Children's Home run by Oracle Care Limited in Central Bedfordshire

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:

 Not all risks assessments are up-to-date and some risks have not been assessed.  A serious notification had not been reported accurately or comprehensively recorded.  Monitoring systems are in place but have not been used effectively to ensure that continuous improvements of care practice are monitored and acted upon.  Young people know how to complain, but complaints are not always acknowledged or completed within the required timescales.  Staff have not received regular supervision since the last inspection.  There has not been a stable staff team in place since the last inspection.  The young people’s guide needs to outline the day-to-day routine for young people living in the home.  Staff do not celebrate young people’s achievements in a way that shows them that staff think that they are important.  Not all staff have completed their national vocational qualification within the required timescales. 

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are not always listened to or acted upon. Feedback is not obtained from young people’s meetings.  Placement plans are not up to date and, in some cases, lack information. Young people have not signed or commented on these.  Key-work sessions have been sporadic and are not always completed as an action following an incident.

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The children's home strengths

 Education attendance for young people is excellent and two young people have completed their GCSEs.  The young people say that they are happy living in the home and that they can talk to staff if they are worried or upset.  Staff challenge young people’s negative behaviours and support them in looking at more positive ways of regulating their behaviours.  Staff have a good relationship with the young people, and know and understand their individual needs.  Young people are supported and encouraged to attend clubs in the community to build social skills.  The home is undergoing building work and redecoration. Young people are involved in choosing the decoration for the home and are having their bedrooms redecorated.

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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 ‘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

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

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the views wishes and feelings standard, the registered person must: (2)(a) ensure that staff— (ii) help each child to express his or her views, wishes and feelings; and (iv) regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. 30/08/16

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development and receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)) 30/08/16

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records for each child as listed in Schedule 3 in particular ensure that clear records are made of the date and circumstances of all incidents where a child goes missing from the home, including any information relating to the child’s whereabouts during the period of absence, and in particular to ensure that records are consistently, accurately and comprehensively recorded. (Regulation 36(1)(a)) 30/08/16

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) (‘the level 3 diploma’) or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the level 3 diploma. The relevant date is, in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls two years after the date on which the 30/08/16 individual started working in a care role in a home; or, in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32(2)(a), (3)(b),

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person is required to: (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 22/08/16

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. This is with particular regard to following up fully any complaint made by a young person. (Regulation 39(3)) 22/08/16

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person is required to: (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (f) that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. 22/08/16

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure: (2)(a) (v) that staff understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. 22/08/16

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 The children’s guide should help children understand the day-to-day routines of the home, and what care they can expect to receive while living in the home. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)  The registered person must achieve continuity of staffing so that children’s attachments are not overly disrupted, including ensuring that the employment of any temporary staff will not prevent children from receiving the continuity of care that they need, with specific reference to building a stable staff team so that young people can build and sustain good quality relationships. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)  Regulations 35 to 39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date. This is relation to young people’s placement plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  Ensure the homes staff should recognise and celebrate the achievements of their children ( Guide to the Children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.7)  Children’s home staff should take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgements based on the individual child’s needs and developmental-stage about when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. This is in relation to staff reassessing and updating risk assessments.( Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)  Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, with particular regard to key working sessions. (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this children's home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. All young people can access the linked school provision. A private company owns and operates this setting.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

22 March 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

25 March 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Requires improvement

There have been some significant changes in the home during the past few months. There have been several staff changes within the home making it difficult for young people being able to build and maintain positive relationships with staff. The registered manager has left and the deputy, who is new to the service, has been appointed as the interim manager. Young people commented that they like him and that he is getting things sorted. The two seniors have also recently been appointed and are supporting the interim manager. A more permanent staff team is now in place to provide the young people the stability of a consistent team.

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Requires improvement

There is a young people’s guide that informs them of the running of the home and how they can complain, but there is no information on the day-to-day routine for the young people leaving young people uncertain of what the expectations of the staff are.

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Requires improvement

Staff understand the importance of recognising young people’s positive behaviours and achievements, and these are recorded on positive outcome forms. Staff do not actively celebrate young people’s achievements. They are beginning to think of ideas about how they can do this and be able to use them to form a scrapbook of their time at the home.

