Children's home SC482413

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

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has left. A new manager was appointed and had submitted an application to Ofsted; however, he withdrew this for personal reasons. Another manager has been appointed and is in the process of completing an application to register. Although there were handover periods between the managers, some of the actions have not been carried over. The current manager is beginning to form an understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home stopped keeping separate files for the recording of measures of control and discipline in September 2016. The new process of recording these measures in the children’s daily records does not provide the information required by the Children’s Homes (England) Regulation 2015. The current process does not allow easy monitoring of how such measures are used. The records that were kept up until September 2016 did not all include evaluations of the effectiveness of the measures or details of the staff and children being spoken with about them. The staff do keep separate records of restraints, but these do not all have details of the children and staff being spoken with about the incident. One record did not have details of the method of restraint which was used. The lack of full and clear records of measures of control, discipline and restraint removes an important safeguard for the children and makes it more difficult to monitor the use of these measures.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When children and staff are not spoken with after such measures, the opportunity for the staff to refine practice in order to meet the children’s needs more effectively is limited. The home’s independent visitor had not identified these issues in their monthly reports. The new manager has identified that the system of restraint currently used does not meet the children’s needs fully. She is in the process of identifying a more suitable system.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A previous manager undertook a review of the quality of care. However, this did not include the views of the staff. The recorded views of other stakeholders were limited and did not inform the review. Consequently, the review lacked some potential feedback that could have identified areas for improvement. Some actions were identified in the review, but these have not all been addressed, such as the arrangement of regular meetings with the on-site education provision. The current manager was unaware of the actions identified in this review. As a result, there is not an effective system in place for monitoring and improving the care that staff provide for the children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The managers are not providing regular supervision for the staff. One member of the staff only had three supervision sessions in eight months. Two others had three-month gaps between supervisions. The staff have not received annual appraisals of their performance and fitness to perform their roles. The managers are introducing a new rota so that there is more time to complete supervision with the staff, but this is has not yet had been tested. This prevents the managers from having a clear view of how the staff perform and identifying training and development needs to help staff meet children’s needs well. This is particularly important as the staff team has a lot of new staff who are not yet experienced in the work which they are carrying out. Some of these staff have not yet obtained a qualification equivalent to the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. Although they are currently enrolled for this diploma, they have already exceeded the timescales

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

to complete it. Of the current workforce of 41 staff, only six have completed training in working with children who self-harm and are at risk of attempting to commit suicide. Given the purpose of the home, the staff are not being provided with the information they need to meet the likely needs of children and to safeguard them effectively.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff keep records of the times when the children go missing from care. However, these records do not include details of all of the known risks to the children, despite there being space for this on the forms. One child is identified as being at high risk of child sexual exploitation, attempting to commit suicide and absconding. Despite this, these risks are not included on her missing-from-care record. It is therefore not clear if the actions the staff took were informed by the knowledge of her vulnerability to these risks. On one occasion that she went missing, her absence was not reported to the police for two hours. The records do not show the reasons for staff waiting this long before informing the police. Her individual risk assessment includes some strategies to help the staff manage some risks, but does not include any such actions in respect of her risks of sexual exploitation or sexual behaviour. The lack of full risk assessments to inform staff of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

how to work with the children and help them to manage the risks means that the children are not fully safeguarded. Further, if the information about risk is not used to inform actions when children are missing, they are at risk of being harmed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has an independent advocate who visits regularly. They speak to the children after they have been missing to try and find out if there are any risks that need to be addressed and to help find ways that the staff can work with the children to reduce or prevent missing-from-care incidents. However, there is no alternative to this, so when the advocate is unable to visit the children have to wait for their return interviews. This wait has been in excess of two weeks for some children. Therefore, the action being taken is not timely and may prevent some children speaking about issues. At the last inspection, Ofsted set one requirement and four recommendations; some of these have been met, but others have not. Records of fire checks are now completed, but the fire risk assessment was due for review on 30 November 2016 and has not been carried out. This prevents a review of the fire safety arrangements to protect the children who live in the home. The location risk

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

assessment has been amended, but it still does not fully identify risks associated with the area and how they can be reduced.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The deputy manager is in the process of getting consent from all placing authorities for the use of the home’s surveillance measures. There have been improvements to the way in which the staff keep records. These improvements relate to the consistency and clarity of recording and the recording of the voice of the children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are strengths in the way that the staff and managers work with the children. Placing social workers provided positive feedback on the home. They said that the children have good relationships with staff, feel safe in the home and are making progress in their education and developing independence skills. They also said that staff help children to settle into the home and support them. The children gave positive feedback. They said that they felt safe in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered for up to 16 children who have mental disorders. It is privately owned and has a separately registered school on site.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/06/2016 Full (aligned) Good

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet(s) 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the requirements of Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. This relates to reviews of risk assessments. (Regulation 25(2)(b)) 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to completing the actions identified through reviews of the quality of care, and that independent monitoring visits to the home are effective, the registered person should: (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 17/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each staff member has the appropriate qualifications for the work that they are to perform. (Regulation 32 (3)(b)) 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered provider must: (2)(c) ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills for the work that they are to perform. This is with particular regard to ensuring that staff receive training on managing self-harm and suicide ideation. 17/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees 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 (4)(b)(c)) 31/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children allows for ascertaining and considering the opinions of staff. (Regulation 45(5)) 30/04/2017 The registered person must prepare and implement a behaviour management policy which sets out the measures of restraint that may be used in relation to children in the home. This relates to guidance for staff on using measures which are not part of their training. (Regulation 35(1)(b)) 28/02/2017

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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 all of the information required under this regulation. This relates in particular to ensuring that there are records of control and discipline and that records of physical interventions include a description of the measure. Further, that the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the child and the user about the measure, and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 28/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

12. The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to ensuring that children’s risk assessments include all relevant information (including actions to reduce risks) and that this information is used to determine when to report a child missing from care, the registered person must ensure that staff: 2(a)(i) 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. 28/02/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that the home is suitably located so that children are effectively safeguarded (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1). In particular, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. This review should include the identification of all risks and opportunities presented and of strategies for managing these risks.

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Recommendations

 Have regard for the relevant aspects of the statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.25). This relates to ensuring that return interviews are conducted by someone independent within 72 hours of a child’s return.

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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 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 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

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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