Children's home run by Livability

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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because:

 The children’s home accommodation has moved premises and is undergoing renovation. Further work and decoration is required to ensure that it is of a suitable standard for young people. The management team is aware of this and is working through a development plan to ensure that all the necessary changes are made.  The home has been without a registered manager since December 2015. An appointed manager is in post, but has yet to submit an application to register with Ofsted. As a result, the leadership and management of the home is judged as inadequate.  There is a high reliance on using staff from an agency to provide care and support to young people. The manager does not provide professional supervision to agency staff.  Young people’s care plans lack significant detail. There are two systems in place for recording the care needs of young people. There is some confusion among staff as to which system is most appropriate and accessible for all of

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because:

them to use.  The manager has not notified Ofsted about one safeguarding referral made about a staff member’s practice.  The manager does not have systems in place to obtain or oversee police checks for employees who have lived overseas.

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The children’s home’s strengths

 Leaders and managers have reviewed the service provided. They have taken significant steps to improve the care and support for young people and their families.  Young people clearly have a good time and achieve many positive outcomes. Their time at the home enhances and develops their life experiences. Young people have excellent educational opportunities and good access to health services.  Feedback from families is overwhelmingly positive about their children’s experiences and progress since attending the home.  Staffing levels on each shift have improved. Staff are attentive to young people’s needs. Their morale is good and new starters have added an enthusiasm and commitment to the team.

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure that children receive care from staff who: (1)(a) understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to: (i) meet the needs of each child. 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure that children receive care from staff who: (1)(a) understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (b) ensure that staff: (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. 31/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

(1) 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. 31/12/2016 33: Employment of staff

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Requirement Due date

(4) In order to meet this requirement, the registered person must ensure that all employees: (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. 31/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if: (d) a child protection enquiry involving a child: (i) is instigated, or (ii) concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry). 31/10/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them, with particular reference to ensuring that police checks are carried out for employees who have lived overseas. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 16 children and young people. It offers a short-break service and a residential provision to children and young people up to the age of 19 who may have physical disabilities and associated complex learning and care needs. The home is operated by an organisation with charitable status. The home is registered as a non-maintained residential special school, but is regulated against the children’s home regulations as it provides 52 weeks per year placements.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 18/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 25/06/2015 Full Requires improvement 20/11/2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/05/2014 Full Adequate

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Requires improvement

The accommodation provided to children moved location within the same premises in July 2016. The new accommodation separates young people receiving short- break care from those who live at the home on a more permanent basis. This action was taken in response to a requirement made at the previous inspection. The new accommodation requires further decoration and refurbishment to provide a homely environment throughout. Senior leaders and managers are aware of this and are currently working through a good development plan. This will ensure that the accommodation meets the needs and wishes of young people.

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Requires improvement

Young people’s care plans require improvement. The quality of information in their files varies. Some are of good quality, whereas in others information is out of date or not completed. Information held about young people is not consistent between paper recording and electronic records. This has led to information not being recorded in either place, staff not being clear about which system to use and accessibility issues with the electronic system. It is essential that young people’s care plans are accurate, as they have significant health needs and they are often supported by new staff or staff from an agency.

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Requires improvement

Staff and young people have good interactions. Many of the young people do not communicate verbally and need help and support with personal care. They receive one-to-one care from staff who positively engage with them and are attentive to their needs. Staff are aware of the young people’s likes and dislikes, while also offering them choices for their meals and activities. Staff support young people’s personal care needs sensitively, ensuring their privacy.

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Requires improvement

Young people are encouraged to socialise and mix with each other, although staff are mindful of how tired young people can be following a school day and will give them plenty of opportunities to rest. Young people take part in a range of activities, some of which may not be possible with their families. For example, wheelchair abseiling and canoeing at an outdoor adventure camp. A parent commented that since her son started visiting the home he has developed more confidence, improved his language and increased his information technology skills. This has also benefited his family life, because they now have more confidence to take him to places when they are together.

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Requires improvement

Young people’s educational opportunities are excellent. All but one of the young people attend the provider’s school on the same site, which was judged outstanding by Ofsted in 2015. The manager plans to incorporate educational activities into their care time, such as topic work. All the activities will be fun and linked to addressing difficulties with young people’s self-esteem and independence.

