Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in North Yorkshire

Inadequate

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

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 A long period of instability in the home has affected the daily lives of some young people who live there. An allegation made by one young person against another resulted in one moving to temporary accommodation for safeguarding purposes. However, staying in a succession of holiday homes post investigation is unacceptable and not good for their stability.  The help that young people receive to keep safe works well for some of them. The suitability of the home to meet the needs of some young people is in question due to lack of engagement and declining progress.  Agreed risk management protocol was not followed which led to an unsafe outcome. The provider did not challenge or take decisive action regarding this practice.  The registered manager has not quickly and consistently challenged the local authority or escalated matters to the next senior professional with sustained rigour, to effect prompt changes that are in young people’s best

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The children's home strengths

 Young people benefit from a very caring and committed staff team who go the extra mile to care and support them to reach their full potentials.  Positive and nurturing relationships between staff and young people make young people feel well cared for and valued by the adults who clearly invest in their success.  Staff are responsive to listening to young people and acting on their wishes and feelings.  All young people, with the exception of one, enjoy high levels of school attendance and make steady progress.  The staff team champions young people’s leisure interests, which enriches their lives.  Good behaviour management strategies help young people to control their emotions in ways that are more constructive.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met In order to meet the engaging with the wider system standard, with particular reference to promoting quick, clear and decisive action between the provider and placing authorities, the registered person must ensure that staff - (a) seek to involve each child's placing authority effectively in the child's care, in accordance with the child's relevant plans; (b) seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs; and (c) if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. 10 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard (2) In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular reference to meeting all children's individual needs and ensuring that children are not cared for away from the home for prolonged periods of time, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to - (a) understand and apply the home's statement of purpose; and (b) ensure that staff - (ii) protect and promote each child's welfare; (iv) provide personalised care that meets each child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking account of the child's background. 10 July 2016 7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard (2) In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, with particular reference to continuing to influence young people to engage in health services, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to –

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Requirement Due date

(2) ensure that staff - (i) ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare. 10 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

8: The education standard (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph 1 requires the registered person to ensure - (a) that staff - (i) help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans; (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; (iii) understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; (iv) help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; (v) promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; (vi) maintain regular contact with each child's education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and training and

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Requirement Due date

to maximise the child's achievement; (vii) raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child's education or training provider and the child's placing authority; (ix) help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment; and (x) help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the relevant plans. 10 July 2016 12: The protection of children standard (2)(a) In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to working within the agreed multi-agency and risk management strategies when young people are vulnerable, including from child sexual exploitation and keeping this under regular review, and with reference to staff understanding that the young people’s openness and honesty does not always equate to them effecting change and can

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Requirement Due date

increase risk, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure (a) that staff - (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; (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; and (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. 10 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard (1) In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to challenging staff practice that falls outside of agreed multi-agency safeguarding strategies, the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children's home that - (b) promotes their welfare. 10 July 2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard (2) In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to young people living for extended periods in temporary accommodation and to the staff team’s effective application of their knowledge to the complex needs of 10 July 2016 the young people in their care in order to keep them safe, 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; and (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation – must include details of— the matter; the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter. (Regulation 40(5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)). Specifically, ensure close attention to the timeliness, quality and level of detail in each notification. 10 July 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent visitor must make 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 children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home's support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills, such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. ('Guide to children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Information about this children's home

A private company operates this children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

29 March 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

16 March 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Inadequate

This inspection was prompted by a serious concern that has been notified to Ofsted. Although the inspection findings show notable progress in some young people’s outcomes, the shortfalls have had a significant impact on aspects of their overall experience and progress. A period of instability in the home over recent months has affected the daily lives of some young people This is the result of a serious allegation within the home. Temporary placement arrangements were made, which included several moves over an eight week period, while an investigation took place. This affected the peer dynamics in the home. In addition, the differences of opinion between the provider and placing local authorities have prolonged the situation. This is despite the outcome of the investigation, several weeks previously, which recommended no further action. The significant delay has not been young people’s best interests.

