Children's Home run by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Cornwall

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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the full inspection, the previous manager has withdrawn her application for registration with Ofsted. An interim manager was appointed on 6 February 2017 who manages this home alongside her other role as a manager of a home care team. The interim manager is yet to apply for registration. The team co-ordinator who supervised support staff has resigned, and this vacant post has been advertised.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Lack of certainty and coordination regarding management arrangements has affected the running of the home, particularly in relation to oversight and monitoring of functions within the service. While the home has specific safeguarding procedures, on one occasion these were not followed. The manager did not robustly address this incident to ensure it is not repeated, and the social worker was not informed until four weeks later. The organisation has introduced a new safeguarding policy which conflicts with the home’s safeguarding policy. Leaders and managers are uncertain about how the new policy affects their current safeguarding practice however they have not sought clarification.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Medication errors continue. Documentation does not demonstrate clear management oversight through audit. The interim manager has not analysed the reasons why or put a clear action plan in place to tackle the problem. These medication errors have not caused harm to children; however current practice gives potential for ongoing mistakes. The clinical lead is planning further training with the team, and the senior manager is reviewing the procedures.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Supervision for staff is not consistent or frequent enough for all staff. It does not always address issues to support staff in improving their performance or resolve concerns. However, clinical consultation and supervision for nursing staff is in place in addition to individual line management supervision. Care planning reviews do not focus enough on children’s overall experiences and achievements in the home and how these could be progressed further. Social workers’ and other professionals’ feedback is not systematically gathered prior to reviews. Therefore, this requirement is not yet met. Care plans are not always thoroughly updated when incidents or changes occur. Two concerns and complaints have been recorded centrally since the full inspection. However, the outcomes are not clear, and the record does not contain recommendations and management review. Not all concerns are recorded. For example, some parents have raised concerns regarding cancellations of short

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The development plan for the home identifies that the garden lacks sufficient sensory and play equipment for young people to enjoy, particularly when they are not well enough to leave the home. A charity application has been refused, and no other funding has been applied for.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A register of young people who use the service is now held in the home. Professionals from other services no longer use the home for office purposes while young people enjoy their short breaks. The home now has a registration certificate which accurately reflects the services that the home provides. Staff now understand young people’s legal status and what support they are entitled to. Staff and young people now enjoy mealtimes together, which promotes a socially inclusive and homely environment. These requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection are now met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite the concerns raised, young people continue to enjoy their short breaks in this welcoming and clean home. Staff plan interesting experiences for young people that they cannot access from home. The managers, clinical lead and staff team are caring, committed, and they have good relationships with young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A compliments folder kept in the home contains a number of positive messages and feedback from parents and professionals involved with the home. This includes positive feedback from a parent whose child has recently moved on from the service. Another parent reported, ‘The home is great. They do lots of activities and we trust them.’

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Information about this children's home

The children’s home provides a short-breaks service for up to two children who have disabilities, complex individual needs and fragile health. This service is managed by an NHS foundation trust.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/10/2016 Full Good 22/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/11/2015 Full Good 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/s 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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(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;

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Requirement Due date

(iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

(v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

(vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

(vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

(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;

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Requirement Due date

(e) that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. *02 May 2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard 02 May 2017 In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person should 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. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; (b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality

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Requirement Due date

of care provided in the home; (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; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. In particular,  Ensure that management arrangements are robust.  Ensure that staff have regular, consistent and robust supervision.  Ensure that there is sufficient management monitoring and oversight of supervision, medication and care plan reviews to ensure children’s needs are met.  Record all complaints and concerns centrally and ensure that they are concluded with recommendations and review.  Ensure that communication takes place with social workers and other relevant professionals, prior to all care plan reviews.  Ensure care plans reviews focus on children’s full experiences and achievements. Additionally, ensure that

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Requirement Due date

care plans are updated when necessary.  Progress the home’s development plan so that young people have adequate play and sensory provision in the garden.

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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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