Children's home run by Inspire Children’s Services Limited in St. Helens

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.

p.2

The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 There is a new staff team at this home whose members are still building effective working relationships with each other.  The staff are still building relationships with a recently admitted young person and helping her to adapt to the rules and boundaries in place, so sustained progress cannot yet be demonstrated.  The majority of the staff team members working at this home do not have the required qualification for their respective roles.  Not all of the staff team members are benefiting from regular supervision to guide and support them.  Records are not all maintained at a consistently good standard.  The internal decision-making processes in respect to the redeployment or suspension of staff during an allegation investigation are not sufficiently robust.  There are six regulatory shortfalls arising from this inspection.

p.3

The children's home strengths

 Admissions to this home are sensitively managed. It is a gradual process, at the young person’s pace.  There are effective arrangements in place to ensure that young people are quickly registered with local health services and access any treatment or specialist services required.  Young people are empowered to positively contribute to their day-to-day lives and their futures.  Young people enjoy regular family contact in line with any legal restrictions and personal preferences. This serves to positively promote their unique backgrounds and heritage.  This home offers a good range of constructive activities in the local community.  Young people are always at the centre of this home’s practice irrespective of the significant challenges that they present.  This home has effectively and safely managed some extreme behaviours without resorting to police involvement.

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain up-to-date records for each child of all the particulars specified in Schedule 3 and in particular: the child’s religion; details of any accidents and immunisations; and medication records. (Regulation 36, Schedule 3 (3) (22) (23) and (25 (b)) 31/01/2017

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must, within five days of the use of a measure, add to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3) (c)) 31/01/2017

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure 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 and in particular, strengthen the decision-making processes in respect to the redeployment or suspension of staff during any investigation of an allegation. (Regulation 12 (2)(b)) 31/01/2017

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child, and the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(c) and (e)) 31/01/2017

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience at the frequencies prescribed in the home’s own policy. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 31/01/2017

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must 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. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)) 31/01/2017

p.5

Information about this children's home

This is a private children’s home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who may be experiencing emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.6

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/08/2015 Full Good 24/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.6

Requires improvement

Admissions to this home are sensitively managed. It is a gradual process, at the young person’s pace and includes as many discussions and visits as they need to make an informed decision. Consequently, one young person concluded, ‘I like my new home and the staff here.’ One young person has only recently been admitted, so realistically the staff are still getting to know her and concentrating on building positive relationships. In particular, they have not, as yet, explored her religious needs. She has come from a significantly larger children’s home where she lived for two years, so is understandably still struggling to adjust to being in a solo placement and going to a new school on the same site. This is owned and managed by the same company as the children’s home. It provides individual educational packages to meet pupil’s unique learning and behavioural needs and was judged good following an Ofsted inspection in July.

p.7

Requires improvement

The current young person has already formed a sound attachment to her key worker who is also a teaching assistant at the school. This helps to ensure continuity of care. School attendance is good, but there remains an ongoing issue in respect to punctuality. Also, a recent three-day exclusion had a marked negative impact on her behaviours within the home. It is acknowledged that the staff were consistent and resilient in ensuring the completion of educational activities during this period of exclusion. Good day-to-day routines are in place, which has had a positive effect on the young person’s ability to settle at night and benefit from a good night’s sleep. She said, ‘I have a television in my room but I turn it off at night and I hand in my mobile phone.’ Toileting issues and personal hygiene have significantly improved in this home. Consequently, one young person was praised by a dentist for the good condition of

p.7

Requires improvement

her teeth and gums. One young person is overweight due to an increase in medication. Mindful of the impact on long-term health, the staff frequently educate the young person about healthy lifestyles, provide homemade nutritious meals and encourage regular physical exercise. It is recognised that the young person is already making some better choices, for example drinking fruit juice rather than fizzy drinks. Meals are enjoyed together at the dining table. These are relaxed, social occasions where the events of the day are shared. There are effective arrangements in place to ensure that young people are quickly registered with local health services and access any treatment or specialist services required. However, the home does not have details of past illnesses and immunisations. One young person refused to take prescribed medication at her previous placement. This has improved at this home, but remains inconsistent. Also, records

