Children's home in Inverclyde

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 home is clean, tidy and maintained to a high standard. Young people’s bedrooms are very much personalised and reflect the personalities of young people. For example, they have their own choice of brightly coloured wallpapers and bedding, and lots of personal items in their bedrooms. No requirements were made at the last full inspection, which was undertaken in December 2016. One recommendation was made regarding the need for supervision sessions to be improved. However, the quality of supervision has deteriorated further. No clear timescales and actions were seen, regarding challenging practice issues. Furthermore, supervision of a number of staff members is being completed by a staff member who has not demonstrated that their own practice is of a good enough standard. This means that challenging poor practice is not robustly taking

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

place, and that the practice of some staff members is not being appropriately supervised. Thus, care standards for young people are not being adequately reviewed and promoted. A requirement in respect of the need for leaders and managers to improve supervision has been made. Leaders and managers are not reviewing significant incidents in a timely manner and are not seeking to support staff to learn from ways in which they address challenging behaviour. For example, opportunities to reduce anxieties for young people are not always being taken. A requirement has, therefore, been made in order to reflect the need for leaders, managers and staff to ensure that approaches used to address challenging behaviour seek to de-escalate emotional stress for young people. A further requirement has been made to ensure that leaders and managers are providing robust scrutiny of all significant incidents. Physical interventions, which are not termed as restraint, are used appropriately.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

However, learning opportunities for young people after such incidents are not taking place. This means that opportunities to explore young people’s emotional welfare are being missed. There is also a lack of information regarding which de- escalation techniques have been attempted by staff. Behaviour sanctions are used appropriately, and young people are being supported to understand why they have been given a sanction, using appropriate communication tools. This supports the development of positive behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to accommodate five young people who have a learning disability. The service is delivered and managed by a charitable organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

14/01/2015 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard This standard requires: (3)(c) that care is delivered by a person who (i) has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care; and (ii) is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care. The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Specifically, supervision of all staff must be completed by an appropriate supervisor who has the skills to undertake this important task. The quality of supervision must also be of a high standard, ensuring that staff members’ ability to meet the needs of children

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Requirement Due date

and young people is consistently reviewed and any issues are addressed in a timely manner. 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard This standard requires that the registered person ensures that staff (2)(v) communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. Staff should understand factors that affect children’s motivation to 28/04/2017 behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 39, paragraph 8.13) Specifically, leaders, managers and staff should ensure that approaches used to address challenging behaviour seek to de- escalate times of emotional stress for young people.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard This standard requires the registered person to (1) ensure that they 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; (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements to the quality of care provided in the home. 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, which is demonstrated through the care, resources and opportunities offered to the children. Specifically, leaders and manager must review significant incidents

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Requirement Due date

in a timely manner, ensuring that any concerns regarding the practice of staff are identified quickly. It is also important that learning opportunities from significant incidents is consistently taken. 28/04/2017

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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

 Staff supervision must enable staff to reflect and act on how their own feelings and behaviour may be affected by the behaviour of the children they care for (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 39, paragraph 8.15). Specifically, supervision needs to be reflective and to provide a mechanism for any issues to be robustly addressed.  The statement of purpose is of particular importance to this standard (regulation 6(2)(a) and (b)(i)). Homes are required to develop and keep under review a ‘statement of purpose’ (regulation 16 and schedule 1). The home’s statement of purpose should be child focused, indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the quality standards for the children in their care (‘Guide to children’s home regulations including the quality standards, April 2015, page 36, paragraph 3.5). This is currently a lengthy document, which does not enable

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Recommendations

parents and young people to access important information easily. Streamlining its contents would enable both parents and children to access information more easily.

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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 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

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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