Children's home run by Elizabeth Marland Children’s Respite Care Limited in Trafford

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 A lack of robust management oversight of all records in the home does not ensure the home is operating to fully safeguard children and young people.  There is a clear lack of distinction between complaints and safeguarding concerns.  The service does not consistently undertake safe recruitment practices.  Health and safety procedures are not robust. For example, fire evacuation plans are generic and not individual to each child and young person.  Staff are required to sign all risk assessments to demonstrate that they have read and understood them. However, most of them have not been signed by all the staff.  It is not evident how children and young people are supported to influence decisions in their lives.  The planning of short breaks has led to a breach of the conditions of registration.  Training records show that some training, including safeguarding has not been updated as required. Furthermore, there has been a lapse in the

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

regularity of supervision and appraisal for both the manager and staff.

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The children's home strengths

 Despite the weaknesses and concerns children and young people receive a good standard of care and continue to make progress.  Staff are dedicated to ensuring vulnerable children and young people overcome their difficulties to achieve their individual potential.  Children and young people benefit from a nurturing environment that provides them with long term stability.

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The children's home strengths

 Children and young people benefit from the support they receive from a range of specialist services. There are some good relationships with partner agencies and families.

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The children's home strengths

 Observations confirm that young people have positive relationships with the staff and are relaxed and comfortable with them.

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The children's home strengths

 Contact between families and young people is well maintained. Children and young people are well supported to have good quality contact with those significant to them.

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The children's home strengths

 Children and young people have access to a number of activities. The manager has recently employed an activities coordinator in order to widen their opportunities in this area.

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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 with the given timescales.

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The children's views, wishes and feelings standard

7.—(1) The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— (c) take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (a) ensure that staff— (i) ascertain and consider each child's views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child's best interests when making decisions about the child's care and welfare; (ii) help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; (iii) help each child to understand how the child's views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; (iv) regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home's care; 03/10/2016

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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. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies; (b) 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; 03/10/2016

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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 03/10/2016 to the children's home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (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; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home .

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Statement of purpose

16.—(1) 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.

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Statement of purpose

(5) 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. 03/10/2016

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Fire precautions

25 (2) The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—therefore

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Fire precautions

(b)the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home.

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Fire precautions

(3) In this regulation, "the fire and rescue authority" means the fire and rescue authority under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004(2) for the area in which the home is located. 03/10/2016

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Fitness of workers

32.—(1) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety. (3) The requirements are that—

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Fitness of workers

(a)the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Fitness of workers

(b)the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and 03/10/2016 skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Fitness of workers

(c)the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Fitness of workers

(d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Employment of staff

33.—(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Employment of staff

(a)undertake appropriate continuing professional development; (b)receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and (c) have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. 03/11/2016

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Policies for the protection of children

34.—(2) The registered person must— (d) provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. 03/10/2016

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Information about this children's home

The children's home is privately owned and provides care for up to eight children with sensory impairment, physical and learning disabilities. The home is registered to care for up to 2 children under short break arrangements and a further 6 children on a permanent basis. The home is also registered with the Care Quality Commission.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/10/2015 Full Good 25/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/08/2014 Full Good

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Requires improvement

The shortfalls found during this inspection, including fire safety; recruitment procedures and the lack of robust oversight by the manager, potentially impact on both the home’s ability to keep young people safe and on young people’s outcomes. The identified issues have been taken into account alongside the fact that children and young people continue to make good progress.

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Requires improvement

Children and young people benefit from a caring staff team who are making a positive difference to their lives. Several parents say that their children have positive relationships with key members of staff and they are happy and settled. A parent said, ‘she has built close bonds with favourite staff. I’m over the moon she can stay there…I absolutely love it.’ Other comments include, ‘everybody knows everybody here…staff know him well.’ One parent wrote, ‘ [the home] is fantastic, staff are really helpful and friendly…would not want (name) to be cared for in any other place. An excellent service.’

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Requires improvement

Most children and young people attend school or college. Staff value the importance of education and ensure that children and young people’s daily routines support their participation and attendance in their education. Furthermore, staff support one young person throughout his school day, this ensures consistency of care for this young person. Children and young people also have access to books, a computer, arts and craft materials and games.

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Requires improvement

Children and young people benefit from good access to a range of health care services. Staff have a good understanding of each child and young people’s specific health needs and receive relevant training and guidance, including medication, infection control and moving and handling. They regularly monitor children and young people and seek medical advice and treatment where concerns arise. The nursing tasks are completed by qualified nursing personnel, and their regulated activity is registered with the Care Quality Commission as required. Only nursing staff can administer medication and this is stored safely and securely.

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Requires improvement

Most children and young people have opportunities to develop their skills appropriate to their needs. For example, toileting, putting on their socks and shoes and improved mobility. One young person enjoys helping staff to peg the washing out. In general, activities and outings are available with consideration given to individual needs and abilities. These include, dance classes, watching their favourite rugby team, and visiting the local park. Two young people have also recently enjoyed a short holiday. However, with the lack of activity planners it is not clear how staff organise and plan activities for the weekends and holidays. Furthermore, it is not evident how children and young people are supported to influence decisions about their social lives and care plans.