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Inadequate

The provider has not challenged the local authority effectively, through escalating its concerns to reach a timely and satisfactory conclusion. This has affected the group dynamics while giving young people a level of power and control in the home. Most young people are making good progress with the exception of those whose progress has significantly declined since admission. Despite the implementation of individual high-quality care plans and staff support, their continued engagement in risk-taking behaviours has a negative impact on their experiences. This includes their resistance to engage fully with staff and some external agencies. Furthermore, staffs perception of open and honest relationships with specific young people has not always equated to effecting change and decreasing the known high risks. Further compounded is the placing authority’s indecisiveness and lack of clarity in relation to those young people’s future plans. The provider is

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Inadequate

currently addressing this matter with the local authority, to ensure services and protection that meet young people’s complex needs. Not all young people are engaging in the learning opportunities made available to them. This has an impact on their ability to achieve their full potential and is a significant decline from their starting point, which showed promise in both education and work placements only several months previously. Those young people in education placements enjoy high levels of school attendance and make steady progress. Staff value education and have great expectations for all young people to meet their targets and goals. Staff have a good knowledge of young people’s education progress and they work effectively with education providers and other agencies to ensure that they continue to support the young people. This includes those young people who experienced some difficulties in school, but have been well supported by the joint strategies

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Inadequate

that help to maintain their regular attendance. Some young people prefer to spend time in friendship groups that may not be a positive influence or safe choice for them. This has led to concerns about issues of a criminal nature and exposed them to child sexual exploitation. Staff interventions have been ineffective. The staff team champions young people’s leisure interests. Young people’s access to facilities in the local area and further afield enables their participation in activities that enrich their lives. Good contact arrangements between young people and their families reinforce their identity needs and help them to stay in touch. This is well facilitated and supported by the staff team. Most young people attend their routine health appointments. This is with the exception of those young people whose health needs remain unmet due to their refusal to engage with health professionals. This is despite staff encouragement

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Inadequate

and support to ensure the proper assessment and treatment that meet their holistic needs. While young people develop good independence skills, not all are motivated and need regular prompting. This is especially relevant for those young people who prioritise risky and criminal behaviours over their readiness to acquire skills to live an independent and safe lifestyle. The young people sufficiently trust staff to disclose information that they know will be acted on. However, the lack of clarity with respect to staff imposing boundaries and understanding about young people’s openness and honesty does not always equate to them affecting change, and has led to exploitative situations. Positive and nurturing relationships between young people and staff make young people feel well cared for and valued by the adults who invest in their success. Staff want the young people to make the best of the opportunities available to

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Inadequate

them. One young person described staff as being, ‘alright’. Comments in young people’s feedback are positive, for example, ‘Staff are good to me and help me go to places I like.’ Staff listen to young people’s wishes and feelings and act on them. A staff member said, ‘They have lots of input regards this being their home. They choose their own decoration for their rooms with items like bedding and posters. We have weekly children’s meetings so they can express anything they feel strongly about. It’s quite often they have no grumbles or points for the staff meetings as they are happy here.’ A young person said, ‘Yeah, staff are good at listening.’ Young people know how to express their concerns about their care and treatment but do not have cause to make complaints. Good routines and boundaries help young people to self-regulate their moods. A positive side effect is the reduced damage around the home. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘This young

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Inadequate

person is learning to modify his behaviours and control his temper. He uses strategies to deal with his emotions.’

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Inadequate

The majority of missing-from-care incidents relate to one young person who is at high risk of child sexual exploitation. Staff understand the risks because the comprehensive risk management strategies and other communication systems inform them. However, not all child sexual exploitation risks have been effectively managed. This includes a recent incident involving action taken by staff that did not comply with the agreed risk management protocols and led to the serious sexual exploitation of a young person. The repercussion of this concerning incident shows no evidence of meticulous challenge by the registered manager or placing authority social worker to the home. It also calls into question the staff member’s understanding of the insidious and complex nature of child sexual exploitation and of how their practice could help or hinder risk. This undermines the tireless efforts made by the staff team to actively discourage young people from absenting

