Children's home in County Durham

Requires improvement

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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because:

 The registered person has, in some cases, failed to follow the home’s child protection procedures to ensure that all of the safeguarding concerns are reported to the correct agencies. The records of each safeguarding incident, which include details of each incident and any actions taken in response, need to be improved.  There has been an increased use of agency and casual staff to cover staff sickness and absence. In some cases, these staff do not have the right level of knowledge and experience to meet the needs of the young people. Additionally, the current induction programme for agency and casual staff is not sufficient to prepare them to understand the complex needs of the young people.  The monitoring systems within the home are not sufficient in identifying shortfalls in the quality of care being provided. There have been failures to notify Ofsted of significant events that have occurred in the home.

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The children’s home strengths

 The young people have made significant progress from their starting points and since the last inspection. They are settled and happy in this home. They have very good relationships with the staff and are beginning to form bonds with each other.  Good behaviour management is influencing positively on the young people. There has been a distinct reduction in the young people’s signs of distress and challenging behaviours. Consequently, the use of physical restraints has also significantly reduced.  Robust assessments ensure that the young people receive individualised care. The young people are consulted about their wishes, hopes and feelings. The registered manager and the staff team strive to ensure that each young person can express their views in a way that is individual to that young person.  The young people are fit and healthy, and they enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Their health needs are very well met. Activities are wide-ranging and

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The children’s home strengths

meaningful, and the young people’s educational outcomes are very good.  The young people live in a homely environment that meets their needs. They are developing a range of independence skills. Contact arrangements are good, and the registered manager and the staff have very good relationships with the young people’s parents.  Relationships with professionals are also very good. Inter-agency working is effective. The registered manager and the staff team are strong advocates for the young people, and they promote positive equality and diversity.  The registered manager and the staff team are committed to their role and they have high aspirations for the young people. The staff feel supported and valued.

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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, the 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

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which – (b) sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular –

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 34(1)(b)(2)(b)(d)) 31/12/2016

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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 if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph 3.

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Requirement Due date

The individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

Full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32(1)(2)(3)(b)(d)) 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating – 31/01/2017 the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, they must ensure that the levels of staff are adequate to ensure that children are effectively safeguarded. The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if –

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child is instigated or concluded; or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staffing levels meet the needs of the children and are sufficient to allow staff to respond to unexpected events. Additionally, ensure that all agency and casual staff have the correct level of qualifications and skills, and receive a full robust induction before they commence work in the children’s home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraphs 10.15 and 10.16)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that no more than half of the staff on duty at any one time by day or night is employed from an agency, and that any staff member in a supervisory role has substantial and relevant experience of working in the children’s home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraphs 10.17 and 10.21)

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for four children and young people who have learning disabilities and autism. The home is operated by a private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/06/2015 Full Good 12/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/08/2014 Full Adequate

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Requires improvement

The young people have made progress since the last inspection, and they have achieved in a number of outcome areas. They have gained positive experiences that enhance their quality of life. However, there are aspects of the young people’s care that have compromised their safety and welfare. These have adversely affected their overall experiences.

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Requires improvement

The young people continue to gain new skills and they receive individualised care that meets their needs. This contributes to their overall development. The young people are very relaxed and settled in their home, which increases their positive well-being.

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Requires improvement

A social worker said: ‘I am really happy with [Name’s] placement, he has really settled this last two months. The staff are very good, and they are very understanding.’

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Requires improvement

The relationships between the staff and the young people are very caring. The young people are forming positive bonds and are responding to their nurturing environment. This is encouraging the young people to form meaningful attachments. The staff support the young people’s contact arrangements, and the young people’s parents and families feel welcome when they visit the home.

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Requires improvement

A parent said: ‘I am very happy with the home. [Name] gets on well with the staff and has formed close bonds with a couple of them. I think he is really happy at the home. He signals he is happy.’

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Requires improvement

Another parent commented: ‘The staff and the manager are lovely. They tell me how [Name] is doing and I feel I can talk to them. I am always made to feel welcome. It’s a lovely place.’

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Requires improvement

The young people are consulted about how they feel, and their wishes and aspirations. The staff are aware that some young people need extra support to communicate. The staff have recently had training to learn a specific form of sign language that one young person understands. This commitment to supporting the young people promotes their rights, choices and equality.

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Requires improvement

A staff member said: ‘We have all had training as one of our young people can sign to communicate. It is like a light has come on for him. He is less frustrated and it’s great to understand what he is trying to tell us.’ The young people are fit and healthy, and are learning about how to live a healthy lifestyle. They have access to the healthcare services they need, including specialist services. All of their meals are varied and nutritious, which ensures that the young people meet their developmental milestones. They have a lot of fresh air and exercise, and they love to take part in energetic activities such as using the trampoline or swimming.

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Requires improvement

A social worker said: ‘My young person has lost weight since he moved into the home, which he needed. He is much healthier, and he loves his activities.’

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Requires improvement

The young people live in a comfortable, homely house that meets their needs. There is a lot of space to socialise and to have private time. A large, enclosed garden provides a safe area for outdoor activities. The staff are currently designing and building a ‘sensory cave’, where the young people can relax and unwind. This takes into account the young people’s sensory needs.

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Requires improvement

The staff support and encourage the young people to develop their independence skills. Both of the young people are learning about household tasks and self-help skills. This boosts their confidence and prepares them for later life.

