Children's home SC044058

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:

 Some aspects of the service are not always of a good standard.  Monitoring and quality assurance processes are weak. Leaders and managers have failed to identify and address all health and safety risks. At times, the service puts children at easily avoidable risks to their safety.  The arrangements for fire safety are not good. Locked and obstructed fire exits would cause unnecessary delays in the event of an emergency evacuation.  Risk management in relation to the play area in the garden is weak. A maintenance issue that increases hazards to children has not been resolved in a timely manner.  Staff recruitment procedures are not robust. This increases the risk of children being cared for by people who may not be suitable for their roles.  Records of physical interventions are not always kept with the detail prescribed by the relevant regulation. Debriefings with the staff and the children involved are not always recorded.

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The children’s home strengths

 Staff are skilled at building positive and trusting relationships with children.  Children enjoy their short breaks. They engage in a wide range of recreational and fun activities in the home and in the community. This provides them with opportunities to broaden their experiences and develop their confidence.  Staff thoughtfully use activities in daily living to promote children’s learning and independence.  A reduction in the frequency and intensity of children’s challenging behaviours demonstrates that the behaviour management practices are effective.  Partnerships with education colleagues and parents are particularly strong. Parents report that the service has had a positive impact on their children and the quality of their family life.  Children’s files clearly evidence the service’s positive impact on their progress and achievements. Many outcomes for children are good, across their welfare and development.

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The children’s home strengths

 Leaders, managers and staff show a tangible commitment to improvement. Staff have full confidence in the registered manager’s ability to move the service forward. They say that they could have not been better led, motivated or managed.

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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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that a risk management plan is completed and implemented, with specific relation to the play area in the garden, so that they clearly demonstrate: (2)(d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. 01/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

13 The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must improve monitoring so that they clearly: (2)(g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 01/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

(1) After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— (b) provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of fire. (Regulation 25(1)(b)) 01/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

( 1) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (2) The registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children’s home; if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). (3) The requirements are that— (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(3)(d)) 01/01/2017 35 Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

(3) The registered person must ensure that— (b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)— (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and (c) within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(c)) 01/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

44 Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

(4) The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— (a) children are effectively safeguarded; and (b) the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

Reports must be more evaluative, more explicit about the visitor’s opinion on the effectiveness of the staff practice in relation to safeguarding and promoting children’s well-being, and more effective in capturing significant shortfalls. (Regulation 44(a)(b)) 01/01/2017

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides a short-break service for up to six disabled children and young people. It provides overnight, weekday and weekend care, including breaks offered on an emergency basis.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/12/2015 Full Good 24/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/10/2014 Full Adequate

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Requires improvement

Children receive a short-break service that is not always good. At times, the service puts children at unnecessary and easily avoidable risks to their safety. In particular, weaknesses in relation to the management of risks in the play area in the garden, fire safety and staff recruitment undermine the safeguarding of children. Because of these shortfalls and their potentially negative impact on children, their overall experiences and progress have been judged as requiring improvement.

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Requires improvement

There are many good aspects of the service that make strong contributions to the protection and promotion of children’s welfare and development.

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Requires improvement

Working in partnership with parents is strong. Parents value the service highly. They report the positive impact that the service has had on their children and the quality of their family life.

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Requires improvement

Staff are skilled in building positive and trusting relationships with children. This includes children who have autistic spectrum disorder and find relationships difficult.

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Requires improvement

Staff understand children in their care very well. They are skilled in communicating with children, and promoting their choices and identity. This includes children who have significant communication difficulties. Staff provide children with individualised care that meets their complex, and sometimes profound, health, social and emotional needs.

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Requires improvement

Medication management in the home supports children’s health effectively. Engagement in physical activities and eating healthy food contributes to the development of a healthier lifestyle. Individual dietary plans include children’s preferences and cultural customs. Children enjoy eating freshly prepared, nutritious and tasty food. Having meals with other children provides them with the opportunities to learn good manners and develop their confidence in social situations.

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Requires improvement

Staff plan short breaks to enable children to expand their experiences and make friendships. They are able to engage children effectively in a wide range of recreational and fun activities at the home and in the community. Due to the high level of children’s needs, some of these opportunities would have not been available to them, otherwise.

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Requires improvement

Staff provide a structured and orderly environment with consistent boundaries. Children are settled, calm and joyfully engaged, for most of the time. Staff manage children’s anxieties well. They guide children effectively to develop better self- control and self-regulation of their emotions.

