Children's home run by Trax Care Limited in Stockport

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:

 Inconsistent management and staffing arrangements do not provide for continuity of care. The home has not had a registered manager for more than 26 weeks.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Staff have not received sufficient training to meet the specific health needs of the young people living in the home.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Healthcare plans are not updated to reflect the change in a young person’s health. Also, medical appointments are missed and not followed up by the staff.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Young people’s risk assessments are not robust, as they are not updated to reflect the current needs of young people. In addition, risk-reducing measures are not clear.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Records are unclear and rotas are inaccurate. They do not reflect the person on shift and therefore do not provide an accurate account of what is happening at the home.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Recruitment and vetting records for agency staff do not provide satisfactory information regarding reference checks, or checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to ensure that only safe and suitable people are employed to work with young people.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Staff have been unable to manage a young person’s behaviour, resulting in this young person moving on from the home in an abrupt and unplanned manner.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Staff have not all had regular, good quality supervision or appraisal in line with the home’s policy.

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The children's home strengths:

 Young people attend the company school regularly and make good progress.

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The children's home strengths:

 Young people are safer, because their offending behaviour and missing- from-home incidents are reducing.

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The children's home strengths:

 Young people take part in a range of activities of their choice, including golf, snooker and bike maintenance projects in the community.

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The children's home strengths:

 Young people say that they like the staff at the home and feel safe.

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The children's home strengths:

 A new manager with appropriate experience and qualifications is in post.

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The children's home strengths:

 Staff have been successful in advocating with the placing authority to gain more family contact for one young person.

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The children's home strengths:

 Partner agencies are positive about the level of communication they have with staff.

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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

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

2(a)(i) staff assess the risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans and make arrangements to reduce the risk of harm to the child. In particular, to bullying and drug misuse. 01/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

13. In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c) ensures that staff have the experience, qualification and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

(e) the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child. 01/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees:

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Requirement Due date

(b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

(c) have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. 01/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

(3)(d) The registered person must ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of matters in Schedule 2. 01/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a) The registered person must maintain in the home the 01/11/2016 records in Schedule 4.

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Requirement Due date

(b) ensure that the records are kept up to date. This relates to rotas. 14. The care planning standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(1)(b) children have a positive experience of arriving and moving on from the home. 01/11/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the health and well-being standard the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(1)(a) the health and well-being needs of each child are met; and they

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Requirement Due date

(b) receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. 01/11/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

  Ensure that the wishes and views of young people, following consultation meetings, are promptly responded to. (‘The Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is one of a number of homes operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/08/2015 Full Requires improvement 19/03/2015 Interim Not judged 15/12/2014 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Requires improvement

Young people living here have complex emotional and behavioural needs. They require consistent and predictable care to give them a firm foundation from which to navigate their life. Unfortunately, the stability of the staff team is not always achieved, as agency and bank staff are regularly sourced to supplement the team. Management arrangements have also been inconsistent, with no registered manager for more than 26 weeks. This does not provide effective and strong leadership for the staff team or stability for young people to help them to form trusting attachments.

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Requires improvement

That said, the staff team are working hard to build positive relationships with young people to help them settle and feel safe. Young people say that they feel that staff ‘care’ about them and that they feel ‘safe’. A young person commented: ‘This is better than my previous home.’ They also identify staff who they like and who they would confidently talk to about their feelings and worries.

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Requires improvement

Young people are making progress, in particular to their educational development. For example, before living here young people did not attend school regularly, averaging 45% attendance. Since living in the home, this has increased to 75% attendance. Moreover, offending behaviour has decreased since living here, and incidents of them going missing from home have reduced, making them safer.

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Requires improvement

Young people living here are registered with health professionals and have access to in-house therapy services. They also have written ‘health and pathway plans’ to capture their needs and guide staff in meeting these. However, these are not updated to reflect the changing needs of young people. Also, missed health appointments have not been followed up by staff. Staff do not have training to enhance their understanding of young people’s individual health conditions. Record-keeping around health matters is unclear, for example failing to capture the reasons why a young person’s medication has increased, or the implications of this. This practice does not ensure the best outcomes for young people.

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Requires improvement

Placement plans and risk assessments are in place to guide staff in meeting young people’s individual needs. However, these are not reviewed and updated to take account of bullying and an increase in drug misuse. Similarly, ‘direct-work’ sessions are identified to combat bullying. However, these are not completed by the staff.

