Children's home run by Thoughts of Others Limited

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous registered manager has been promoted to an internal safeguarding role within the organisation. A new manager was appointed, also internally, in August 2016 and is preparing to submit an application to register with Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered person has taken action in a short period of time to meet some of the 10 requirements that were made at the last inspection. Further work is required to demonstrate that staff deployment delivers continuity of care and that records of restraint and staff appraisals are being kept as required. This inspection makes new requirements for behaviour management policies and the children’s register. Two new recommendations relate to staff understanding of deprivation of liberty and the quality of risk assessment records.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have protected access to house laptops for homework. Individual laptops are now on order. Good communication with their schools means that staff are able to help with homework. Care planning has improved because young people now have plenty of opportunities to contribute to their plans, have access to their files and engage in really helpful key-working sessions.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managerial monitoring and analysis shows that the use of physical restraint has significantly reduced and has only been used when absolutely necessary. Staff and young people relate to each other with mutual respect. Young people confirmed that they are now learning from and reflecting on their angry behaviour and that it is occurring less often. One young person said that things had improved at the house, and that it was calmer now. She spoke of the positive support that is provided by particular staff and her key worker. This includes regular chats and the use of helpful strategies. The young person said, ‘I can see progress and what they say about progress. They are fair and I am doing well. I feel I have new ways of dealing with things.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered person has not needed to make any notifications to Ofsted about significant incidents. There have been no safeguarding concerns since the last inspection. New risk assessment formats are improved and contain safeguarding strategies to cover any allegations, but are not always updated after key incidents, such as serious incidents in moving vehicles. Staff are aware of risks and there is good preventative work done with young people to make them more self-aware. However, records regarding this work are not clear enough. Consequently, a new recommendation is made about the quality of these records.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The statement of purpose has been updated and a list now shows all of the staff, along with their experience and qualifications. A new format for staff supervision ensures that supervision is now practice related. The organisation considers that weekly cross-organisation practice meetings are part of the system for staff support, development and supervision. However, not all appraisals are carried out within the annual timescale.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There were previous concerns about continuity of staffing. There are now 24 people available to staff the home. The registered person has not yet analysed whether this staffing model provides continuity of care or feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records about physical restraint are still not good enough. They do not give the ‘story’ or show the viewpoints of staff, or which of the staff implemented restraints and when. In addition, the records do not show how young people moved to the floor when a floor restraint took place. Records lack crucial details about restraints that have taken place in moving vehicles. Managerial monitoring has not picked up these gaps. Staff have now had training in record-keeping and managers are tracking individual young people’s patterns of restraint to identify helpful strategies.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are confused about the meaning of deprivation and restriction of liberty and how this is implemented at the home. One young person has had a formal deprivation of liberty order since February 2017 and, as a result of this, staff provide constant supervision. The other young person has independent time outside the home as part of her plan to move out. The registered person has created in-house documents called ‘deprivation of liberty forms’ for both young people. These forms suggest that staff can do this without a court order and do not make clear what this means in practice. The manager describes a very low threshold in relation to deprivation of liberty, which he views as good parenting. For example, staff accompany young people outside the home when they have concerns about their eating habits. They have not restricted any young person’s movements and no doors have been locked. Young people see the additional

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

staffing as necessary in order to ensure their safety. The organisation’s policy for this is specific to a school environment and is not clear enough to guide staff in safe practice or the manager in his monitoring and review of this complex area.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people here are making progress. They reduce their high-risk behaviour, such as self-harming and going missing. Healthy eating is helping some to lose weight and there are other health improvements. Staff have worked collaboratively with one young person to move them successfully into independent living accommodation which is also operated by the registered person. A favourite member of staff transferred with her. Another is at the beginning of transition planning for a return home. She is going on more overnight stays and has an increased amount of independence. She feels that she is moving on with her life.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A third young person is a ward of court and is placed, but not looked after, by her local authority. Her situation is under legal scrutiny and a court approved deprivation of liberty order is in place. The registered person is aware of and is fulfilling their responsibility to plan and review the care for this young person, but has incorrectly documented the legal status of the young person in the home’s register of children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have constructive, affectionate and nurturing relationships with staff. Both young people are in full-time education at the organisation’s school and are doing well. A positive approach to partnership working includes parents and social workers and local authority legal teams. The registered person has helped young people to make complaints when support from their local authority has not been good enough. Staff also talk to young people to make sure that any issues with care in the home are sorted out, formally or informally.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new manager is getting to grips with his new role. Staff have confidence in the leadership team and feel well supported. The next six-monthly review of the quality of care falls due at the end of March and the new manager’s plans for this are underway.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private company. The organisation operates this as a home for girls.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/12/2016 Full Requires improvement 21/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/01/2016 Full Good 26/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— (ii) feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(c)) 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. This is with reference to the implementation of deprivations, or restrictions, of liberty. (Regulation 35(1)(b)(2)) 30/06/2017

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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 elements from (i) to (viii); the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration, and details of any methods used; the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and the name of any other person present when the measure was used, or the methods were used, or steps were taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 30/06/2017 35(3)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)) The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. Specifically, the statutory provision (if any) under which the child is accommodated. ( Regulation 37 (2)(a), Schedule 4(1)(f)) 30/06/2017

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand that a deprivation of liberty may occur when a child is both under continuous supervision and control and is not free to leave the home. A children’s home cannot routinely deprive a child of their liberty without a court order, such as a section 25 order to place a child in a licensed secure children’s home. In the case of young people aged over 16 who lack mental capacity, a deprivation of liberty may be authorised by the Court of Protection following an application under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.63)

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements that are in place to protect them. This is with respect to consistent inclusion in risk documentation of all risks, such as travel in vehicles, where there are known issues. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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 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

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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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