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Requires improvement

Functional communication relating to personal care is improving for individual children and young people. For one young person this has meant a reduction in some difficult behaviour. For those children and young people who are not able to express themselves verbally, staff are alert to changes in their moods and demeanour, and respond appropriately.

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Requires improvement

Children and young people benefit from well-managed contact with their families. Staff work positively with family members to ensure safe and meaningful contact. This enables the group to sustain important attachments.

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Requires improvement

Children and young people’s welfare and safety is potentially compromised due to weaknesses in safeguarding practice. A recent safeguarding concern was investigated by the registered manager. Although suitable internal action was taken, the registered manager did not report the concern to the designated officer. Ofsted shared the incident with the designated officer, who has subsequently confirmed that they have spoken to the registered manager about the issue and propose no further action. Shortfalls in the recording of safeguarding issues are reported upon under leadership and management.

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Requires improvement

The service does not consistently undertake safe recruitment practices. The inspector found that new staff had commenced their employment without full and satisfactory information being in place. On one file a member of staff had said that they had been a play worker in a school from 2013 to 2014. The school returned the request for a reference stating they had never heard of this person. The manager did not follow this up with the member of staff. This member of staff also had gaps in their employment that had not been checked. Some references had not been verified, or if they had, it was unclear who had done this due to the lack of record. This places children and young people at potential risk from unchecked staff.

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Requires improvement

Behaviour management is a particular strength of the home. Staff support children and young people in order to help them find ways to reduce their anxieties and improve their social skills. Consequently, staff do not use sanctions or physical interventions to manage children and young people’s behaviours. There are no incidents of children and young people going missing from the home and good levels of supervision ensure that they are suitably supervised both inside and outside of the home.

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Requires improvement

Overall, risks to children and young people are identified as part of the care planning process, with appropriate recorded strategies in place to minimise risks. Staff are required to sign all risk assessments to demonstrate that they have read and understood them. However, a number of them have not been signed, for example, the fire risk assessment only has 12 signatures, and the bathing and showering risk assessment has none. If staff are unaware of the risk management guidelines, then they cannot always follow them within their practice.

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Requires improvement

Health and safety procedures are not robust. For example, the personal fire evacuation plans are generic and not individual to each child and young person. The fire policy states that all employees must attend fire safety training each year. Training records show that most staff have not had their training updated in the last 12 months. During one fire drill staff used partial evacuation procedures with two young people; however it is unclear who has authorised or agreed this as it is not in their personal evacuation plans.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager was registered with Ofsted in 2014. She holds relevant qualifications in management and nursing, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role. Despite children and young people’s needs being at the heart of the service there are shortfalls in the home’s leadership and management, which means the home is not being efficiently managed.

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Requires improvement

The home is achieving its aims and objectives in relation to the personalised care provided to individual young people. However, there are a number of shortfalls in relation to service objectives as outlined in the statement of purpose. The planning of short breaks has led to a breach of the conditions of registration. In addition, the statement of purpose does not specify that there are arrangements in place for a day care service or how this is managed, taking into account the needs of the children and young people living in the home long term.

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Requires improvement

Comprehensive placement plans guide staff in how to meet young people’s individual needs on a day-to-day basis. Currently targets are not measured, so it is difficult to see how the manager and staff track progress. For example, there is an observational tool in place called an ABC chart for one young person to monitor their behaviour. However, it is unclear from the record which behaviours staff are tracking and there has been no evaluation of these. Furthermore, one young person who requires enteral feeding support had an increase in their feed which was agreed by a dietician; the increase has been recorded in their plan, but it is unclear if a nurse or carer has made these changes because it is not signed or dated.

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Requires improvement

The standard of record-keeping in the home is generally poor. For example, the evaluation sheets are hand written and this makes them difficult to read at times. There is a clear lack of distinction between complaints and safeguarding concerns; this does not provide a clear audit from which to assess that appropriate safeguarding procedures have been followed. Furthermore, the evaluation sheets are not monitored or evaluated by senior staff.

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Requires improvement

Discussions with staff confirm that they enjoy working in the home and they say they work well together. There are a sufficient number of staff to meet the needs of the children and young people. The group is well cared for by staff that receive a broad range of training, and new staff undertake a full induction programme. However, the training records show that some training, including safeguarding has not been updated as required. Furthermore, there has been a lapse in the regularity of supervision sessions and appraisals for both the manager and staff. This reduces the team’s opportunity to reflect on their performance and practice.

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Requires improvement

Children and young people live in a home that is well maintained. There are lots of photographs around the home showing them enjoying various activities. Their bedrooms are personalised to reflect their personalities and individuality.

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Requires improvement

Independent monitoring of the home is completed monthly and reports are forwarded to Ofsted as required. Feedback confirms there are some good relationships with partner agencies and families. Comments include, ‘some good joint work’… ‘I can go to work and know he’s ok’… ‘I love her being there all her care needs are met…they work really well with me’…‘she is happy and settled.’

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Requires improvement

The one requirement and recommendation made at the last inspection have been addressed. Where there are safeguarding concerns for individual children and young people, their placement plan now includes details of the steps the staff will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. However, as reported earlier, staff awareness of risk management needs improvement.

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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 looked after children 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 who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and 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

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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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