Children's home run by Woodlands House (Birmingham) Limited in Wolverhampton

Inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean that children and young people are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

 As a result of this inspection, the home is subject to a restriction, prohibiting new admissions from 15 July 2016 until 25 August 2016.  Inadequate health and safety arrangements do not keep children safe from risk of fire.  Poor environmental safety and maintenance mean that children’s bedrooms and bathrooms are in disrepair.  Inadequate training arrangements mean that untrained and unskilled staff carry out restraint.  Sanctions and restraints are inadequately monitored by the registered manager and the responsible individual. Neither is trained in the home’s preferred system of behaviour management and physical intervention.  Poor implementation of child protection procedures means that there is no conclusion to allegations of poor or dangerous staff practice in restraint, or to concerns about the manager.  Managerial arrangements lack transparency and accountability. Complaints by children about the registered manager and concerns about his

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

interventions are not recorded or managed by the responsible individual.  Notifications about allegations and complaints are not made to Ofsted.  Many records at the home are incomplete, missing, inaccurate, unsigned or undated and therefore cannot be verified as true accounts. Unfamiliar staff do not have a clear history about children or clear guidance.  Staffing arrangements have not delivered consistency of care for children. The registered person has relied on too many agency staff to cover staff shortages.  Staff induction, training and supervision are poor.  The registered person does not carry out thorough recruitment checks on staff, including agency staff.  Inaccurate information in the home’s most recent statement of purpose misleads children, parents and placing authorities.  There is no independent scrutiny of the safety and welfare of children.  Leadership and management of the home are weak. The registered

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The children's home provision is inadequate because:

manager left in October 2015, but has not cancelled her registration with Ofsted. The current manager has applied to register.  A range of internal and external monitoring systems have not been effective in identifying areas where the service had repeatedly not met regulation or those areas of greatest risk.

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The children's home strengths

 Placing authority social workers say that children have achieved stability and are positive about the experience of their children at the home.  Conversations between staff and children demonstrate some good, helpful relationships. Children say they are ‘OK’ at the home.

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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

11. The positive relationships standard In order to meet the positive relationships standard, the registered person must ensure that staff: 2(a)(x) are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; (xi) de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

12. The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff (2)(a) (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; (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 (d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health; and (e) that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is 13/08/2016 monitored regularly.

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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 must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children's home that:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a) is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home's statement of purpose; (b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (e) ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; (g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on (ii) feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. The registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner, which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)(5)) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that no measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. (Regulation 19(1) 13/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20(2)) 13/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order (Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a)) and any 13/08/2016 regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children's home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs and that at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31(1)(2)(a)) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety. They must ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification, by the relevant date. (Regulation 32(1)(4)) 31/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; and that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development, and receives practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(1)(a)(4)(a)(b)) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy, which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children's home from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response; describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. The registered person must keep under review and, as necessary, revise the home's child protection policies. (Regulation 34(1)(2)(d)(e)(f)(6)) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's home. They must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. They must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation 19/08/2016 to a child in the home, a record is made which includes: a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; and the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(1)(a)(2)(3)(a)(iv)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which: include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;ensure that the records are kept up to date; and retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. This relates to staffing records and the rota. (Regulation 37(2)(a)(b)(c) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the registered person considers it appropriate. The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(1)(2)(3)) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; or there is any other incident relating to a child, which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(c)(e)) 13/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider may not appoint a person who has, or has had, a connection with a person working at the home, as an independent person. (Regulation 43(3)(g)(ii)) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure the independent person produces a report about a visit (‘the independent person's report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being. If the independent person becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest (whether under regulation 43(3) or otherwise) after a visit to the home, the 19/08/2016 independent person must include in the report details of the conflict of interest. (Regulation 44(4)(a)(b)(6)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. This review must be sent to HMCI within 28 days and must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(2)(a)(b)(c)(4)(a)(5)) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children's home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of each relevant person. (Regulation 46(1)(2)) 19/08/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if there is any change of director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the organisation. (Regulation 49(e)(ii)) 13/08/2016

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned children’s home is the only one operated by the registered person. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for three children 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

