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 Good at the last 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 August 2016. Recent notifications made to Ofsted raised concerns about an increase in difficult behaviours and how these were being managed by the staff at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Significant deficiencies in the management of the home were identified by inspectors. These place young people at risk of harm. Ofsted has taken action to suspend the registration of the home from 15 November 2016 and the placing authorities have been informed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been no registered manager in place since 18 March 2016. A manager was in post until 31 October 2016, but they had not completed their registration with Ofsted. They have left and another manager has recently been appointed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The supervision of staff is inadequate. The supervision that staff have received, which is not consistent, is of a poor quality. The records that were available of staff supervision sessions did not contain evidence of reflective practice. This means that when staff have been involved in incidents or restraints, or have raised issues about their feelings, there is no evidence of supervisors providing guidance or support. This includes times when staff have raised concerns about the practice of team members. In addition, poor practices are not challenged.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that a consistent team of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff is appointed to meet the needs of children placed in the home. There is a reliance on agency staff, bank/sessional staff and staff from the organisation’s other homes to ensure routinely that staffing levels for young people are met. This has led to 14 different agency staff, three different bank/sessional staff and 14 different staff from the organisation’s other homes caring for the young people between 17 August 2016 and 9 November 2016. This does not enable young people to build relationships with the adults who care for them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have failed to provide consistent, effective and proportionate responses when managing children’s behaviour. Since the last inspection there have been 67 incidents and 56 restraints used. On at least five occasions a restraint lasted an hour. On three occasions a young person was restrained seven times during the incident. Young people’s behaviours have placed themselves and others at risk. This has included windows being broken, climbing on roofs and staff have been physically assaulted. Staff have locked themselves in the office and in the house on occasions when these behaviours are taking place. Some staff reported that they feel some colleagues are scared of the young people. This is compounded by the high number of agency staff and other staff being brought in from across the organisation who do not provide consistency or have a clear understanding of the young people’s needs. Records of incidents and restraints are incomplete. These

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

are not monitored and evaluated effectively to identify patterns, trends or to develop practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the inspection, one young person was staying in holiday accommodation in Scotland. This young person was previously taken to stay in two separate places that are designed as holiday accommodation. The young person was cared for by one member of staff for the majority of the time. One of the staff who stayed with the young person was an agency worker. This young person has physically harmed several staff. There was no risk assessment for this arrangement. Despite this young person having an identified risk of child sexual exploitation there was no risk assessment for this either. The lack of this information places both the young person and the staff at risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff member responsible for managing child protection concerns does not have the required expertise to undertake the role effectively. As a result, the records of allegations and safeguarding concerns are incomplete. There is no oversight of these records, which means that potential trends or patterns are not identified.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that recruitment practice is in line with current legislation or guidance, and as a result the current practice has the potential to leave young people at risk. This includes the recruitment of the new manager. An inspection of personnel records evidenced that those conducting interviews have not all had safer recruitment training. Records of interviews still do not contain an explanation of the scoring system or the decision to appoint or not. In addition, there was no evidence to demonstrate that those who conduct interviews explore issues of concern that are raised, either within the application form or through references.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of the environment is poor. There are three broken windows. Seven windows and one glass French door are boarded up. Some internal doors are locked, including two bathrooms and the dining room. One young person’s bedroom was very untidy, and had broken items all over the floor. The bottom sheet on the young person’s bed had ground-in felt tip pen and crayon marks over it, and appeared dirty. There was only a bed and a built in wardrobe in the room. The other furniture had been broken by the young person. Neither the young person nor the member of staff who was present could say when this had happened. This does not provide young people with a comfortable, nurturing environment in which to live and thrive. One young person said that they were upset at how ‘his home’ was being treated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that case records contain all required information. The case records are not comprehensive and lack evaluation. As a result, the records are not effective in guiding how the staff need to care for the young people. The file for the last young person who moved in only contains information on incidents and restraints he had been involved in. There is no care plan, no placement plan, no personal education plan and no key worker records. In addition, there is a lack of evidence of staff having a clear understanding of the young people’s needs and the plans to meet these.

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide accommodation for a maximum of four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is run by a private provider that also operates other children’s homes and a registered school in the local area.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/08/2016 Full Good 30/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/08/2015 Full Requires improvement 05/03/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness 05/11/2014 Full Good

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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

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 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose, 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, help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect, provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably, provide to children personal items that are

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Requirement Due date

appropriate for their age and understanding, and make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice, ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child, and ensure that any care that is arranged or provided for a child that relates to the child’s development (within the meaning of section 17(11) of the Children Act 1989) or health, and is not arranged or provided as part of the health service continued under section 1(1) of the National Health Service Act 2006(a), satisfies the conditions in paragraph (3). (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(ix)(c)(i) (d)(i)(ii)) 06/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard 06/01/2017 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,

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision 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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii))

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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. 06/01/2017 (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b)(c)(d))

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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 provided in the

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Requirement Due date

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)) 06/01/2017

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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 (1)(5)) 06/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

20: Restraint and deprivation of liberty

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing injury to any person (including the child), serious damage to the property of any person (including the child). Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(2)) 06/01/2017 28: Fitness of manager

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if the person is of integrity and good character, having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children, and the person is physically and mentally fit to manage the home, and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has within the last five years, worked for at least two years in a position relevant to the residential care of children, worked for at least one year in a role requiring the supervision and management of staff working in a care role, and by the relevant date, attained the level

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Requirement Due date

5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare (England) (‘the level 5 diploma’), or a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the level 5 diploma. Regulation 28 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(2)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)) 06/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 31 (1)) 06/01/2017

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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 registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home, or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that the individual is of integrity and good character, the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform, the individual is mentally and 06/01/2017 physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform, and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 2. For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) (‘the level 3 diploma’), or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the level 3 diploma. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction, ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation, and provide each employee with a job description outlining the employee’s responsibilities. The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development, 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 (1)(a)(b)(c)(4)(a)(b)(c)) 06/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

34: Policies for the protection of children

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect, and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular, provide for liaison and cooperation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home, provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located, provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged abuse or neglect occurred, provide for records to

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Requirement Due date

06/01/2017 be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response, describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect, and describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. The registered person must keep under review and, as necessary, revise the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(6))

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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 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, 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)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 06/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child, are kept up to date, and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 06/01/2017

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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. In particular, the record of staff interviews should include an explanation of the scoring system used to decide whether to employ or not (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1).

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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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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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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