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Requires improvement

Young people have good access to health services. A therapeutic team is based at the school and a nurse is on duty at the children’s home 24 hours a day. Links between education staff, health professionals and care staff are good. Young people can return to the children’s home from school during the day if they are unwell. Young people make good progress with their diets, exercise programmes and completion of sensory activity targets.

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Requires improvement

The manager has arranged for a student service-user engagement person to spend time with young people at house meetings and in the evenings. It is hoped that this person can act as a mentor and be aspirational to young people about what individuals with disabilities can achieve in their lives.

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Requires improvement

Families’ feedback since the previous inspection is overwhelmingly positive. Parents of young people who moved on from the home recently all comment on what a positive experience it has been for their child. One states that they, ‘have had complete peace of mind knowing how well cared-for our daughter has been.’ Another parent fed back that their, ‘child is very happy at the children's home and loves the staff, they are his extended family, he likes to hold their hands and give them hugs.’

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Requires improvement

The manager did not notify Ofsted of one safeguarding investigation about a staff member, which had been referred to the local authority. This does not ensure that the regulatory body has effective oversight of all significant events in the protection of young people.

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Requires improvement

The recruitment process for new employees and staff supplied by an agency requires improvement. The manager does not have oversight that agency staff’s recruitment procedures include police checks from their country of origin when they have moved to the UK.

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Requires improvement

Staff do not use restraint on young people and do not enforce sanctions for negative behaviour. Staff are understanding to young people’s needs and respond to them appropriately. There have been no recorded incidents of young people going missing from staff’s care, due to the high level of supervision and young people’s strong relationships with staff. There is an appropriate procedure in place for staff to respond safely to a young person should they go missing. Parents give consent to monitoring devices in young people’s bedrooms, but there is no indication in their care plans as to why these are being used. Their use is not reviewed in terms of the impact on the young people’s privacy against the requirement to monitor them.

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Requires improvement

The manager has robust safeguarding procedures to respond to any causes for concern about young people and/or their families. Good quality recording of the actions taken shows that the local authority is informed and maintains a chronology of events. All senior staff at the home are trained to safeguarding level 3, and regular meetings of designated safeguarding leaders take place. Because of this, young people are protected by effective safeguarding measures.

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Requires improvement

Staff’s fire evacuation procedures are satisfactory. Drills are practised regularly, with recommendations made to improve practice. The manager responds promptly to health and safety issues highlighted by the independent visitor. All other necessary physical and environmental checks of the home are carried out in the appropriate timescales.

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Requires improvement

Parents’ report that staff keep their children safe. One parent states that they, ‘have absolutely no worries about their child’s safety at the children’s home.’ Another parent comments that they, ‘feel very confident in the staff. They take good care of my son.’

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Inadequate

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers is inadequate because the home has been without a registered manager since December 2015. Two managers have been appointed during this time. One resigned before the end of her probationary period, another was appointed in June 2016 and is currently in day-to-day charge of the home. She is required to submit a complete application to register with Ofsted without further delay.

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Inadequate

The use of agency staff is high and needs to be reduced, as 128 shifts have been covered by agency staff members in the previous three calendar months. Also, the manager does not provide agency staff who regularly work at the home with professional supervision. This does not ensure that young people are cared for by individuals who they are familiar with or that all staff are given the necessary guidance to fulfil their roles. The leaders and managers have implemented a good development plan to restructure the home’s staffing arrangements. Significant contractual changes have been negotiated to ensure that staff’s working hours are now more suited to the needs of young people. Recruitment has taken place for new staff and continues in order to fill the remaining vacancies. The manager has presided over a difficult time where many experienced staff left the home. Ultimately, this is a timely reshuffle of staffing resources and goes towards better meeting the home’s stated

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Inadequate

The manager can demonstrate how young people’s continued attendance at the home has benefited them and their families in many ways. An appropriate children’s guide is made available to all new young people joining the home, to help them understand what they can expect there. The manager has an up-to-date statement of purpose to share with stakeholders and families.

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Inadequate

The manager and her senior leaders are fully aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. They are taking effective action to address the shortfalls and reinvent the service. They have high aspirations for the development of the home and the outcome of the next inspection.

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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 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 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, 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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