Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Stockport

Require 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:

 Previous management arrangements lacked rigour and efficiency. There has been a lack of management oversight and development of the service, and a failure to support young people to make progress.  Young people are not consistently encouraged to express their views and opinions about the quality of care they receive.  Emergency placements are not consistently and carefully planned.  Staff do not ensure that children‟s case records are up to date. Important documents such as healthcare plans and up-to-date risk assessments are missing.  Staff do not offer practical help and support to young people to develop their independence skills.  Young people‟s safety within the community has not been promoted. Staff have failed to assess risks adequately.  Key-working sessions are poor. They do not link with young people‟s care plans and they do not offer young people ongoing emotional support.

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The children’s home’s strengths

 Senior managers of the home have swiftly identified the areas of weakness and shortfalls and have implemented an action plan.  Senior managers have quickly addressed poor performance via their disciplinary procedures.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the „Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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The quality and purpose of care standard

6.—(1) The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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The quality and purpose of care standard

(a) understand the children‟s home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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The quality and purpose of care standard

(b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‟s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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The quality and purpose of care standard

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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The quality and purpose of care standard

(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

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The quality and purpose of care standard

(vi) help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult 25/08/2016

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The education standard

8.—(1) The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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The education standard

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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The education standard

(a) that staff— 25/08/2016 (i) help each child to achieve the child‟s education and training targets, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans

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The enjoyment and achievement standard

9.—(1) The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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The enjoyment and achievement standard

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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The enjoyment and achievement standard

(iii) make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community 25/08/2016

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The positive relationships standard

11.—(1) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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The positive relationships standard

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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The positive relationships standard

(i) meet each child‟s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child‟s relevant plans;

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The positive relationships standard

(ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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The positive relationships standard

(vi) help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child‟s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful 25/08/2016

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The protection of children standard

12.—(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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The protection of children standard

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 25/08/2016 (a) that staff—

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The protection of children standard

(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;

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The protection of children standard

(iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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The protection of children standard

(v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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The protection of children standard

(vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare

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The leadership and management standard

13.—(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that—

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The leadership and management standard

(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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The leadership and management standard

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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The leadership and management standard

(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;

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The leadership and management standard

(c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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The leadership and management standard

(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;

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The leadership and management standard

(g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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The leadership and management standard

(ii) feedback on the experiences of children, including 25/08/2016 complaints received

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The care planning standard

14.—(1) The care planning standard is that children—

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The care planning standard

(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home; and

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The care planning standard

(b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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The care planning standard

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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The care planning standard

(f) that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. 25/08/2016

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Appointment of manager

27.—(1) The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children‟s home if—

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Appointment of manager

(a) there is no registered manager in respect of the home 25/08/2016

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Children’s case records

36.—(1) The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Children’s case records

(a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Children’s case records

(c) are signed and dated by the author of each entry. 25/08/2016

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The accommodation includes two flats for semi-independent living. The provider is a large, private limited company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

09/02/2016 Interim Declined effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

16/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Requires improvement

The quality of individualised care and young people‟s progress and experiences vary. Some young people are making progress, whereas others do not engage with staff, boundaries and daily routines within the home. The home admits young people on both a planned and an emergency basis. In the case of emergency placements, these are not carefully planned. For example, key information is not sought prior to admission, leaving some young people vulnerable.

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Requires improvement

Young people‟s health needs are not consistently promoted. Young people‟s health plans are not updated and do not reflect their health needs. Although young people have access to medical practitioners and specialist services, they choose not to engage and staff do not implement effective strategies to motivate them. On occasions, staff have requested that services visit the young people in the home in an attempt to try to encourage their engagement. However, this is not always successful. Consequently, young people do not have the opportunity to address areas of difficulty and to thrive physically and emotionally.

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Requires improvement

Young people‟s views are not always central to the running of this home. While young people‟s meetings are regular, more staff attend than young people do. Key-worker sessions do not reflect young people‟s care plans. Young people do not receive ongoing emotional support for significant issues, such as bereavement support. Staff do not offer constructive advice or discussion with young people around issues that are affecting them. For example, staff did not follow up on a young person‟s increase in substance misuse and their frequent visits to an unknown commercial property at around the same time. Staff do not recognise the potential links between these and are therefore unable to provide early interventions. This leaves young people vulnerable and at risk of harm.