18/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

13/01/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Inadequate

The same group of children had been living at the home since the most recent moved here in October 2015. The dynamic of the group, before the youngest left in late June, was hard for staff to manage. The manager gave notice on the placement because of the disruption to the others. Only two children remain in the home. They do not have good relationships with each other. Staff try to minimise any verbal or physical bullying. They talk to children about bullying as a group and individually. They step in when there is racial abuse. Children have not built up local or school friendships that extend into the life of the children’s home. Their primary relationships are with staff and they not developed independent social lives appropriate to their age. The upstairs of the children’s home is in a poor condition. Children’s bedrooms and bathrooms have been subject to considerable damage, wear and tear. Staff

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Inadequate

removed drawers from a chest in one bedroom after an incident and have not put them back for over two months. This same bedroom has a desk, but no chair, at which to do homework. Children say they must tidy and clean their rooms before they can get Saturday pocket money, but some rooms appear not to have been properly cleaned for some time. Staff do not help young children to keep their clothes and possessions off the floor and to keep their rooms tidy. Belongings are unkempt; clothes, toys and magazines are left in a jumble on the floor and on surfaces. Bedroom blinds are bent, doorframes and plaster are damaged. Children throw wet tissue missiles at the walls and staff do not clear them off; they are hardened to the wall. The children’s telephone for private calls is situated in a downstairs staff area, in an unused shower room. It is not comfortable or welcoming. There is a gaping hole in the wall of the children’s toilet. Taps are not

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Inadequate

securely fixed to the sink. Children do not have readily available soap at the bathroom sinks, so they cannot keep their hands clean after using the toilet. Their toothbrushes are kept on top of dirty tables. Hygiene is seriously compromised. The registered person has begun to remedy the deficits, but children have been living in this most unsuitable accommodation for too long. Despite the state of the home, there are some positive features. Children go away on summer holidays and plan their leisure time with staff, including weekend trips to the cinema, shopping centres and playing on bikes in the local park. Children talk of joining football and athletic clubs, but this has not been successful yet. Staff support the family visiting arrangements planned by the local authority, and children can have their brothers or sisters to visit and play in the large well- equipped, child-friendly garden. Staff share one Muslim young person’s faith and

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Inadequate

take him to the local mosque; they pray together and make sure that he has what he needs. The staff are aware of the cultural differences in religion and respect the young person’s request for religious support from a Pakistani imam. However, there is little evidence of any direct work with other children regarding their ethnic or cultural identity. A social worker commented on the trusting relationships that one child has established with staff when, in previous placements, even engaging with carers was a problem. Another professional said the home, ‘has been really, really good for [X]. They seem to know him really well.’ Another social worker said that despite being moved on, their very young child had started to build attachments and that staff were good at working with his emotional needs. A young person said, ‘To be fair, it’s a good care home now.’ Despite these positive comments that illustrate constructive and helpful aspects of

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Inadequate

staff relationships with children, weaknesses in the quality of the care, the continuing level of risk and inadequate leadership of the service impact negatively on children’s overall welfare.

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Inadequate

Children do not have effective safe care. The registered person is not protecting children from harm in the environment. Children and staff are at risk because fire precautions are not safe. The registered person has not reviewed the fire risk assessment since 2011. Safety is compromised because fire doors do not shut or are damaged and so are not fit for purpose. Chemicals are stored next to a faulty fire door leading to the kitchen. The last professional check of the heat detection system in June 2015 identified that, in case of power failure, more than half the detectors would fail to activate. There is no evidence that the registered person has rectified this. The electrical hard wiring has not been confirmed as safe since 2010, and the check is overdue by three years. One child’s bedroom is not adequately protected from risk of fire and has a loose casing at an electrical socket. There is no fire

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Inadequate

evacuation plan. Not all staff have had fire safety training. The registered manager reported that fire training for agency staff consisted of showing them the front and back door. Young children are at risk from scalding in the bath. The water temperature is not thermostatically controlled or checked and runs too hot. Children are at risk of falling out of unrestricted upper-floor bedroom windows because they open wide. Children are at risk of serious harm because the registered person has not made the home safe. The registered person has not taken timely action to implement the requirement made to improve risk management following the February 2016 inspection. Staff still do not effectively assess the risk of harm. Until May 2016, the risk assessment of one child was a cut-and-pasted document that still contained the name of another child. Newly implemented risk assessment documents are not always clear

