Children's Home run by Progressive Care Limited in Sheffield

Inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean that children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and their care and experiences are poor and they are not making progress .

p.2

The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Children and young people are not kept safe.  Staff do not work in accordance with the correct procedures when children and young people go missing. Consequently, they are left at risk of significant harm. On occasions, children and young people have returned after being missing with unexplained injuries.  There are insufficient numbers of staff on some shifts, which leaves children and young people vulnerable and at greater risk of harm. In addition, many staff are new, unqualified and lack the skills and experience to manage challenging behaviours.  Admissions agreed by senior managers are not always carried out with sufficient consideration of the needs of the individual or those already living in the home.  Children and young people have poor routines. As a result, some sleep in the day and are awake through the night.  Not all children and young people make progress with their education. Some have very low or no attendance at all.

p.3

The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 Recording of the administration and auditing of controlled drugs is poor. Some staff lack understanding of medication procedures.  Staff supervision does not take place on a regular basis. This leaves staff without time to reflect, and hinders management oversight of care practice.

p.3

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered persons meet 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

Regulation 7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered person must ensure staff:  develop positive relation with them and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (a) and (c)) 29 August

p.4

Requirement Due date

Regulation 11: The positive relationship standard In order to meet the positive relationship standard, the registered person must:  ensure that staff de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (2)(xi)) 29 August

p.4

Requirement Due date

Regulation 12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to children’s and young people’s risk management plans in relation to going missing, the registered person must:  ensure that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking onto account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)) 29 August

p.4

Requirement Due date

Regulation 12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to when children and young people go missing from the home, the registered person must:  ensure that staff take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(vi)). 29 August Regulation 13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must:  ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(c)) 29 August

p.4

Requirement Due date

Regulation 13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must:  ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(d)) 29 August

p.5

Requirement Due date

Regulation14: The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard, with particular reference to ensuring that children’s needs match with others in the home, the registered person must:  ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (2)(a)) 29 August

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home (Regulation 23 (1)). 29 August

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. All supervision notes, including the manager’s, should be made available to staff and the regulatory body. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 29 August

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes a description of the measure and its duration and the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv) and (vii). 29 August

p.5

Information about this children's home

This home provides short-, medium- and long-term placements for children aged 12 to 17 years old. It can accommodate up to eight young people. It aims to support young people towards independence within a safe and managed environment, offering skills to prepare them for independent living. 

p.6

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.6

Recent inspection history

3 February 2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.6

people living in the home are

Staff are not successful in building and maintaining positive relationships with all children and young people in the home. Consequently, some children and young people completely disengage, and staff do not know where they are or what they are doing. There have been instances when children and young people have returned to the home in a dishevelled state, showing signs of substance misuse. Some children and young people’s aggressive and risk-taking behaviour has a significant impact on others in this home. For example, eggs are often thrown at individuals’ bedroom windows and around the outside of the property. This affects some individuals’ sense of safety and well-being. Poor routines result in challenging behaviour taking place throughout the night, disturbing others’ sleep. This has particularly affected some children and young people who have been sitting their examinations. On occasions, they have had to endure excessive noise and fire

p.7

people living in the home are

alarms being set off throughout the night. One young person commented, `They are like vampires. They sleep all day and are up all night.’ Medication procedures are inadequate. Recording of the administration and auditing of controlled drugs is poor. Some staff lack understanding of medication procedures and of the reasons why it is so important that controlled medication has to be recorded accurately. This has the potential to have a significant impact on children’s and young people’s health. Children’s and young people’s educational attendance and achievement vary. One young person has excellent attendance at college and they are making good progress. However, some children and young people have not attended school for a considerable period. Staff are not fully implementing individual education plans. This is not promoting high aspirations for individuals, and it is likely to limit their employment opportunities in later life.

p.7

people living in the home are

Attempts by staff to educate young people about the risks of smoking and substance misuse are ineffective. Four out of five children and young people continue to smoke cigarettes, and some show signs of increasing substance misuse. This is damaging young people’s physical health. Judgement grade

p.7

people are helped and protected

Staff feel unable to keep children and young people safe. One staff member commented, ‘We know we cannot keep them safe. They are never here and we do not know where they are.’ Another professional commented, `We are very concerned for their safety. They are very young.’ Action taken to stop children and young people going missing from home is ineffective. Some children and young people go missing from home for long periods every day. Consequently, they are exposed to significant risk of harm in the community. On occasions, they have returned with injuries such as parts of their teeth missing or bruised eyes. The causes of such injuries are unknown to staff. Additionally, attempts to find children and young people who are missing are inadequate. Search efforts rely on staff using their own car or public transport and their personal mobile phones. However, the majority of those who drive do not have full insurance to transport young people. Consequently, if staff locate missing

p.8

people are helped and protected

children and young people, they cannot transport them home. Those staff who do not drive use public transport. This does not offer the swift response needed to reach areas where children and young people are known to visit. Missing-from-home risk assessments do not provide staff with specific information of exactly where to look for missing children and young people. Known addresses and places where children and young people have been previously found are not clearly linked. As a result, staff searches lack focus and limit their chances of finding individuals. Additionally, risk assessments do not consider the dangers related to children and young people going missing, such as child sexual exploitation. Low levels of staffing, especially during the evening, leave both staff and young people vulnerable to harm. Staff do not always have access to emergency communication to be able to call for help. This has resulted in staff trying to

p.8

people are helped and protected

manage high-risk behaviours alone. For example, on one occasion a member of staff was cornered late at night by a young person and was unable to call for help in a timely manner. When staff have access to the phone, the police are sometimes called to help calm serious incidents. As a result, some children and young people receive charges of criminal damage. Staff use sanctions to manage children’s and young people’s behaviours. However, poor recording of these means that it is unclear how long restrictions are imposed for, or how effective they have been. All children and young people know how to complain. However, they report that they do not feel that their complaints are dealt with appropriately. Because of this experience, they say that they are now reluctant to say anything or to report any concerns that they have.

p.8

leaders and managers

The registered manager has been in post since August 2015. She is appropriately qualified and experienced to undertake this role. The manager is aware of the strengths and areas for development in this service. She makes confident and risk-assessed decisions regarding admissions and the safety of children and young people. However, senior managers do not always accept her opinions. This has resulted in some children and young people being admitted inappropriately. As a consequence, the behaviours of some children and young people have had a significant impact on the emotional well-being and sense of safety and security of others. Over half the staff do not have the required care qualification to meet regulations. Insufficient numbers of staff, at times, and their lack of qualifications and experience, results in children, young people and staff being left in vulnerable situations. Aggressive and destructive incidents are not always well managed as a

p.9

leaders and managers

result of staff not knowing how to de-escalate such behaviours effectively. This also leaves the more experienced staff feeling vulnerable and apprehensive to work the more challenging night shifts. Staff do not receive regular supervision. This leaves staff without opportunities to reflect on their working practice, and it hinders the manager’s oversight of the quality of care. Despite this, all staff report that the manager is approachable and they feel that they can ring her in times of crisis. Additionally, due to senior managers being unable to produce the manager’s supervision records during the inspection, the level of support she is receiving remains unclear. The manager maintains good relationships with social workers and mental health services. She is confident to voice her concerns and to advocate on behalf of children and young people. This home is not operating within its statement of purpose, because children and

p.9

leaders and managers

young people are left potentially unsafe and have poor experiences of care.

p.9

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’.

p.10

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

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or that result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.10

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 that 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 whom 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

p.11

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 .

p.11

Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

p.12

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

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

p.12