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Requires improvement

Young people‟s attendance, attainment and engagement in education are variable. This impacts on their current levels of achievement as well as their future educational and career prospects. Young people‟s educational rights and entitlements are promoted. For some young people, this has worked. For other young people with long-standing negative attitudes towards education, interventions are not currently working well enough to make any significant difference. This leads to poorer life chances for some young people as they are not maximising their educational and vocational opportunities.

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Requires improvement

Young people do not always engage in a range of educational, social and leisure activities in the home or community. Consequently, young people do not improve their social skills and self-confidence.

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Requires improvement

Not all young people are fully prepared for independence. Poor independence planning, as well as a lack of support and preparation for some young people, have resulted in young people needing to move out of semi-independent flats into the main part of the home. Consequently, young people‟s confidence regarding their transition to adulthood is negatively affected.

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Requires improvement

Young people live in a large home that has an institutional feel to some of its features, such as the type of lighting, and the use of large notice boards and health and safety stickers on windows. The décor of the home is also clearly showing signs of wear and tear. Any drift in the upkeep of the home undermines relationships between staff and young people. However, assurances have been given that measures to address this are in hand.

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Requires improvement

Staff have not always robustly assessed risks. There are 11 incidents of young people going missing from the home since the previous inspection. One young person was missing from the home for a period of three days. Records relating to instances of young people going missing do not adequately address a consistent and proactive approach by staff to ascertain the young person‟s whereabouts. This places young people at risk of harm and potentially increases their risk of exploitation. This is because their behaviour away from the home is not appropriately monitored or questioned. As a result, young people are not supported to recognise and withdraw from damaging relationships.

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Requires improvement

Individual risk management plans do not reflect the risks associated with young people‟s behaviour. For example, there is no record in the plans of a young person who was found smoking on three occasions in their semi-independence flat. As a result, young people are not fully protected.

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Requires improvement

The management of behavioural difficulties in this home is not consistent or effective. For example, knives have been found in the home and garden area and staff have not shared this safeguarding information with professionals. Staff do not follow the risk assessments to reduce risks. As a result, young people are not protected from harm.

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Requires improvement

The location risk assessment does not reflect the risks in the local area. For example, where it has been acknowledged that there are risks to young people from residents in their neighbourhood, strategies are not identified or implemented to manage and reduce this risk. Consequently, this leaves young people vulnerable.

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Requires improvement

Senior managers are putting strategies in place for stronger leadership and an empowered and skilled staff group to ensure that control is seen to be with the adults in the home for all young people.

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Inadequate

The home does not have a registered manager in post. The post has been vacant since 29 April 2016. A new manager is in the process of being appointed, although this is in the early stages of recruitment. Previous management arrangements at the home lacked rigour and efficiency. This has been acknowledged and addressed by senior managers, who have been swift in addressing poor practice and identifying areas of concern. An action plan has been implemented and as a result, there will be no new admissions until a registered manager is in post full time and many of the shortfalls have been addressed. They acknowledge that this will take some considerable time.

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Inadequate

An enhanced management structure now creates oversight within the home. Staff currently receive regular formal supervision and annual appraisals. This provides them with an opportunity to reflect on their practice and identify any concerns. The staff team has been tested recently by the need to care for young people with considerable complex behaviour. Staff had little or no support from the previous manager. This challenge has resulted in a small staff team, and the numbers of young people in the home reducing to two young people living in semi- independently. There are significant omissions in logs and the lack of effective monitoring goes back beyond the most recent management cover. Case records are inconsistent. As a result, records do not demonstrate that the care being offered to young people is monitored or that the home‟s performance is evaluated. There continue to be concerns regarding the progress and safety of some young people. The

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Inadequate

requirements from the previous inspection are met. The recommendations have not been met.

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Inadequate

No staff have been recruited since the previous inspection. The senior management group, including a newly appointed responsible person, has rigorously addressed staff‟s poor performance via disciplinary procedures. Additional training and support plans have been put in place as management recognises that staff have not been receiving the support, guidance and management they require. Most staff are qualified to national vocational qualification (NVQ) level 3 in residential childcare. Those who are unqualified are at present within the regulatory timescales to obtain their qualification within two years of starting work.

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Inadequate

Senior managers acknowledge that the home is not currently achieving its aims and objectives as set out in the statement of purpose, and they have an action plan in place to address this.

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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 the „Inspection of children‟s homes: framework for inspection‟.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children‟s home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children‟s home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children‟s home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place. However, the children‟s home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children‟s home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

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

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children‟s home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children‟s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people 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 „Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟. the guidance „Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted‟, which is available from Ofsted‟s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children‟s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for 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.ofsted.gov.uk

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