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Requires improvement

Staff provide children with choices and sensitively listen to and watch for children’s preferences. A parent wrote in the Ofsted online survey: ‘Elements of creativity and innovations are demonstrated by the staff and this inspires us to continue to want to take our child to the centre.’ Another parent said: ‘Staff are nice people and well trained to look after children.’

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Requires improvement

Children respond positively to the staff members’ support, guidance and instructions. They value the service and describe their experiences in positive terms. At the inspection, one young person said that the home was outstanding. Another young person said that the staff were polite and really cared for everybody. Another young person said that he loved the staff members. His father said that when his son comes to the home, he is always smiling.

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Requires improvement

Staff thoughtfully use daily living activities to promote children’s learning and independence. Helped by staff, children focus on achieving their outcomes. Some of their recent achievements are reduced challenging behaviour, showing more tolerance and patience towards other children, wearing shoes and keeping their clothes on, being able to maintain focus for longer, saying ‘thank you’ without a prompt, making toast, improved reading skills and obtaining a qualification in mathematics.

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Requires improvement

The young people who are preparing to leave the service have a full understanding why this change is happening. The service prepares them well for the transition to adulthood.

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Requires improvement

Children do not always receive help and protection that are in line with the safest practice. Although there are many elements of good safeguarding practice, there are also several weaknesses that unnecessarily increase the risks to children’s safety and welfare. A parent has written in the Ofsted online survey: ‘Though the staff do all they can, their ability to risk assess and act accordingly still needs to be strengthened.’

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Requires improvement

The arrangements for fire safety require improvement. This inspection identified a number of issues. Both fire exits from the main lounge were double-bolted, at the top and at the bottom. The manager said that this should have not happened. The bolts are supposed to be used to secure the building only when nobody is in it. In addition, a fire exit from the main kitchen was locked. The key was not easily available. A bin obstructed the fire exit from another kitchen. One of the fire doors between the areas of the building was propped open with a heavy armchair.

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Requires improvement

The time taken to evacuate is crucial, in the event of a fire on the premises. The essentials of good fire safety are having fire exit pathways protected and clear of obstructions, and the exits easily opened. Each child has an individual emergency evacuation plan. However, the issues with the fire exits would cause unnecessary delays in the event of an urgent need to evacuate the building. The annual fire risk assessment undertaken by the local authority and the home’s regular fire safety checks and drills have failed to identify any actions.

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Requires improvement

Another example of an ineffective risk management process relates to the play area in the garden. Two heavy metal chains are attached to the top of the railing that runs alongside a raised wooden walking path. At the bottom, the chains should be fixed to the wooden slat. This has not happened. The local authority’s maintenance inspector identified this as a maintenance issue that needed attention in July 2016. No action has taken place to secure the chains. They are free to dangle in the air. If swung, intentionally or unintentionally, they could hurt someone. The issue has not been identified as a risk. No risk assessment or risk management plan has been completed. This is a clear failure to identify, manage and minimise easily avoidable hazards to children’s safety. High staffing levels and the attentiveness of staff have acted as protective factors. There have been no accidents in the play area.

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Requires improvement

The local authority does not demonstrate that robust staff recruitment procedures are always followed. This increases the risk of children being looked after by the people who may not be suitable for their roles. Out of three randomly selected staff recruitment files, none had all the required information. There was no evidence of a photo-identity check on one file. A senior staff member’s file did not have documentary evidence of their qualification. There was no written explanation of the gaps in employment on the third file. All the examined files demonstrated that the local authority had obtained a Disclosure Barring Service check to an appropriate level and taken up appropriate references before employment had commenced.

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Requires improvement

There have been some significant incidents of young people exhibiting challenging behaviours. On one occasion, the police were called to the premises to enhance the safety and protection. The manager and staff managed the incident well to minimise the risk to everybody present. Staff felt unsupported by the local authority during the incident. Arrangements were later made for the two young people involved in the incident to access residential special schools, due to their increased needs and the level of violence presented.

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Requires improvement

Records of physical interventions show that staff use appropriate physical interventions for the right reasons. However, these records are not always kept with the detail prescribed by the relevant regulation. Staff debriefings and the communication with the children involved in those incidents are not always recorded.

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Requires improvement

All other evidence points to the behaviour management practice in the home being effective.

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Requires improvement

Both the registered manager and the deputy manager are qualified trainers in behaviour management. On a regular basis, they provide staff with training on the principles of good behaviour management practice. Additionally, they give them expert guidance on the best behaviour management in relation to the particular challenges that the individual children, environment and situations present at the home.

