Children's home SC062537

Inspector Pam Nuckley

At the full inspection on 23 August 2016, the home was judged inadequate. A number of shortfalls were identified. These included a lack of effective action taken by the registered manager and staff in responding to concerns raised by young people. Staff did not challenge the manager about her decisions or raise the concerns with an appropriate person. These concerns were not recorded. Therefore, appropriate action was not taken to safeguard young people. Further to this, behaviour management strategies were not clear because the manager and staff had failed to respond to information from another professional. This meant that they failed to identify, understand and manage this information or to take suitable action to safeguard a young person. This left a young person at risk of harm. In addition to this, shortfalls were found in the recording of young people’s progress, the home’s statement of purpose, the structure of young people’s files

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

and in the monitoring of the home. The inspection resulted in 12 requirements and three recommendations being made.

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

A monitoring visit took place on 11 October 2016. The inspector found that since the last full inspection, the registered manager has been unavailable for work. The responsible individual informed Ofsted of the management arrangements in her absence. The deputy manager was being supported by a senior manager to continue to support the young people at the home.

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

The responsible individual has sought an independent review of the home. In the interim, they will be closing the home for a period of time.

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

A detailed improvement action plan was implemented straight away. A decision to move all three young people to new placements was agreed with the executives of the council and with the young people’s social workers. Two of the young people were already on a semi-independence plan and these plans were moved forward. The other young person has a new placement near to her school. Good transition plans were completed and this aided the smooth transition into young people’s new placements.

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

The responsible individual took decisive action in addressing the shortfalls, especially in relation to the safeguarding concerns, and an investigation is underway. The young people have been formally written to, setting out the action that the responsible individual is taking. Although the young people have moved on, the responsible individual has assured them that she will visit them and discuss the outcomes.

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

The responsible individual has met with individual members of staff to discuss and address the culture within the home. As part of this, all members of staff, including casual and agency staff, have received additional training in safeguarding. Several policies were discussed, such as the whistleblowing policy, complaints and listening to young people, as well as the importance of advocacy and the role of the independent visitors. Clear guidance was given to staff on their roles and responsibilities in these areas. Further training has been identified for January 2017. The inspector spoke with several members of staff who said that the training was informative and has enhanced their understanding and their ability to take quick action on behalf of young people.

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

Young people’s behaviour management plans and risk assessments have been reviewed and revised so that they are more effective. For example, the amount of money a young person was receiving, even though they were regularly missing from home, was significantly reduced. The reason for this action was discussed and agreed with the young person and with his social worker. As a consequence, the young person now returns to the home more often and engages positively with members of staff.

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

The home’s statement of purpose has been reviewed and it now shows the actual staffing within the home. The local authority had completed a recruitment drive and had identified three new staff to start working at the home. However, due to the proposal to close the home temporarily, pending the review of the service, these staff have not been employed.

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

The deputy manager has ensured that she has dealt with open notifications and has sent further notifications appropriately to Ofsted and other agencies. This means that all professionals are aware of any incidents and the action that the home has taken to safeguard young people. Further to this, the deputy manager has completed the internal monitoring of the home, in the absence of the manager. She has identified the areas and actions that the home needs to address in order to improve and develop. This report was sent to Ofsted in a timely way. In addition to this, the deputy manager has restructured the young people’s files. She has devised more child-friendly documents and archived old information. This means that there is a clear structure to the files and that young people can make sense of the information contained within them.

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Inspector Pam Nuckley

Several requirements in relation to listening to young people have only been partially met. The deputy manager held a young person’s meeting to discuss the complaints procedure and the advocacy available to them. However, there were no young people present for the inspector to talk to, in order to see if this was beneficial to them or whether they were happy that the home was now listening to their views, wishes and feelings. Likewise, the requirement about a young person’s emotional health could not be assessed due to him having moved on. In addition, the impact of the updating of young people’s records and any action staff need to take to secure positive outcomes could not be judged comprehensively. These requirements have been repeated and they will be addressed at the home’s next full inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides accommodation for up to four young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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

In order to meet the health and well-being standard, the registered person must ensure: (1)(a) that the health and well-being needs of children are met. This is specifically in relation to recording their emotional health and the support required. Additionally, records need to reflect the actions taken, progress made and any further support required. 30/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person must ensure: (1)(a) that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. This is specifically in relation to updating their records and any action staff need to take to secure positive outcomes. 30/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered person must ensure: (1)(c) that children receive care from staff who take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. 30/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the registered person must ensure: (2)(d) that an explanation is given to each child as soon as 30/01/2017 reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about: (iii) what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. out in 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 this guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

to 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

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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