Children's home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in North Northamptonshire

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.

p.2

The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Since the last inspection, an emergency admission has been made, which did not fully take into consideration, or apply, the home’s stated aims and objectives from its statement of purpose. Full information was not sought from the placing authority. An initial impact risk assessment did not fully take into consideration the potential impact of the new placement on those young people already resident in the home. The decision to make this placement was also taken while the registered manager was on annual leave by an on-call manager of the organisation. This reduced the ability of the registered manager and staff team to plan and provide good care and support to young people newly placed, or already resident in the home.  Risk assessments and plans for young people have not been consistently or regularly updated, to reflect the changing needs or concerns for young people. This undermines staff members’ and managers’ ability to provide

p.3

The children's home provision requires improvement because:

consistent and appropriate care and support to young people at all times.  Staffing at this home is not currently consistent due to sick leave and vacancies. Young people themselves report dissatisfaction at the number of changes to staffing on a daily basis, which includes the use of agency staff. This has a direct impact on the quality of care and support provided to young people.  The registered manager has failed to ensure that Ofsted has been notified of all relevant incidents occurring in the home. This undermines the regulator’s ability to monitor and oversee all relevant incidents in the home. The registered manager has not fully considered, reviewed or taken action in relation to the quality of care provided to young people. There is a lack of detailed and robust management oversight of patterns and trends relating to any deterioration in young people’s behaviours, or subsequent action by the manager.

p.3

The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Plans for the discharge of young people from this home have not been made or carried out in a clear or consistent manner. This undermines the ability of staff and managers to ensure that all young people have a well- planned and robust transition plan from the home to adult provisions.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 Young people have education and training provisions, or plans, in place, with staff and managers working closely with involved agencies to plan for future needs. From their starting points, young people have made noticeable improvements in relation to their attendance at, and engagement with, education and have aspirations for their futures.  Staff demonstrate a real commitment to ensuring that young people’s needs are met. Staff report feeling well supported and receive regular supervision and training. One member of staff stated: ‘The training is excellent and equips me well to do this kind of work.’

p.4

Statutory requirements

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that Ofsted is notified without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 01/10/2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

6. The quality and purpose of care standard In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must: (2)(a) understand and apply the home's statement of purpose. 01/10/2016

p.5

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. (Regulation 31(1)) 01/10/2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

14. The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person must: (2)(b)(iii) plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child's placing authority. 01/10/2016

p.5

Requirement Due date

12. The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must: (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. 01/10/2016 In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating any actions considered necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(c)) 01/10/2016

p.5

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)

p.6

Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home is registered for three children or young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.7

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.7

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.7

Requires improvement

Young people’s experiences and progress are variable. A recent referral for an emergency admission of a young person was not fully considered prior to the placement commencing. The registered manager was on leave at the time of the admission, with the decision to place being made by an on-call manager from the organisation. There was a failure to ensure that all relevant documentation was provided by the placing authority, or considered by managers, prior to the placement commencing. This has undermined the ability of staff and managers to ensure that the complex needs of all young people resident in this home are consistently met. There has been an increase in risky, or anti-social behaviours, of some young people since the last inspection. Risk assessments and plans for those young people have not been updated, following incidents to reflect their changing needs. This undermines the ability of the staff team to provide consistent and clear care

p.8

Requires improvement

and support to young people. It is also destabilising for those young people who do not present such risky or anti-social behaviours. Young people complete activity planners with staff each week, setting out their plans for social activities for the coming week. The plans are clear and specific about what activities young people wish to take part in. However, often, planned activities do not take place for young people, due to concerns about their presenting behaviours, or for other reasons. Planners do not routinely state the reason for any planned activities not taking place or reflect any changes to the planned activities. This does not provide a clear sense of what activities young people have taken part in or intended to take part in. It undermines their social experiences and potential to engage with the local and wider community. Transition planning for some young people is not clear or detailed. Changes to one

p.8

Requires improvement

young person’s care plan have not been clearly recorded, with little evidence of discussions held with the placing authority. The young person has not been involved in recent decisions about possible changes to their placement. This does not provide young people with an opportunity to fully engage in discussions about any future moves and undermines the ability of staff to engage openly and honestly with those young people affected. Young people learn independence skills during their time living in this home. They manage their own finances and undertake cooking, shopping and personal care tasks. This will prepare them well for their eventual move to adult life. One young person commented: ‘I am learning to manage my own budget, to do my own shopping. It is hard and has made me realise what it will be like when I leave here.’ Staff support young people to maintain contact with families and significant others.

