Children's home run by ARC Adventure (Sussex) Ltd in Sutton

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 1 SC362972 ARC Adventure (Sussex) Ltd

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to five young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection date: 4 April 2017 This monitoring visit was conducted to assess the progress made against the requirements raised at the interim inspection of 3 February 2017.

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(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii) (b)

Behaviour management remains a concern. Staff have had little guidance in approaches to managing behaviour since the last inspection and it remains the case that they do not work cohesively. Young people are receiving mixed messages of what is expected of them because staff are uncertain, and at times discuss in front of young people what would be the best approach to manage a situation. Observations during the inspection showed a young person behaving aggressively, trying to have his needs met, but essentially controlling the environment – including staff. Staff are desperate for guidance, but there continues to be schism in the team regarding what approaches they believe are appropriate.

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(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii) (b)

Sanctions continue to be excessive and worded ambiguously. For example, one sanction given stated that a young person is to have ‘no screens, indefinitely’. On exploration, the young person is not to have games consoles or television as he has broken his glasses and using devices will damage his eyes. This is not clear in the record and is not time limited to when he has new glasses. Most sanctions no longer rely upon removing items, such as toys and games. However, damage is now being charged at full rate of cost to replace. This has resulted in at least two young people owing hundreds of pounds in damages. This is unrealistic to repay, and is ineffective as a sanction because they continue to damage property. Staff are reacting to the symptoms, rather than seeking to determine the root causes of behaviour. It appears that staff are writing sanctions while frustrated and they are not considering how the measure will change behaviour. Sanction reflection forms are not being

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(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii) (b)

used, despite being available and staff and young people do not appear to have the Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 2 opportunity to reflect on incidents. Listening to staff discussion, it seems that they are exasperated by young people’s behaviour, and due to lack of leadership, are making no headway in supporting young people effectively. Restraint records show that only some staff are holding young people. This requires further exploration as to why this is happening so inconsistently. A factor from the staff’s perspective is that some staff have not had restraint training. Records for both sanctions and restraints do not contain all of the information required, or necessary, to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures used and fall short of the regulatory requirements.

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(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii) (b)

Care plans for a young person, whose behaviour was changing significantly since the plan was last reviewed, have been updated since the interim inspection. However, it is generic and has much of the same information as that of a young person who has recently moved into the home, despite their needs being significantly different. Behaviour management and care plans are not consistent with information within the placing authority’s pre-placement information. Risk assessments are contradictory regarding certain behaviours. Young people’s incentives are generic, and for one young person, unachievable due to confusion about whether he has an education placement to attend – which is also one of his goals. The young person was heard saying to staff that he did not understand his money and how to get extra through his reward programme.

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(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii) (b)

Staff do not have or implement the skills to support young people to prevent them from following the negative behaviour of others and recognising when a relationship is positive for them. The issue that a young person is being seemingly rewarded for his negative behaviour by having staff time in the community and getting an ice cream, for example, is confusing to the other young people who are adhering to the rules and boundaries. This is starting to have an impact on their behaviour, who staff are saying are joining in negative behaviours at times and are becoming unsettled.

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(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii) (b)

It was noted at the interim inspection that despite staff being aware of potential conflicts between young people in the group, staff left them in a communal room unsupervised. During this inspection, it was also noted that three young people were not being closely supervised, resulting in one running around the house and garden with a bread knife. Staff only became aware of this when the inspector advised them.

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12: The protection of children standard (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)(vii)

Since the last inspection, there has been one safeguarding concern that required referral to external agencies. Staff are able to say that they had contacted relevant agencies, and the agencies also confirmed that they had been contacted. However, there are no records to show that this has happened, and no audit trail in the home.

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12: The protection of children standard (2)(a)(vii) (b) (e)

Staff have all signed agreements regarding not using personal mobile phones to contact young people. These are on their personnel files and seen at the last inspection. Discussion with the home’s deputy managers suggested there have been Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 3 no concerns about staff using their mobile phones to contact young people since these have been signed.

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12: The protection of children standard (2)(a)(vii) (b) (e)

The policy in relation to safeguarding and child protection has been updated according to the date on the document. However, it has not been reviewed effectively, and still contains reference to outdated regulations. Therefore, it cannot be guaranteed that staff are working to the most up-to-date guidance with regards to child protection.

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13: The leadership and management standard (2)(h)

The policies identified as requiring review at the interim inspection have been reprinted with new dates of review. However, information in key polices remains out of date. As mentioned, the child protection policy refers to out-of-date regulations and guidance. In addition, the safer recruitment policy refers to criminal records bureau checks as still being available in addition to disclosure and barring service checks. Therefore this is confusing and does not reflect up-to-date practice.

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13: The leadership and management standard (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(h)

At the time of this inspection, there is no registered manager or responsible individual at the home. The responsible individual had been signed off as sick by his general practitioner the day before the inspection. Ofsted has not been formally notified that the registered manager has been dismissed. The registered manager from the sister home had been supporting staff in the home, but resigned with immediate effect on 31 March 2017. A young person, while distressed, commented that: ‘This house is not stable any more. Staff are leaving every day.’ It is clear that the changes in staff are having a detrimental impact on young people’s emotional well-being.