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Requires improvement

Staff support young people to attend weekly meetings to discuss plans, activities and to obtain their views about the house. Staff reported that they took these back to the manager so that feedback could be given. This did not happen and young people felt that their requests or views were ignored. Young people commented that the interim manager has already ‘sorted out the television and furniture for bedrooms’. Staff commented that the young people can see changes happening, and this supports them to feel listened to and valued. The interim manager commented that he is keen for young people to have more of a say in the running of the home and for their views to be listened to. This will support young people in having a stronger sense of belonging.

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Requires improvement

The home is in the process of having a new kitchen-diner built. Young people are looking forward to this being completed and say that it will be the central part of the home. The house will be redecorated during the summer, including the young people’s bedrooms. Staff have fully involved them in choosing the decor and furnishing for the house, and they have been encouraged and supported to personalise their bedrooms. The young people have built positive relationships with staff who know and understand their individual needs. Young people say that they like living in the home and could identify staff whom they could speak to if they were worried or upset. A young person commented, ‘My key worker is brilliant and is always helping me. I can tell him anything.’

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Requires improvement

Staff understand the importance of attending education. The interim manager has built good links with the school and staff will attend school trips to support the young people. Young people have excellent school attendance. Two young people have completed their GCSEs and one has a college placement for September. The headteacher reported that ‘Communication has significantly improved and home and school are working together. A young person from the home was being bullied by another pupil. We worked closely with the home to support him and resolve the issue. I have every confidence that the interim manager will take concerns seriously.’

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Requires improvement

The young people are offered a wide variety of activities both in the home and in the community. All the young people are supported in attending separate clubs such as youth club, football and trampolining. This shows that staff give young people the opportunity to develop individual interests and hobbies, and develop their social skills.

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Requires improvement

Staff understand the importance of contact for young people and their families. Young people attend contact in line with the placing authority’s care plan, supported by staff where appropriate. Staff are aware that contact for some young people can be difficult and are more vigilant on their return so that they are able to support them if necessary.

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Requires improvement

Staff spoken to have a good understanding of the young people and the reasons why they are living at the home. A young person spoken to knew the reasons why he was in care and said that he was able to discuss this with his key worker.

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Requires improvement

The young people are supported to learn independence, taking into account their age, understanding and abilities. Each young person cooks a meal during the week for everyone in the house. They also help staff with the weekly food shop. A young person who is due to move into semi-independence has been completing a programme of independence with his key worker. He commented ‘My keyworker helps me plan my menu and budget, I am getting really good now and think I will be ok when I move’. Staff understand the importance of giving young people the skills they need to live independently.

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Requires improvement

The young people are fit and healthy, and are registered with the local GP, dentist and optician. Staff support them in attending all routine health checks and any specialist appointments such as hospital visits. All young people have had a health assessment by the Looked after nurse. Staff promote the young people in understanding their heath needs and being able to make appointments as part of their independence.

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Requires improvement

There are good links with the local police community support officer, who visits the home to encourage the young people to build positive relationships with the police.

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Requires improvement

The young people know how to complain, but in some instance the response by the manager has not been within a reasonable timescale. Some young people have not had the opportunity to comment or sign to say that they are happy with the outcome. This means that staff have no record to say that the young people are satisfied with the outcome or wishes to take it further.

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Requires improvement

Risk assessments are in place, but not all risks have been reassessed. A young person who has recently been given more free time in the community, however, the risk assessment in place still has a risk assessment for two hours of free time. This does not provide staff with up to date information of the risks and protocol if he does not return in order to safeguard him.

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Requires improvement

A young person who is at risk of self-harm has a protocol in place for staff to follow. This includes searching his room twice a day for potential items that can be used. This is in agreement with the social worker. Staff did not follow this and the young person was taken to school after self-harming, which was not picked up on by staff at the home. The school staff noticed that he had a deep cut across his knuckles as soon as he walked in and reported this to the manager. The responsible individual is in the process of investigating why staff did not follow protocol.

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Requires improvement

Staff believe that individual young people need to be able to learn to understand and manage some risks themselves, according to their age, understanding and ability, so that they can have the same opportunities as their peers. Staff report that young people have not been able to do this, but the interim manager is working with them to see how it can be achieved while still safeguarding the young people.

