Children's home run by Marlowe Child & Family Services Limited in Tewkesbury

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has declined in effectiveness since the previous inspection in June 2016. Concerns reported to Ofsted by the police, and a notifiable event reported by the registered manager, informed Ofsted of significant safeguarding and behaviour management issues.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

During the course of the inspection the social care regulatory inspector identified substantial deficiencies in the management of the home that placed the young people at significant risk of harm. Ofsted took immediate action and suspended the home’s registration. Ofsted informed the local authorities with responsibility for the young people. They took immediate action to move the young people to more suitable accommodation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ineffective leadership and management by the registered manager results in critically low levels of staff. Young people’s behaviours were noted by staff and police as ‘out of control’ and ‘dangerous’. The staff are not provided with leadership or formal supervision, which means that they are not helped to manage their own feelings and responses to the young people’s behaviours and emotions. Similarly, poor and unacceptable practice goes unchallenged. For example, the inspector heard an offensive term being used by a member of staff when describing a confused young person, and some staff presented as disengaged.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff lack the de-escalation skills to manage incidents safely. For example highly dangerous behaviours by young people, including smashing most of the windows of the home, climbing on the roof and using roof tiles as missiles, physically assaulting staff, causing extensive damage to the home and subjecting another young person to bullying, were not managed by staff, and resulted in police intervention. Reports kept within the home, and by the police, state that, ‘Staff locked themselves in the office for their own safety.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following a number of serious incidents, many members of staff are on long-term sick and some agency staff are refusing to work at the home. Consequently, the use of inexperienced staff and a high use of agency staff, lead to inconsistency in the support that young people receive. In particular, staff neglect to meet the basic needs of a young person with serious mental health issues, resulting in the young person going without food and fluids for a significant period of time. The inspector directed the staff to intervene and ensure that the young person’s needs were responded to. The young person told the inspector that they felt unsafe, were unhappy and fearful of leaving their bedroom. The young person’s bedroom was void of any form of stimulation, the window was boarded up and there was no ventilation or personalisation. The inspector judged this young person to be extremely vulnerable.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff fail to support young people with extremely complex behaviours. They do not have the skills, and lack the specialised training, to maintain positive relationships with the young people. In particular, staff lack the skills and knowledge to support young people with self-injurious behaviour and mental health issues. For example, the inspector directed the staff to remove shards of glass from the bedroom of a young person who is at high risk of self- harming. All the young people living in the home told the inspector that they were ‘scared’ and did not feel safe. Young people state that they are not satisfied with the response they receive when they raise issues with staff and their social workers. Young people report that they are ‘bored’ and ‘have nothing to do’, and there are not enough staff, which means that they cannot engage in off-site activities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager does not engage with the wider system to ensure that the young people’s needs are met. Police report that, despite some attempts on their behalf, the manager has failed to engage with them to agree a protocol on when and how they will respond, or provide profiles of the young people living in the home. They say that this has an impact on the appropriateness of their responses to calls.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

As a result of extensive damage to the home, the manager and staff fail to provide the young people with a safe, well-kept and homely environment. Some windows remain boarded up, shards of glass are evident inside and outside the house, handles and locks have been removed from windows and there is graffiti on the internal walls.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A significant number of serious incidents have occurred since the previous inspection. The manager regards her dual role, as safeguarding lead across a number of children’s homes, as ‘compromising’ her ability to ensure that all professionals and Ofsted have been notified of incidents. The manager recognised this as a shortfall and identified a member of staff to begin to address the backlog of work.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager said ‘I cannot guarantee the young people’s safety during this period’. On 7 September the children’s home’s registration was suspended and no young people are living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home was registered to accommodate four children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is owned by a private organisation that also operates other children’s homes and a registered school in the locality.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16’06/2016 Full Requires improvement 10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/11/2015 Full Good 20/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/11/2014 Full Good 19/03/2014 Interim Good progress

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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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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential, and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to 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, ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate, ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child, ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child, ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child, 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

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Requirement Due date

provided in the home, use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) 11/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience, and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 11/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure, and within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered 11/10/2016 person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’) has spoken to the user about the measure, and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)) 5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure that children’s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs, seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (b)(d)) 11/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children, use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose, ensure that staff protect and promote each child’s welfare, treat each child with dignity and respect, provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background, ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)(vi)(c)(i)) 11/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

9: The enjoyment and achievement standard

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Requirement Due date

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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to develop the child’s interests and hobbies, participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences, make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community, and that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to 11/10/2016 pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(b)) 10: The health and well-being standard

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met, children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being, and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans, understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding, take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs, and that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child

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Requirement Due date

may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)) 11/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on mutual respect and trust, an understanding about acceptable behaviour, and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans, help each child to develop socially aware behaviour, encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding, help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone, understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children, are provided with supervision

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Requirement Due date

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, de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children, understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable, and have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. 11/10/2016 (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii)) 12: The protection of children standard

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff 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, help each child to understand how to keep safe, have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm, manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other, take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare, and that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm, that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded, that the premises used for

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Requirement Due date

the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(c)(d)) 11/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. Subject to paragraph (6), 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 (5)) 11/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1)(3(b)) 11/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if an incident requiring police involvement 11/10/2016 occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious, there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e))

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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