p.8

Requires improvement

They provide practical and emotional support for young people and demonstrate a detailed awareness and understanding of the contact plans for each young person living in the home. Young people report feeling well supported in contact issues and in being able to see or speak with family members on a regular basis. Young people receive the necessary support and help in relation to meeting their holistic health needs. Staff and managers work closely with involved health agencies and placing authorities to ensure that young people receive timely and appropriate services. Young people have been encouraged to access local child and adolescent mental health services and counselling services. This assists them to address any issues or concerns that they may have relating to their emotional and psychological well-being.

p.9

Requires improvement

There has been an increase in risky and anti-social behaviours for some young people since the last inspection. Staff respond quickly to any concerns and provide detailed written accounts of action taken and outcomes. Individual risk assessments have not routinely been updated though to reflect any changes needed in relation to specific risks. As some young people’s behaviours have deteriorated noticeably, it is imperative that risk assessments and behaviour management plans reflect their changing needs and ways in which staff can and do respond. There have been no missing-from-care incidents reported since the last inspection, but there has been an increase in the number of incidents in which some young people are absent from the home. Staff responses are prompt and have prevented those young people from causing harm to themselves or others. Risk assessments for several incidents have not been updated. This undermines the ability of staff to

p.9

Requires improvement

consistently follow agreed assessments and plans. Given the current changes to staffing on a daily basis, it is imperative that all staff know and understand the most current plans and risk assessments for each young person living in the home. Since the last inspection, some staff have left their positions at the home and there are current sickness issues, impacting on the stability of care being provided. A number of agency staff have been used to cover shortfalls in the permanent staff team. Checks have been carried out prior to their working at the home to ensure that they are suitable and do not present any risks to young people. The use of agency staff and staff from other children’s homes in the organisation has led to a lack of continuity of care being provided to young people at all times. Young people report feeling unsettled by the changes to staffing on a daily basis and by having staff care for them, who do not know them well.

p.9

Requires improvement

Management oversight and monitoring of significant incidents have reduced in effectiveness, partly due to the registered manager spending more time working directly with young people to assist staff. This reduces the ability and effectiveness of the registered manager in analysing and better understanding the changing and complex needs and behaviours of some young people. Young people report feeling able to raise any concerns that they may have with staff and managers. Records reflect that any concerns or complaints raised by young people receive prompt attention by the registered manager. Young people receive formal responses to their complaints and report satisfaction at how the issues have been responded to by the manager.

p.10

Requires improvement

The registered manager has been in post for nearly a year. He is currently studying for his level 5 diploma in management. He has the skills and experience necessary to perform the role and is respected by staff members in the home. Recent changes to the staff team have had a detrimental impact on the running of the home and the consistency of care provided to young people. The registered manager acknowledges the negative impact that such changes have had, not only on young people but also on the morale of permanent members of staff. Plans are in place to address the current staffing issues, with the full support and involvement of the responsible individual. Staff demonstrate a real and commendable commitment to young people and in wanting to ensure that their progress and experiences improve. The use of staff from agencies and other children’s homes in the organisation is undermining the progress and experiences of young people at this time though. Young people do

p.10

Requires improvement

not feel as well supported as previously and feel frustrated at times. The registered manager has been providing more direct support to young people and staff, leading to a reduction in the time that he can commit to managerial tasks. This has undermined his ability to undertake detailed and robust monitoring and analysis of the care provided to young people. There has been a significant increase in the number of incidents involving young people, with some incidents not being reported to Ofsted, in line with regulatory requirements. This undermines the ability of the regulator to monitor the care provided and reflects the current need for the manager to focus on such key areas. The statement of purpose has been updated to reflect changes to the home and generally reflects the services provided. However, it states that, when considering emergency referrals to the home, discussions and analysis of the needs, care plan

p.10

Requires improvement

and antecedent history will be carried out with all relevant parties. This was not followed in relation to a recent emergency admission of a young person to the home. This has undermined the ability of managers and staff to plan for how the needs of those currently living in the home and new placements can and will be met. It has also led to an increase in significant incidents between some young people and has had a de-stabilising effect on other young people. Despite the unsettled period, permanent members of staff feel positive about their roles and the support that they provide to young people. One staff member stated: ‘The home and staff support the young people to achieve in all areas of their lives. We work with other agencies to meet their needs. We support them with their education, independence and emotional well-being.’

p.11

What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

p.12

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.12

What the inspection judgements mean

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

p.12

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference that adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

p.13

Information about this inspection

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

p.13

Information about this inspection

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

p.14

Information about this inspection

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

p.14

Information about this inspection

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

p.14

Information about this inspection

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

p.14