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13: The leadership and management standard (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(h)

There was a lack of adequate leadership and oversight in the home, even before the registered manager from the sister home and responsible individual were away from their roles. The operations director confirmed that there is an active recruitment drive for managers for both homes, and she intends to apply to become the responsible individual.

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14: The care planning standard (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)

At the interim inspection, it was noted that one young person’s in-house care plan had not been updated since March 2016, demonstrating that it had not been reviewed after statutory reviews or as his behaviour had significantly changed. This plan has now been updated, but it is generic and identical in large sections to another young person’s plan, despite them having significantly differing needs.

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14: The care planning standard (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)

A young person who has recently moved into the home has a plan that does not reflect the information available in his pre-placement information from the placing authority. The required information is not accurate, if included at all, and risk assessments are contradictory in their information. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 4

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and responsible individual (2)

The responsible individual had been signed off work by his general practitioner for four weeks from the day before this inspection. We were therefore unable to judge whether he had undertaken any professional development since the last inspection.

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Regulation 32: Fitness of workers (1)(2)(a)

There have been no new staff employed by the organisation since the interim inspection. The issue identified at the last inspection related to staff employed by the home via an external agency on a ‘temp to perm’ basis. In particular, of the file checked, the registered manager had not taken new references for the member of staff, nor completed a risk assessment in relation to positive information on the staff member’s disclosure and barring service certificate. The manager had relied on the risk assessment from the agency, which stated that the individual should not work alone with vulnerable people. This was not being adhered to. This had not been rectified at this inspection, however the situation had moved on because the member of staff involved was no longer working at the home. Two other staff members were employed directly by the agency; one file has all the appropriate pre- employment checks, but one has not had the references verified in line with the

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Regulation 32: Fitness of workers (1)(2)(a)

home’s policy and safer recruitment guidelines.

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Regulation 33: Employment of staff (4)(a)

Training in understanding children who have autistic spectrum disorders has been arranged for staff in June, July and September. This is an overlong timeframe because staff have been requesting this training since November 2016. Additionally, the young person’s social worker suggested that staff meet with the young person’s therapist in December 2016. This also has not happened. There is no evidence that this has been followed up. In addition to these shortfalls, it is noted that only two out of the whole staff team have had training in managing medication, and some staff confirmed that they have not received behaviour management or restraint training.

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Other areas of concern noted at this inspection

There are no pre-placement impact assessments to ensure that the skills of the staff can meet the needs of newly admitted young people or whether they are compatible with the group already living here.

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Other areas of concern noted at this inspection

Staff are not promoting the importance of education and structure for one young person who is out of education. There are no daily or weekly planners of how his social and independence skills can be developed while an education placement appropriate to his needs is sought.

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Other areas of concern noted at this inspection

The recommendation made at the full inspection, and not met at the interim inspection, regarding the use of a bound book for controlled medication (as outlined in guidance) has still has not been implemented. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 5

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 13/07/2016 Full Good 19/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/07/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to 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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b) In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must ensure that staff: (iv) provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. In particular, produce pre-placement impact assessments to ensure that the home can meet the young person’s needs within the group and with staff’s current skills. 19/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the education standard, the registered person must show that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (2)(a) the registered person must ensure that staff— (iv) help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment. 19/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard *

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationships standard, the the registered person must ensure (2)(a) that staff— (i) meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; (v) communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child 19/05/2017 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 7 understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; (vi) help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; (vii) help each child to develop the understanding and

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Requirement Due date

skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; (viii) strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; (ix) understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; (x) are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; (xi) de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2)(a) the registered person to ensure that staff— (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe; (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; and (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; (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; (e) that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. 19/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard 19/05/2017 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 8 In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home where: (2)(a) the registered person leads and manages 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) ensures that staff work as a team where appropriate; (c) ensures that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a) The standard requires the registered person to ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose; (b) that arrangements are in place to— (i) ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; (ii) manage and review the placement of each child in the home; (c) that each child’s relevant plans are followed 19/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or, if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3) –  the individual is of integrity and good character. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)) In particular, the registered person must follow safer recruitment practice with regards to the verification of references. 19/05/2017 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 9 The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33(4)(a)) In particular, the registered person must train staff in

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Requirement Due date

understanding autistic spectrum disorders; medication storage and administration; and behaviour management and restraint. 19/05/2017

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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 the name of the child; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised

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Requirement Due date

person’) has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 19/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 refer to ‘managing medicines in care homes’ (March 2014) guideline that applies across both health and social care to determine procedures for recording and monitoring controlled medication (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.17)  children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. This relates to developing in-house care plans to reflect children and young people’s views and ideas as well as their culture and identity. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 10

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: ARC Adventure (Sussex) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: c/o Cox Costello, Langwood House, 63–81 High Street, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire WD3 1EQ

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Inspectors

Jennie Christopher, social care inspector Emeline Evans, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC362972 12 to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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