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Inadequate

themselves and the persistent lengths that they go to, to find them. However, the detailed information collated by staff and shared with the police and the young person’s placing authority creates a source of useful intelligence that serves to disrupt situations, for example, the issuing of child abduction warning notices. Young people say that they feel safe in the home and confirm that staff talk to them about keeping themselves safe. This concurs with their key-work sessions. However, this is contrary to the findings that clearly demonstrate that not all young people’s needs can be safeguarded. There have been several incidents that have not consistently kept young people safe. A staff member said that they are, ‘floundering to know how to keep [name] safe.’ An imminent strategy meeting intends to address the issues currently having an impact on their placement, care, safety and welfare needs. Staff have an understanding of safeguarding and the reporting of concerns. For

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Inadequate

example, the handling of a peer-on-peer disclosure ensured the safety of young people involved. The effective handling of an e-safety concern and the additional support improves the young people’s sense of safety, because through direct work with an external specialist agency, they understand how their behaviour can leave them vulnerable to child sexual exploitation. Staff training helps them to respond appropriately to challenging behaviour. This includes training in the use of safe restraint, although restraint is not regularly used. This demonstrates that the strategies staff are using are effective in diffusing difficult situations. A staff member said, ‘My behaviour management training has helped me with situations where young people have been in crisis. Calming voices and planned ignores or just a change of face to a different staff member help them come back to a baseline.’ Staff support young people involved with criminal activity

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Inadequate

by helping them to attend youth offending appointments and to engage with their workers. Recruitment practices are good and help to prevent unsuitable adults from being able to work with young people in this home. Since the last inspection, there have been no reported allegations made against staff. Regular checks on the fire equipment and gas and electrical appliances ensure suitably safe health and safety systems that keep everyone safe.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced and leads a staff team that respects her. She has been registered with Ofsted since January 2010 and has a history of providing strong leadership and management. The manager has an in-depth knowledge of young people’s individual needs and progress. This is due to her hands-on practice, care and commitment towards the young people. However, the registered manager has not quickly or consistently challenged the local authority, or escalated matters with sustained rigour to effect prompt changes that are in young people’s best interests. Consequently, a negative impact on the young people’s experiences, care and protection has emerged. For instance, a number of placement moves on the back of an allegation has led to unnecessary drift. The safety of young people at risk of actual child sexual exploitation cannot be guaranteed. Consequently, their declined

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Requires improvement

engagement has led to the placement becoming fragile. Furthermore, it is not clear how the manager has addressed the lack of compliance with the agreed risk management strategies that led to an unsafe outcome with the staff involved. It is, therefore, unclear whether this could happen again, and these concerns are at odds with the home’s statement of purpose. Not all significant events notified to Ofsted have been sent with full attention to timeliness, quality and level of detail. This does not promote transparent practice and has hindered Ofsted from carrying out its safeguarding duties effectively and in a timely manner. The manager’s comprehensive monitoring systems show that she understands the strengths and most weaknesses of the service. These include the challenges made about the quality of the new independent visitor’s reports that do not yet provide robust scrutiny of care practices. Despite some of the frustrations and challenges

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Requires improvement

faced by the manager and staff team, high levels of management and peer support keep the staff team buoyant and resilient. A staff member said, ‘I love my job at [Name of the home]. It’s very child focussed. I feel very supported by my team mates. The manager is very supportive and always available day or night if I need her.’ Regular supervision enables staff to reflect on their practice. One staff member reported, ‘It’s good to see what you are doing well and what you need to improve on. It can be reviewed again in the next supervision.’ Staff highly value the regular communication mechanisms that keep them well appraised about young people’s progress. A member of staff said, ‘We have a close and strong bonded staff team and we all work together with all staff. This is excellent for communication as we are open with each other.’ Regular training opportunities keep staff knowledge current and informs their

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Requires improvement

practice. Staff attain recognised childcare qualifications and undertake training courses, such as anti-radicalisation, e-safety and self-harm. Further training relating to the prevention of child sexual exploitation is due to be delivered to the team by the police within the next few days. Staff embrace this learning and development because they are keen to improve their practice. However, it is important that staff apply their knowledge effectively to the complex needs of the young people in their care to keep them consistently safe. The feedback from professionals indicates that the quality of relationships between them and the staff team are generally positive and that communication is good. This enables the team to work collaboratively with other agencies. A professional stated, ‘They do work with the social worker and have contact with the independent reviewing officer when required. They have made a good home for

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Requires improvement

the young person and he has improved his behaviours.’

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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 that result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference 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

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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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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