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Requires improvement

A parent said: ‘[Name] has come on leaps and bounds. He is a lot more independent and grown-up. He has less meltdowns, and even helps around the house at home. This is such a change, and I am really happy with him.’

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Requires improvement

The registered manager and the staff have a good overall knowledge of the importance of protecting vulnerable children and young people. They receive regular child protection training and the registered manager has undertaken advanced training. This training is to support her role as a senior person, within the home’s organisation, to monitor safeguarding concerns.

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Requires improvement

There have been some failures to protect the young people, such as not following the home’s child protection procedures after receiving an allegation made against a member of staff, and not notifying the local authority of potential safeguarding concerns involving the young people. This improper practice potentially puts the young people at risk.

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Requires improvement

There have also been omissions in the recording of safeguarding concerns and the actions taken in response. This is a breach of regulation and potentially compromises any future enquiries, or investigations, because the records that are in place are not robust and do not fully reflect the incidents. Additionally, the registered persons have not notified Ofsted of the safeguarding incidents, which is required by regulation. This impedes Ofsted’s role to monitor services, between inspection visits, to ensure that children’s and young people’s safety and welfare are protected.

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Requires improvement

In these instances, the events are historic and there has been social worker involvement, so the impact of the shortfalls in safeguarding the young people has been minimised. However, such a lacklustre approach to keeping children and young people safe, potentially, compromises their welfare and well-being.

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Requires improvement

Other areas of keeping the young people safe are good. For example, good individual risk assessments reduce the known risks and hazards to the young people. Staffing levels are good, which ensures the safe observation and supervision of the young people. There have been no incidents of the young people going missing, and they are not at risk of being exploited.

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Requires improvement

Behaviour management is good, and the staff support the young people to manage and self-regulate their behaviours. Robust assessments inform bespoke behaviour management plans, which are based on positive interventions. Both of the young people experience difficult behaviours that relate to their autism. Since they moved into the home, these behaviours have significantly reduced and so have the incidents of physical restraint. This is an extremely positive outcome for the young people.

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Requires improvement

A social worker said: ‘I am very pleased with this placement and am very impressed at the changes in [Name] with his behaviour. He has become very amenable. This is down to how the staff manage his behaviours. The staff are consistent and diligent. The number of restraints are notably reduced, from around 30 plus a month to about three, and then I think there was one month where there was none. [Name] is a very different young man.’

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Requires improvement

The young people live in a safe environment. All of the services and utilities are regularly checked and serviced. Health and safety and fire safety checks are regularly undertaken, and the registered manager carries out safety checks on all new staff. These measures contribute to the young people’s safety and welfare.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager has been in post since December 2014 and she registered with Ofsted in May 2015. She is an experienced practitioner who has the right qualifications to undertake her role. She has further developed her skills and knowledge by gaining a level 2 training award in autism, and by attending a training course that qualifies her to carry out children’s and young people’s behavioural assessments. The registered manager is keen to share good practice with other services. She attends the local registered managers’ forum, and she regularly meets with managers and staff from other children’s homes to discuss practice issues and share experiences.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager and the staff team prioritise the needs of the young people to ensure that they receive the support and services that they need. Inter- agency working is good, which enhances outcomes for the young people.

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Requires improvement

The young people’s headteacher said: ‘We work very closely with the home. The staff and the manager communicate well, and they share important information about the young people. They attend all the reviews and meetings and keep us informed.’

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Requires improvement

An occupational therapist said: ‘The staff and the manager work really well with the boys. They work with me and they are always very keen to support any improvements. They have also worked with the parents, which is good. The staff treat the young people as individuals and they want the very best for them.’

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Requires improvement

The core staff team is experienced and qualified. The staff are committed, motivated workers who feel supported and valued. Unfortunately, there has been a spate of staff sickness and absence. This has led to an increased use of agency and casual staff, which in some instances has affected the care and support of the young people.

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Requires improvement

Not all of the casual staff have sufficient, relevant experience of previously working with children and young people. Their main area of working is in adult care homes. Although they have transferrable skills, they do not receive any additional training relating to looking after children and young people. There are no staff records for the casual staff kept in the home. Consequently, the registered manager has not checked their suitability to work at the home.

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Requires improvement

New agency and casual staff receive a short induction at the beginning of their first shift. This comprises a list of basic information about the home. This level of information is appropriate when the staff work at short notice for a single shift and the regular staff supervise them. It does not adequately inform agency and casual staff who work as part of the staff team, or, in some instances, when they work on their own.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager has also used agency staff to cover waking night duty shifts, while a regular staff member does a sleep-in duty. This means that, during this period, the agency staff member is in charge of the home and responsible for the young people. The agency staff work at the home sporadically, and therefore do not have a good enough knowledge about the operation of the home, or the young people. This compromises the young people’s well-being.

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Requires improvement

The home has progressed by meeting a requirement from the last inspection. The registered manager has better used her consultation with the young people to inform her monitoring of the home. The latest six-monthly monitoring report shows that the young people are progressing, and that their views and wishes are taken into account. There are, however, new shortfalls identified in the home’s monitoring. The current systems have failed to pick up or address the safeguarding and staffing concerns that have been highlighted during this inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors 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, 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 ensure that their welfare is 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 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 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 whom 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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