Children's home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness . The requirement made at the full inspection to ascertain and consider the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff, as part of the manager’s six-monthly review, is not met. Their views about the quality of care provided have not been sought. This limits the ability of the manager to evaluate the quality of care being provided for children and to identify actions in order to improve or maintain them. The requirement to maintain and update risk assessments that describe the steps that staff must take to keep children safe is not met. While individual crisis management plans are updated monthly, this information does not inform current risk assessments. As a result, risks to each child are not actively and continually assessed, which undermines any arrangements put in place to protect them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A recommendation to ensure that the building is maintained to a good standard while awaiting refurbishment is not met. The refurbishment has been delayed, and there is damaged paintwork, bare plaster, peeling wallpaper and worn paintwork on the walls on the upstairs landing and in the children’s bedrooms. This does not promote the self-worth of children or encourage them to look after their environment. Downstairs, the home has a domestic feel and there are plenty of appropriate games and equipment for the children. A recommendation relating to the use of spare medication has been met by improvements in the system for its storage. However, the medication policy and procedure in use by the home have not been reviewed since 2012. One young person has made a successful transition into foster care since the last inspection. This was well planned and supported by staff at the home. Key workers continue to keep in touch and offer support to the foster carer to meet the child’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

needs. One child has been re-admitted to the home, due to a breakdown in a foster placement. Because staff had maintained close contact with this child, the move back to the home has provided her with security and familiar adults who understand her needs. Children are making satisfactory progress from their starting points. They are receiving full-time education, which is supported by the staff through reading every night and a tutor visiting and giving each child individual support, based on their interests. The manager noted: ‘They enjoy it. They don't know they are being educated.’ The manager and staff understand the effect that past experiences may have on children’s behaviour and they work hard to provide secure and nurturing relationships. There is a low incidence of children going missing from the home, and there have been no complaints since the last inspection. A complaint against a member of staff has been investigated, in a way that ensures that the welfare of

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the children is paramount. Because of their past experiences, children sometimes require the use of physical intervention to keep themselves and others safe. This is used appropriately and is accurately recorded. Management oversight lacks rigor. Documents are not reviewed with enough frequency, and audits are not being completed to enable current information to inform the quality of care. For example, missing from home plans have not been reviewed in a timely manner, and an audit of meetings to be held for young people has not been completed. This would have highlighted that young people’s meetings are not taking place in line with the home’s statement of purpose. This lack of oversight hinders the manager from proactively implementing lessons learned and improving practice. Notifications to HMCI lack detail and do not place enough focus on the needs of the child. These failings could impact on the monitoring of care practices and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

safeguarding for children. Staff maintain good relationships with partners, such as teaching staff, social workers and families, when appropriate. They provide valuable support to foster carers, which increases the likelihood of placements being successful for children.

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority home registered to provide care for up to five children 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

22/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

10/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

45. The registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b)(c)(5)) 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

12. In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to maintaining up-to-date risk assessments that describe the steps that staff must take to keep children safe, the registered person must ensure: (2)(a) that staff 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. 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

6. The quality and purpose of care standard (2) In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular reference to the internal decoration upstairs and in the children’s bedrooms, the registered person is required to (vii) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. 31/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in schedule 1. 30/04/2017 The registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16(1)(5)) This refers, specifically, to holding children’s meetings on a monthly basis.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard (2) In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person is required to (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 30/04/2017

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Recommendation

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

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Recommendation

 Following a notifiable event under regulation 40, the home should contact the placing authority to discuss the need for further action. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.14) Specifically ensure that notifications contain sufficient detail of actions taken to protect and promote the welfare of the child.

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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, work based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Text phone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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