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Requires improvement

Young people new to the home have an effective introduction. A young person’s guide is also available to explain the running of the home. Since the last inspection three young people have left the home. However, one young person left here abruptly in an unplanned manner and was not prepared for leaving the home, practically, physically or emotionally. This does not ensure that young people’s needs are supported nor that they have a sensitive and smooth transition.

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Requires improvement

Young people enjoy a range of activities and hobbies of their choice, including snooker, bike maintenance projects, golf and going to the cinema. These are new experiences, which they look forward to and enjoy.

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Requires improvement

Young people have made complaints and these have been taken seriously and investigated by the home’s management. They also participate in house meetings. However, records of these meetings show that young people’s requests are not promptly acted upon. Moreover, young people say that they feel that ‘nothing gets done’ at these meetings. This is frustrating for young people and does not help them invest in the home.

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Requires improvement

Staff support young people to stay in touch with their family, and they have a good understanding of their background history and relationships. In particular, the staff have worked very well with a placing authority to ensure that a young person’s contact with his family has increased in line with his wishes and feelings.

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Requires improvement

Young people confirm that they feel ‘safe’. There is a reduction in incidents of the young people currently living here going missing from home. Also, offending behaviour is much reduced. These are good examples of young people being safeguarded.

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Requires improvement

Risk assessments are in place but do not provide for a robust assessment of young people’s needs and risk. For example, measures to reduce the risks around bullying behaviour are not identified. Furthermore, it is not clear from written risk assessments if all staff working in the home are familiar with these, or how they are alerted to any updates. As a result, staff may not be aware of additional precautions that they need to take to keep themselves or young people safe.

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Requires improvement

Recruitment and vetting records are not robust enough to safeguard young people. For example, agency workers do not all have a DBS check, references or photograph on file, and the manager does not have a job description. These gaps in recruitment practice do not ensure that only the safest and most suitable people are employed to work with young people. Safeguarding policies ensure that staff are aware of the actions they need to take in the event of any concerns. Young people have raised concerns about the actions of staff to the manager and to Ofsted. These are appropriately shared with partner agencies with a safeguarding role, such as the designated officer, and investigations initiated. Young people are given a clear outcome at the conclusion of this so that they are aware of the actions that have been taken.

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Requires improvement

Sanctions and physical intervention are not used excessively, and staff are fully trained in a recognised technique to safely hold young people if needed. There are effective reward systems in place to encourage young people to take positive responsibility for their actions.

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Requires improvement

Fire safety and health and safety checks are carried out around the home to ensure a safe living environment. Also, the staff are vigilant and take appropriate steps to verify the identity of visitors to protect young people.

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Inadequate

The home has been without a registered manager for more than 26 weeks. Management arrangements have not been effective in raising standards at the home in that time. The only application to register a manager was received by Ofsted in September 2015, but this person subsequently left the company. A further manager was recruited, but this person also left. Interim managers have been in post to oversee the home. A new manager has been in post since July 2016, and she intends to put in her application to register with Ofsted very soon. She is supported by a deputy manager and has a wealth of experience of working with young people and managing staff. She is enthusiastic about improving the home and has plans to do so.

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Inadequate

Young people's care is reviewed independently by a designated person, in accordance with regulation. These reports are detailed and set actions to improve. Two of the four requirements from the last interim inspection are partly met. Quality reviews are now completed and forwarded to Ofsted, but risk assessments remain poor, and training for staff to enhance their skills remains outstanding. The requirements are therefore repeated.

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Inadequate

Feedback from staff is variable. One staff member who spoke to the inspector feels supported, but another staff member feels unsupported. They cite lack of a stable manager as a concern. They have regular team meetings with the new manager, but they have not had regular supervision or had their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once-yearly. This is in part due to the inconsistency in the management role.

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Inadequate

Staff continue to work well with other agencies and young people’s parents. They say that the home is ‘homely and comfortable’, and that information-sharing is ‘excellent’ and ’very informative and aware of the young person’s needs’. These are good examples of staff working effectively with partner agencies in meeting the needs of young people.

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Inadequate

The home's written records generally provide a picture of young people's daily living here. However, some records are inaccurate and unclear, such as rotas and information around attendance of young people at health appointments. Moreover, the manager found it difficult to provide evidence of young people’s progress. The manager acknowledges this, and she is currently developing systems to improve this. Young people’s information is securely stored and shared confidentially to protect their safety and privacy.

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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 that 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 that 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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