p.7

Requires improvement

do not demonstrate that they are taken as specifically prescribed to ensure safe and effectiveness use. Young people are empowered to positively contribute to their day-to-day lives and their futures. Recent examples include: actively choosing to come to this home because it is only two-bedded and her brother is placed within the same company; and asking the dentist for a brace to be fitted. This home ensures that young people have frequent key work sessions where highly relevant and sensitive issues are fully explored. They are also encouraged and supported to fully participate in their statutory reviews. One young person told the meeting, ‘I am happy with my move and have settled here.’ She then had the confidence to ask to have contact with her older siblings. Young people enjoy regular family contact in line with any legal restrictions and personal preferences. This serves to positively promote their unique backgrounds

p.8

Requires improvement

and heritage. This home offers a good range of constructive activities in the local community. A local youth club is particularly popular where young people meet up with friends outside the care system. This helps to strengthen young people’s sense of belonging. Individual interests and talents are encouraged and supported, which increases self-esteem and confidence. Examples include art and cooking. One young person was rightly proud to be awarded ‘Best football player’ in her school. Birthdays are always big celebrations and one young person is thrilled with her new pet hamster which she looks after well. There are appropriate arrangements in place to enable all the young people to gain age- and ability-appropriate practical and social skills needed to live independently in the future. Young people are actively involved in planning the weekly menu, food shopping on a budget, preparing packed lunches for school and cooking the

p.8

Requires improvement

evening meal. One young person functions much younger than her chronological age and there are clear communication directions for staff to aid her understanding and recall. Although early days, where sustained progress cannot be evidenced, the placing authorities are positive about the quality of care provided at this home. Comments include, ‘There is good communication with me and the staff at this home are quick in responding to my young person’s individual needs. They provide her with the safety and stability she needs’ and, ‘The staff had a clear transition plan which was followed well. This placement is very new but my young person’s initial progress is reassuring. At a recent visit with an advocate, we both found her to be very relaxed and good rapport was observed. She spoke positively to me about the home and activities on offer.’

p.8

Requires improvement

One young person has only recently moved into this home and is feeling relatively safe and secure. She says that she gets on well with most of the staff and has at least one adult who she feels comfortable chatting to about any concerns. Staff have the confidence to enable young people to take age-appropriate risks as part of their natural development into adulthood. Prior to this placement, one young person was no longer enjoying free time with friends after going missing. This was immediately reinstated at this home with the proviso that she kept in frequent contact with staff. To her credit, she is always at the agreed location to be collected by staff and there have been no missing from home incidents to date. She said, ‘I know that if I don’t return within 30 minutes of my agreed time I will be reported missing to the police. I have not gone missing here.’ There is clear documentary evidence of frequent discussions with young people

p.9

Requires improvement

about keeping themselves safe online. Consequently, one young person reported inappropriate use of social media by a peer, which demonstrates excellent understanding. Individualised behaviour management plans detail very specific strategies to try to de-escalate situations. This is proving effective in practice because, despite a high level of aggression, restraint is rarely used at this home. However, records are currently recorded in two separate documents, neither of which cover all the details required by the regulations and one is not tamper proof. In particular, the records do not demonstrate the required system for ensuring the registered person has spoken to the young person about the measure within five days of the incident. One young person has had 14 previous placements. She also has a court order due to assaults on staff at her previous home. However, she has failed to attend her appointments, thus risking a breach and resentencing.

