Children's home run by Bettercare Keys Ltd in Belfast

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged as requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness . Young people have not consistently received good care, and a lack of meticulous monitoring has not safeguarded young people in particular instances. Poor decision-making about the suitability of a placement and a lack of scrutiny of safeguarding issues have had a detrimental effect on all young people in residence. This has resulted in a deterioration in young people’s daily life experiences. There has been an increase in the number of serious incidents, and young people have become unsettled. For example, there have been more disruptive and challenging behaviour and criminal activity, damage to property, missing from care incidents and unauthorised absences and police involvement. There has been a significant failure to safeguard one young person. Staff have not

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

followed the young person’s individual risk assessment in terms of monitoring, checks and supervision. In one instance, the young person ran away from the home without staff noticing his absence for several hours. This left the young person at extremely high risk. The provider has commenced an investigation into this matter. A number of areas in the home are showing signs of wear and tear. There is damage to the decoration, furniture and fittings in particular rooms. Some repair work has been undertaken. However, the home falls short in providing an aspirational environment for young people, or in providing them with a positive, secure and safe home to live in. There is regular internal and external monitoring of the service, and this has led to the identification of a number of deficits and areas for improvement. However, this scrutiny has not prevented the decline in the young people’s experience and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

progress. There has been no evaluation of the home’s admission and referral process. A requirement made at the last inspection relating to this area of practice is, therefore, not met. The service has not taken adequate action to ensure that the young people living in the home are compatible and to make certain that all of their needs can be fully met. One requirement set at the last inspection has been met. A manager has recently been registered with Ofsted, but has subsequently resigned. Two out of three recommendations from the previous inspection are met. Return home interviews are now undertaken and recorded after missing from care incidents. When making decisions about a new placement, management now takes into account information in the home’s location risk assessment. This includes illegal drugs being easily accessible in the local community. One recommendation has been partially met. Young people are encouraged and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

supported to attend education. The attendance of some has started to improve. However, this is yet to be sustained. There has been no submission of a revised statement of purpose to Ofsted. This has no direct impact on young people, but means that the document is not compliant with the children’s homes regulations. Staff receive formal supervision at regular intervals, and their mandatory training is kept up to date. Staff have recently undertaken training in dealing with sexualised behaviour. This supports them to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to care and support young people. Staff have continued, during this difficult period for the home, to build positive relationships with young people, with some success. Currently, there is a depleted staff team. An interim manager is now in post, but there is some staff sickness and two new staff are to commence working at the home. Staff require a strong leader

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

and time to reflect on the lessons learned from recent events. This will assist them to provide good, consistent and safe care to young people.

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately run children’s home, registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

28/10/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

03/02/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered persons meet 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

14*. In order to meet the care planning standard, in particular that there is accurate matching and assessment of referrals based on up-to-date information of all children, including those already living in the home, the registered person must ensure: (1) that children (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and (b) have a positive experience of or arriving at or moving on from the home. 31/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard, staff must clearly understand their roles and responsibilities to safeguard young people, including explicitly following the individual risk assessments of young people. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure (a) that staff (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; (b) 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 31/03/2017 12 (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(d) that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health. 31/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and where appropriate revise it and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 31/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to statutory requirement notice.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Children should be in full-time education while they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plans contained within the care plan or other relevant plan state otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates that this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)  The registered person is responsible for leading a team which provides high- quality care for all children living in the home. They must lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. They should also play a key role in shaping the ethos of the home through developing a culture of high aspiration for children,

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Recommendations

which is demonstrated through the care, resources and opportunities offered to the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4) In particular, they should appoint a dynamic manager, who looks to build a strong and diverse staff team, with clear aims, objectives and positive experiences and outcomes for young people.

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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 whom 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

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

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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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