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Inadequate

about the history of risk. For example, they lack dates and detail about the history of sexually inappropriate behaviour and so staff do not know whether such behaviours are recent or not. A risk assessment about what to do if one child goes missing is incomplete and does not state who should be contacted if this child goes missing. The current manager has not been effective in ensuring staff update and implement new documentation. High use of agency staff means that unfamiliar, unskilled staff may not understand what they have to do to keep children safe when they are risk of harm. There is a weak safeguarding culture. Staff, including the current manager, have continued to demonstrate poor judgment and unsafe practice in how they manage children’s behaviour. Children have made allegations about being injured during restraint and about staff using non-approved techniques. These safeguarding allegation incidents have been managed jointly with the placing authority, but have

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Inadequate

not been notified to Ofsted. There is no follow up in supervision sessions with staff subject to an allegation and no conclusion of disciplinary suspensions according to the home’s procedures after such allegations. The registered person lacks professional curiosity about the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policy and practice. He does not monitor or review child protection practice against the organisation’s procedures and has not updated the child protection procedures since 2012. There is no record made of any allegation of abuse or neglect, the action taken in response or the follow-up agreed action, as required. There are only email chains of communication on a shared computer, so sensitive information about confidential investigations is available to all staff. The independent visitor does not report on safeguarding matters, only on the physical environment. The registered person does not pick up any safeguarding practice

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Inadequate

issues in their review of the quality of care. The registered person does not monitor the current manager’s untrained practice of physical intervention and behaviour management to make sure that children are safe. The responsible individual and the manager do not understand nor exercise their responsibilities for protecting children. They do not take action when there are concerns about the manager’s use of physical intervention or his interactions with children. For example, a child and two staff raised concerns with the manager that a child had suffered pain during a restraint. There is no record of any action taken in response to this. Behaviour management and the practice of physical intervention continue to be poor. The manager has not implemented a rigorous managerial system to ensure that staff use restraint safely and proportionately as required at the last inspection. Crucially, the manager and some staff are still not trained in the organisation’s

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Inadequate

preferred scheme of behaviour management and physical intervention. Despite this, they take part in, and lead on, restraining children. There is no reference guide for staff about the preferred scheme. Staff who have been trained do not have any certificates to evidence their achievement. The manager reports that the training provider is withholding these documents because the responsible individual has not paid him. Managerial monitoring of behaviour management is ineffective. There is no consistent managerial sign off or qualitative evaluation of how behavioural incidents have been managed or how practice could improve. Neither staff nor children are debriefed after the event, and staff do not offer medical treatment when there has been a concern about injury. Restraint is not always used as a last resort. Escalating numbers of behavioural challenges by children show that the majority of incidents end in restraint. There is

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Inadequate

little evidence in incident records that staff use calming techniques to de-escalate behaviour, or that they understand how to do this. For example, one child’s recent behaviour management plan directs staff to, ‘calm [X] down using restraints.’ The manager does not provide staff with professional guidance, supervision or support after incidents, to help them to manage children’s behaviour better, because he does not have the skill himself. The behaviour policy has not been updated since 2013. It relates to previous legislation and does not advise staff how to promote positive behaviour. Recently introduced behaviour reward charts do not yet show results. Sanctions of children’s negative behaviour are increasing and are largely unrelated to the incidents. They do not help children to learn to regulate their actions and anger. Staff impose bans on the use of console games and leisure activities, or send children to their rooms

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Inadequate

for 90 minutes. The registered person does not evaluate whether such punishments are effective or whether behaviour is improving. The manager said that sanctions were, ‘overused when people can’t be bothered to negotiate with the kids or be the adult in the room.’ Staff are neither skilled nor ready to manage any child who may go missing or may be at risk of child sexual exploitation or self-harm. No young person has gone missing or been exploited in the last twelve months. Some staff have had some training in child sexual exploitation, but none has been trained in how to respond if a young person did go missing or self-harm. Recruitment practice is not robust. The registered person has not assured himself of the suitability of safe recruitment checks of agency staff before they start work. He is not rigorous enough in seeking references from nominated referees. Staff involved in interviewing and making appointment decisions have not been trained

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Inadequate

in safe recruitment practice. For one staff member recruited to this home, the current manager provided an essential reference for someone he has previously worked with. There is no attempt to seek stronger references for applicants with no childcare experience, to vouch for their conduct with children. The organisation does not ask for this information about staff fitness in its reference requests. This poor practice does not keep children safe from adults who may seek to harm them or may not be suitable for the work. These significant systemic weaknesses have the potential to seriously impact on children’s health, safety and well-being.