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Requires improvement

Young people who go missing from the home are reported to the police, in line with their care plan and risk. A notification of a young person who went missing was sent to Ofsted, but the information and robustness were not adequate and did not outline a serious risk. Without comprehensive and factual information external professionals are unable to assess whether young people are adequately safeguarded. Staff work well with the local police. A protocol has been implemented by the police for a vulnerable young person who can put himself at risk when he goes missing. Police regularly visit the home to ensure that the plan does not need amending or updating. An appropriate restraint has been put on his window and waking night staff are in place until an alarm can be fitted to his bedroom window. Staff are aware of the triggers that can lead him to go missing and will use different distractions to keep him engaged to reduce risks and further safeguard

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Requires improvement

Staff have attended all relevant safeguarding training, including ‘Prevent’, and are vigilant around the young people. This supports staff to understand young people’s vulnerabilities and potential risks.

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Requires improvement

Staff understand the importance of reinforcing boundaries and challenging young people appropriately. They have reflective conversations with them to discuss behaviours to support them in being able to learn to manage these themselves.

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Requires improvement

There have been no physical interventions since the last full inspection. Young people have good behaviour management plans in place which outline triggers. Staff use a range of defusing techniques to prevent the need to hold young people.

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Requires improvement

Staff understand the issues around the internet. A young person was on the internet and using a chat room to speak to another vulnerable young person. Staff worked with him around the inappropriate use of the internet and he drew up a contract with staff. One young person also completed e-learning. Young people use their school log-in and each setting is set to the young person’s level of understanding and risk. Young people are monitored when on the home’s computer.

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Requires improvement

All medication is stored correctly and recorded, and consent for medical treatment is on file.

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Requires improvement

Recruitment is robust, and all checks are completed and verified before staff can begin to work at the home.

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Requires improvement

The home was without a registered manager for some considerable time. Within two weeks of the manager receiving her registration, she had resigned from the organisation. The deputy, who is new to the organisation, is acting manager and an experienced location manager is supporting him. The organisation is actively looking to recruit a new manager. There was one requirement and one recommendation from the last inspection. The requirement is in the process of being completed, but the recommendation was not met and will be repeated.

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Requires improvement

The headteacher of the organisations school had put in several complaints to the manager regarding young people coming into school with holes in their shoes, uniforms that need replacing as well as a lack of packed lunches. Due to no improvement in this situation, she took this to a formal complaint. The interim manager has responded and uniforms and shoes were replaced. Staff check the uniforms when young people come home from school to ensure that the young people have the appropriate school uniform for the following day. The headteacher reported that there has been a vast improvement in how young people are dressed for school, and all arrive with an appropriate packed lunch.

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Requires improvement

The young people have placement plans in place, but not all information is current. Some of these are also sparse and do not give a good insight into the young person. Only one young person has signed his placement plan, even though the plan had not been updated. Staff undertake some key work sessions with young people, however, records are not consistently maintained. Without clear records progress of young people is unclear.

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Requires improvement

There have been significant staff changes since the last inspection and staff have received limited supervision. One member of staff spoken to reported that he could not remember the last time that he had supervision. The deputy manager did not receive supervision or an induction from the manager and a new team leader has not received supervision. Senior staff are aware, and an induction for the acting manager is now in place. Staff spoken to said that they did not find supervision a positive experience in the past, but have confidence that this will improve.

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Requires improvement

Staff reported that they feel they have not been able to have shared ownership of their work with young people, and have not had the support and guidance from the manager. They report that morale at the home has been low but, since the appointment of the deputy to interim manager, things have started to improve and that they feel supported and valued.

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Requires improvement

Only half of the staff team has completed the national vocational qualification level 3, leaving half outstanding. Although they have been registered, they have been working with young people for over two years and therefore do not meet the requirement to have achieved the appropriate qualification within the required timescale.

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Requires improvement

There are monitoring systems in place which track young people’s progression, patterns and trends. Unfortunately, these have not been updated for several months, making it difficult to monitor care practice.

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Requires improvement

Staff report that staff meetings took place, but felt that these were used inappropriately to ‘have a go’ at staff and not as a support. However, staff reported that the clinical meetings have supported them in working with and successfully being able to support young people with behaviours and feelings. Staff report that if they have any worries or concerns about young people, they can email the clinical team and it responds quickly with advice. This means that staff can put strategies in place without having to wait for the next meeting.

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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’. 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 looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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 ‘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 0300 123 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 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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