the young people’s best interests.  Young people do not have keys for the locks on their bedroom doors; this limits their access to privacy.  Young people do not have access to an independent visitor.  The training records for the staff reflect gaps in important areas, such as autism, fire safety and radicalisation.  Monthly reporting by the independent visitor is not robust, and fails to point out key areas for improvement.  Supervision records for the staff do not reflect their views and opinions.

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The children’s home’s strengths

 The young people have developed positive, trusting relationships with the staff.  All young people attend education regularly, and some go on to earn college qualifications.  The young people engage in purposeful activities, on-site and in the community.  Safe and organised contact arrangements with significant others are in place for the young people.  All risk assessments for the young people offer quality guidance to the staff.  There is an established relationship with the police that allows them to respond sensitively to any behaviour of young people that is beyond staff control.  Recruitment of new staff is done safely, involving a detailed process of verifying information.  The home is undergoing improvements to the interior to make it more welcoming for the young people.  The new manager is experienced, competent and places the young people first while making positive changes.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

5. Engaging with the wider system to ensure that children’s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the engaging the wider system standard, with particular reference to placing social workers sharing information and undertaking their duties to young people, the registered person must ensure: (c) that if the registered person or staff consider a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, that they challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to ensure that the child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. 20 October

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Requirement Due date

7. The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, with reference to providing an independent visitor, the registered person must ensure that each child: (2)(b)(iii) is given appropriate advocacy support. 20 October

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised. (Regulation 21 (b) (c) (iii). 20 October

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home. (Regulation 27 (1)). 20 October

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Requirement Due date

A copy of any plan for the care of the child prepared by the child’s placing authority, and of the placement plan. This refers to the pathway plans for young people. (Regulation 36, Schedule 3 (19)) 20 October

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Ensure staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. This refers to training for radicalisation and first aid. The registered person should ensure the skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the workforce plan. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)

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Recommendations

 Ensure any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Recommendations

 Ensure the registered person works with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and helps the child to prepare for leaving, both practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to care for eight children and young people in two linked cottages. The home is situated on the same site as a school. Both services are provided by a national voluntary organisation. The school provides education for those in the residential setting, as well as for day pupils. The home offers residential care for children and 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

11 January 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

6 February 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Requires improvement

The absence of a manager and the lack of consistent leadership has affected stability within the home for a short period. This was corrected when a new manager was appointed three months ago. The quality of care provided to the young people has improved in several areas. The young people continue to be safe and have good relationships with the staff.

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Requires improvement

The young people have made reasonable progress whilst residing in the home. One young person has been admitted to the home since the last inspection, while others have resided in the home for almost two years. The staff are meeting the individual needs of the young people. One young person is being supported well in his upcoming transition to semi-independent living. Some young people exhibit improvements in their overall development and behaviours.

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Requires improvement

The staff practice of chasing placing social workers for overdue documentation and information in relation to the young people is weak. A young person did not have a pathway plan on file, nor was he aware of where he would be transitioning to in a matter of days, due to limited contact with his social worker. This caused a high level of anxiety for the young person that was managed by staff without any formal intervention, such as appointing an independent person or escalating the matter on behalf of the young person.

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Requires improvement

All young people have their own bedrooms, but they are not able to access their bedrooms without a member of staff unlocking their door. No keys have been provided for the young people, which restricts their access to their personal area.

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Requires improvement

Record keeping for the young people has improved significantly. Files are orderly and well maintained, containing key documents, such as care plans and looked after review minutes. The care plans are reviewed and updated accordingly. The staff attend review meetings and ensure that the young person’s views are known.

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Requires improvement

Young people’s meetings are now being held regularly which obtain their views of the care being provided to them individually and as a group. Young people understand their rights and know how to complain. Their ability to express their views has been central to their progress so far.

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Requires improvement

The majority of the young people attend the educational provision attached to the home. They benefit from the daily communication held between the home and school staff in the handover meetings, promoting consistency in their care. Young people who have historically had poor engagement in education have gone on to obtain a qualification from college.

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Requires improvement

The health needs of the young people are met in accordance with their care plans, and specialised assistance is sought whenever it is needed. For example, referrals are made to the local child and adolescent mental health service and followed up to ensure that there is a prompt response. Some young people have joined a fitness club to improve their overall conditioning. During the inspection, several staff were observed transporting young people to and supporting them at various medical appointments.