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Inadequate

This service has never achieved a rating above adequate or requires improvement. At five inspections since the service registered under new company arrangements, in September 2012, there have been common themes of weakness in the areas of  incorrect or out-of-date descriptions of the home’s purpose in documents  poor quality recording  insufficiently rigorous or independent monitoring  poor quality of safeguarding practice  a lack of professional supervision of staff. The last full inspection of the service in June 2015 found that the registered person did not fulfil his statutory safeguarding responsibilities. The registered person did not manage allegations about staff robustly, share safeguarding information or refer allegations about staff to Ofsted. There was a lack of information to evidence support after such allegations and ineffective consideration of risk. Poor child protection procedures did not address conflicts of interest or how to manage

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Inadequate

allegations about managers. Staff did not always listen to children when they complained about bullying. They did not follow children’s plans. Other weaknesses included ineffective and inconsistent sanctions for children, poor maintenance of the home and health and safety risk assessments being overdue. Leadership and management were inadequate. The responsible individual did not supervise or appraise the previous registered manager. Internal and external scrutiny was ineffective, so the registered person was not able to establish the impact that the quality of care had on children’s progress and experience. The last interim inspection in February 2015 found serious concerns about the practice of restraining children face-down, poor risk management, including whether the location is safe, inaccurate information about the home, and poor independent scrutiny. The registered person has not understood or acted on the five regulatory shortfalls

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Inadequate

identified in the last inspection. Despite a change in management in the home, recurrent weaknesses were identified at this inspection. Just prior to this inspection, Ofsted received concerns about the quality of care and leadership at the home. These were considered at this inspection and requirements have been made in relation to several of the issues raised about management of restraint, record-keeping and managerial quality. The registered manager left in November 2015 but has not yet cancelled her registration with Ofsted. A new manager took up post in December 2015. They applied to register with Ofsted in March 2016 but have not yet supplied Ofsted with information about previous employment matters. The number of regulatory shortfalls identified at this inspection make clear that he is unfamiliar with good management practice and the regulations and quality standards necessary to keep children safe, despite

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Inadequate

holding the recognised qualification. The extent of the decline at the home is an indication that the registered person is also not able to secure the change that children need. Staffing arrangements have not provided continuity of care. Staff turnover following the registered manager’s departure means that there are not sufficient skilled permanent staff. Twenty different agency staff have been used over the last six months. There have been occasions when no permanent or trained staff have worked on a shift and there has been no one qualified in first aid. The registered person has recruited five occasional staff to fill regular gaps in the rota because of shortages in the permanent staff team. Of these occasional staff, only one is trained in behaviour management. None has had safeguarding training. Only one has been trained in fire safety and hygienic food preparation. Training is not effectively tailored to the specific needs of the children living in the

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Inadequate

home. Staff, including the manager, undertake tasks for which they are not trained. There has been no good quality safeguarding training. The manager says that he has been too busy to undertake training in the home’s system of behaviour management and physical intervention. Of those staff who should have achieved the required level 3 qualification in working with children, not enough have completed this. Only two of nine staff hold the required qualification. Three others are enrolled but timescales for completion have passed the. Two other occasional staff hold relevant qualifications, but the registered person has not assessed the equivalence of this to the required qualification. Leaders and managers do not provide the right supportive environment for staff. There are scant records of supervision and staff appraisal. There is no formal induction. Staff report starting straight away on shift on their first day. Some staff