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Requires improvement

Each child has a comprehensive written individual risk assessment and a behaviour management plan. Children receive consistent support to manage their behaviours better. Staff proactively use de-escalation techniques. They see children’s behaviour as means of communication and respond positively to the underlying messages. A reduction in the frequency and intensity of children’s challenging behaviours demonstrates that the behaviour management practice is effective.

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Requires improvement

Staff provide behaviour management support to teachers who educate children on the home’s premises. This arrangement demonstrates the high regard that educational partners have for the home’s staff. Receiving education at this home is usually a transitional arrangement. Its aim is to enable children to continue to have learning opportunities until they are ready to reintegrate into the usual school environment. Staff support children’s rights to education and community integration effectively.

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Requires improvement

Staff have recently had training about online safety and safeguarding children from radicalisation. The local authority’s designated safeguarding lead visited the home and spoke to the staff about his role. The manager and staff have a good working knowledge of the reporting procedures regarding safeguarding concerns and allegations of abuse or neglect. They appropriately follow these procedures in practice and work in effective partnership with others to promote children’s safety, when there are concerns.

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Requires improvement

Children report feeling safe in the home. Parents report having confidence that their children are safe when they leave them for a short break. Children have not been missing from the service. There have been no major accidents or concerns regarding child sexual exploitation, radicalisation or bullying. Judgement grade

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Requires improvement

The service does not consistently meet the quality expected in a good children’s home. Leaders, managers and staff do not always follow good practice in relation to providing, monitoring and managing a good short-break service for children. They have failed to identify and address a number of weaknesses, as described in the safeguarding section of this report.

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Requires improvement

Monthly monitoring reports are undertaken by the independent visitor on behalf of the local authority. However, they lack rigour and an explicit evaluation of the impact of the service on the safeguarding and promotion of children’s well-being. The reports do not demonstrate that the independent visitor systematically follows up on the action points that she has raised with the registered persons. The reports are not always provided to the registered manager and Ofsted in a timely manner. For example, the report for the visit that took place on 30 August 2016 was completed and shared with the registered manager and Ofsted on 10 October 2016.

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Requires improvement

There is another example of the local authority, in its role of the registered provider, not sharing significant information with the home in a timely manner. The local authority carried out its own inspection of the play equipment in the garden in July 2016. A maintenance issue was identified then regarding the chains not being appropriately secured. This was not shared with the home until October 2016. Despite repeated requests from the home to make arrangements for the maintenance of the garden and equipment since then, the local authority has not responded. Delayed sharing of information between the local authority’s departments and the home, together with the length of time taken to respond to the home’s requests, have had a negative impact on the management of risks to children.

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Requires improvement

The service was recently closed for three weeks. This was to reconfigure the environment and carry out a refurbishment of the premises. The service recommenced, although the planned work was not fully completed within the agreed timescales. Staff were doing their best to provide an orderly physical environment to children under difficult circumstances.

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Requires improvement

Significant improvement work has also been carried out in the garden. A mud- kitchen has been created and a new trampoline purchased. Volunteers from the local community, together with the home’s management, staff and children, painted a mural along the garden fence. The participation has promoted cohesion within the local community. The service has many strengths, but needs to improve further to be good. The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced. She is supported by a deputy manager and a team of senior staff. She has the full confidence of the team that she leads and manages. The staff say that they could have not been better led, motivated or managed.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager and staff are highly committed to providing a service that is in line with its statement of purpose. The senior team models good care practice and gives regular formal and on-the-job supervision. They are prepared to challenge themselves and staff to reflect on their practice and continue to improve.

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Requires improvement

A visual display of the quality standards for children’s home promotes awareness of good care practice. A translation of this information in a widget form is displayed alongside the verbal version. This is to help children to understand what the standards mean for them. This is an example of the manager’s vision of inclusivity.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager and staff seek to build positive relationships with parents, social workers and teachers. Partnerships with parents and education are particularly strong. A clear and comprehensive plan is being implemented to enhance the relationship between the local authority, in its role of registered provider, and the home.

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Requires improvement

Children have access to the information held about them. Their files are well organised and clearly evidence that the service is well planned and sensitively delivered. Its impact on individual children’s outcomes and progress is carefully monitored. Many outcomes for children are good.

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Requires improvement

Leaders, managers and staff show a tangible commitment to improvement, but the service is not yet good. The registered manager’s self-evaluation had identified many of the shortfalls identified during this inspection. Staff members described the service as ‘work in progress’.

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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’. 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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 0300 123 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 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

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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