p.9

Requires improvement

A recent psychological report describes her as, ‘A youngster with highly complex needs and extremely challenging behaviours including violent outbursts of aggression.’ The staff at this home are committed to providing her with a long-term placement irrespective of the frequent, significant and sustained challenges that she presents. To date, they have not resorted to police intervention. Moreover, the appropriate use of restorative justice and reparation has also meant that young people are not unnecessarily criminalised. One young person said, ‘It is fair that I am paying towards the damage I caused but I can’t help it.’ In response, this home has established monthly meetings with specialist emotional and behaviour therapists to agree and revise strategies to manage the more complex and extreme behaviours. A social worker said, ‘The staff have managed my young person’s challenging behaviours well, which safeguards her and the

p.9

Requires improvement

staff.’ There is no impact on other young people as it is currently a solo placement. The use of incentive charts is proving effective in promoting good behaviour and effort. One young person confirmed, ‘I am pleased with the money I get and I can earn extra money for being good.’ All the required health and safety checks are completed within the required timescales to help ensure a safe environment. This home is maintained to a reasonable standard throughout, despite frequent criminal damage. Young people have a key to their own good-sized bedroom. One young person said, ‘I like my bedroom and staff bought me a lamp, which I like to keep on all night.’ She has already personalised her bedroom with her own excellent artwork, but is still deciding how she wants it decorating. A full fire evacuation is undertaken with young people on the day of admission and monthly thereafter. This ensures that young people know exactly what to do in the

p.10

Requires improvement

event of a real fire. Procedures are followed in full collaboration with other relevant safeguarding agencies following any allegation of abuse. However, the current internal process for deciding whether to redeploy or suspend a member of staff during an investigation is not sufficiently robust. In particular, there are no written agreements in place with the relevant placing authority and designated safeguarding officer. Staff files include all the required particulars to demonstrate a robust recruitment and selection process. A recent development has been the strengthening of internal processes in respect to ensuring that agency members of staff, prior to commencing a shift, have the qualifications, training, experience and competencies required to meet the complex needs of the young people living at the home at any given time.

p.10

Requires improvement

The manager of this home is newly registered with Ofsted. She is suitably experienced and has commenced the required management qualification for this position. She has proven her integrity and competence to supervise, appraise and develop staff and ensures that the home is always appropriately staffed. Her last appraisal concludes that ‘she has worked above and beyond expectations’ and a young person wrote, ‘She is okay and has done fun things with me.’ Her particularly calm and caring approach during the management of extremely challenging situations makes both the young people and staff feel safe. She now manages two homes within the company, but has only recently taken on this position with a newly formed staff team, the majority of who are unqualified. They have also recently admitted a young person with highly complex needs and extreme behaviours. This has been further exacerbated by two team members moving to another home

p.10

Requires improvement

within the company following an allegation. This means that, to maintain high staffing ratios, some individuals are working long shifts with few rest days in between, which cannot be sustained long term. Staff from other homes and agency staff have covered any gaps, but this is not conducive to continuity of care. It also does not always satisfy the young person’s expressed preference for at least one female member of staff to be on duty at all times. This company provides a good range of relevant training courses. These are offered to meet organisational needs, staff’s identified individual personal development needs and young people's specific needs, for example, attachment training. However, not all staff are benefiting from supervision at the frequency prescribed in the company’s own policy. All available information about young people is gained prior to admission to ensure a full assessment of needs, vulnerabilities and risks. However, the home has not

p.11

Requires improvement

completed its own risk assessments in respect to the latest admission. Also, a recent incident when a young person sustained an injury, has not been entered in the accident book. There has been one independent monitoring visit undertaken to date, which was after 10 days of the home re-opening with a new staff team and a new admission. The shortfalls identified related to paperwork. This manager has excellent organisational skills but accepts that the current systems and documentation in place at this new home are not yet up to her own high standards. Also, as yet, there is no development plan in place to demonstrate continual improvements.

p.11

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’.

p.12

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 looked after children 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

p.12

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.12

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

p.13

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 .

p.13

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,

p.14

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.14

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.14

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

p.14