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Inadequate

have had no supervision since December 2015. Other staff, who are new, have only had one supervision in three months. Occasional and agency staff are not supervised at all. There is no record of any supervision of the manager by the responsible individual. The manager says that he has lost staff supervision and disciplinary records. Electronic and paper records are unreliable. Records of incident and restraint are not tamper proof and do not meet legal requirements. There is often no record of the duration or type of hold used. It is not clear when a record has been created or who created it. Some records written by the manager of restraints he has carried out have identical wording, indicating that they are cut-and-pasted documents. Electronic records do not assign a digital fingerprint and can be edited. Children’s records are not kept up to date, and many are not signed or dated by the author. Children’s files do not always contain the most recent copy of the child’s statutory

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Inadequate

review, so it is not possible for staff to be clear about any changes to the long and short-term aims for their care. Children’s records of sanctions are not signed by the author or the person authorised to oversee the report. Information is not available to children, now or in the future, if they wish to see their records in later life. Significant records of communication by staff about children’s lives are kept as emails on the home’s computer. Accurate staff records are not in place. The rota is not an accurate reflection of which staff have worked on shift. The manager acknowledges that the shifts he covers are often not marked. It is not possible to know the identity of all staff working on shift, for example agency staff, because the rota shows only first names. Children’s complaints are not managed in a transparent, accountable way in accordance with the organisation’s own policy. There is no record of the complaint,

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Inadequate

by a child, of intimidation by the manager, or the manager’s response, or escalation of this to the responsible individual. Systems for internal and external monitoring do not help the registered person to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home, prevent shortfalls or identify weaknesses. The six-monthly review of the quality of care does not identify patterns, lacks any consultation with stakeholders and has not been sent to Ofsted. It omits any evaluation of difficulties or incidents, draws no learning points and makes no recommendations for improvement. The manager and staff do not understand the principles of care in the home. They do not measure how they are making a positive difference to children’s lives. There is no record of any decisive or effective action after serious incidents or learning about how they can improve children’s experiences. External monitoring is still not compliant with the requirement to set out their

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Inadequate

opinion about children’s safety and well-being. Records of visits omit mention of two significant safeguarding issues and make no suggestions for improvement in respect of children’s declared welfare issues. There is no evidential cycle of managerial response to welfare or safeguarding issues mentioned in reports. The visitor is not independent. He takes part in internal grievance investigations and is related to a member of staff and does not declare this conflict of interest in his report. For example, on two occasions after the last inspection, the visitor made no reference to the allegations by children about unsafe staff causing harm to them. On one of these occasions, the visitor’s relative was directly involved as a witness. Consultation with stakeholders is still not embedded in management reviews. The registered person has not formally consulted with relevant people, such as the police or local children’s mental health and support organisations, about the

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Inadequate

appropriateness and suitability of the home’s location, or as part of the review of the quality of care. The statement of purpose was not sent to Ofsted until after the expiry of the previous requirement deadline date. The updated version in June 2016 was not sent to Ofsted either. The home is still not able to achieve its aims and objectives as set out in that document, because information in it is inaccurate. The statement of purpose gives conflicting information about the ages of children who can live at the home. It incorrectly states that staff can care for children with learning difficulties; they cannot. It indicates, wrongly, that there are teaching staff available at the home and an independent children’s rights worker. It claims to offer, ‘direct work, including therapy and/or counselling’. These services are not available. It refers to out-of-date legislation and a previous inspectorate and

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Inadequate

registered manager. Consequently, parents, placing authorities and children do not have a clear statement of what they can expect. The statement lists a trustee of the organisation, shown to have held an organisational position between the manager and the proprietor. This person has not been notified to Ofsted. A social worker from the single placing authority reported constructive contact between staff and other professionals in the child’s life, such as with school. Another professional described the staff as ‘supportive’ and proactive in providing information and attending meetings about plans. Despite these positive comments, the overall quality of care and management are very poor. There is a demonstrable lack of insight into how the poor quality of care affects the experiences of children. As a result of the serious deficits found during this inspection, Ofsted has imposed a restriction to prevent any further admissions to the home. We will visit during the

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Inadequate

period of restriction to monitor compliance with the notice of restriction. A further full inspection will take place. We will rigorously monitor the home to ensure that improvements are made swiftly and that the regulatory shortfalls are remedied within the set timescales.

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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

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

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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