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Requires improvement

A wide selection of group and individual activities are available to the young people on-site and in the community. On-site, young people can explore the 22 acres, complete with a farm, football pitch and skate park. There has been an increase in the positive interaction of the young people with each other. They are developing social skills and a sense of belonging.

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Requires improvement

Some young people have maintained and improved their relationships with their parents and significant others, even when they reside a considerable distance from home. A young person recently travelled by plane to have contact with a parent who lives out of the country. The staff assessed the arrangements and supported the young person to develop the confidence for his journey. This is an example of staff providing the young people with opportunities to undertake age-appropriate risks.

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Good

The staff are competent in their abilities to safeguard the young people. The welfare of the young people is essential in all staff practice. Young people are supported to keep themselves safe from harm while learning the implications of their actions.

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Good

Thorough risk assessments are in place for all young people. The assessments offer guidance to the staff on how to manage young people at different stages in their behaviour. There was one significant incident on record involving the negative behaviour of a young person. Police assistance was requested due to staff not being able to intervene safely when his behaviour became a risk to himself and others.

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Good

The neighbourhood officer said, ‘Myself and several of my colleagues have good working and communication with the staff. We are able to deal with incidents in a sensible manner bearing in mind the complex needs of the young people.’ The young people were observed to be comfortable in the presence of staff. Their positive relationships with staff allow their behaviour to be managed without compromising their safety. Clear and consistent boundaries are in place for the young people. This effective practice has resulted in an absence of physical interventions being undertaken by the staff.

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Good

There have been no incidents of the young people going missing. The staff have a good knowledge of the procedures that need to be undertaken should an incident occur.

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Good

The process of recruiting new staff is robust, and places the safeguarding of the young people as a priority. Information provided by potential staff is reviewed and verified, resulting in safe recruitment practices for the staff working with the young people.

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Good

Young people enjoy the premises safely. Routine monitoring of health and safety checks ensures that the home is physically safe and secure. All fire and maintenance checks are completed and documented. It is not clear from training records if all staff are up to date on fire safety and first aid. The staff and young people are aware of the fire procedure and what action to take in the event of a fire.

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Good

The staff receive annual safeguarding training and are able to access information electronically. They have yet to undertake training on radicalisation, which is currently being scheduled by the manager.

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Inadequate

The inability of the service to appoint a registered manager within timescale has resulted in an inadequate judgment for the leadership and management. The process of registration has yet to be started, despite a new manager being recruited in March 2016.

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Inadequate

There have been no formal complaints. The requirement made at the last inspection pertaining to formally documenting all complaints has been met.

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Inadequate

Management is not robust in its efforts to challenge placing authorities on behalf of the young people when they disagree with decisions made. This has resulted in the goals for some young people ‘lingering’ and their care drifting away from specified goals.

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Inadequate

The independent visitor has not been consistent, due to the person changing on several occasions over the past year. The monthly reports that have been reviewed did not address the importance of the home having a registered manager in post, nor the implications should the regulation not be met.

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Inadequate

A supportive environment is being provided to the staff team by management. Mandatory team meetings are held regularly, providing reflective group discussions for the staff. Supervision is being provided for all staff in a timely manner. They are able to discuss their work with the young people while being provided with areas for development. An improvement should be made to the records of supervision sessions to ensure that the views of staff are documented, reflecting their opinion on what was discussed.

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Inadequate

The level of training completed by the staff was difficult to understand, due to the training matrix not being up to date. They have completed basic training and were hired with some existing skills. However, their training to work with autistic children has not been refreshed or updated.

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Inadequate

This is the first time that the manager has worked in a children’s home. She has numerous years of experience in management and has worked extremely hard on improving the service. She has brought stability to the home while improving staff morale. The staff speak very highly of the changes that have been implemented in improving the service for the young people. A long-standing staff member said, ‘she is well organised and fair, and places the safety and needs of the children and young people first.’

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Inadequate

The strengths and areas for improvement identified during the inspection were well received by the manager. She understands the needs of the young people and understands the challenges of improving the service for them. Two noticeable changes are the incorporation of research into staff practice and the improvements to the interior decoration of the home.

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Inadequate

The statement of purpose has recently been updated to reflect the changes to the staff team and all other changes made to the service. It comprehensively sets out the ethos of the home that is currently being met by the staff. Children’s guides are available for all the young people.

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Inadequate

A goal of the manager is to familiarise herself with the professionals to contact in the area. She has attended several conferences alongside the local authority commissioners in the hope of building links. A placing social worker stated, ‘The staff keep me informed and we work well together.’

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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, 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

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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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