Children's home run by Approach-Development (NE) Ltd in Redcar and Cleveland

Requires improvement

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.2

The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

 There is no registered manager. This situation has continued for a significant amount of time. A newly appointed experienced manager is in place, but as yet is not registered. While improvements have been made, there has not been adequate time to fully evaluate the impact of this appointment.  Not all staff have completed the necessary in-depth training courses in relation to the needs of young people.  There continues to be no effective independent monitoring under Regulation 44.  Care plans need to be reviewed and must contain greater detail, to offer strategies for meeting the wider needs of young people.

p.3

The children’s home strengths

 The core staff team has shown a high level of commitment to the home and to the young people resident.

p.3

The children’s home strengths

 The provider and the new manager have shown a willingness to cooperate with the regulator in improving the home.

p.3

The children’s home strengths

 The registered individual demonstrates a positive level of support for the new manager.

p.3

The children’s home strengths

 There are clearer lines of accountability for staff.

p.3

The children’s home strengths

 There is a better understanding of safeguarding needs and how to address them.

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

13: 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 that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(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; (e) ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to 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 of care provided in the home. 12/05/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

14: In order to meet the care planning standard the registered individual ensures that children— (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(e) that the child's placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child's relevant plans is requested, if— (i) the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child's needs; (ii) the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home 12/05/2017 without permission The registered person must— (a) keep the statement of purpose under review and, when appropriate, revise it; and (b) notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

p.4

Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), 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 (3)(5)) 12/05/2017

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 12/05/2017

p.5

Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person's report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)(5)) 12/05/2017

p.5

Information about this children’s home

A private company owns and manages this children’s home. It can accommodate up to five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.6

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 30/01/2017 Full Inadequate 29/11/2016 Full Inadequate 10/10/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 27/06/2016 Full Requires improvement

p.6

Requires improvement

The provider has made significant improvements since the appointment of the new manager in February 2017. This has led to more effective oversight of the home, and as a consequence an improvement in the protection of young people and the promotion of their welfare. The two compliance notices have been met and the lack of safeguarding training addressed.

p.7

Requires improvement

There is only one young person resident in the home. The other young person moved on in difficult circumstances, but is continuing to be supported by the staff team. There have been no new admissions since the last inspection, which has provided some stability that has enabled the remaining young person to develop positive relationships with staff. A social worker said: ‘At my last visit [young person] told me she feels better, she feels supported and is happy. She is definitely more stable and is making progress.’ The core staff team has stabilized and is being supported by a team of known additional staff. This has enabled the manager to develop strong foundations within the team, and use the previous inspection judgements and incidents that have occurred to develop practice. A member of staff said: ‘[manager] will sit with us and explain what we are doing and why we have to do it.’ Educational outcomes for the young people are improving. Records demonstrate

p.7

Requires improvement

that routines and boundaries have been put in place to enable young people to engage fully in education. Formal links have been made with the local schools, and support is offered to young people to look at and prepare for future careers. Young people maintain friendships with peers in their local communities. They enjoy a range of activities such as music groups and cadets. This has enabled positive, age-appropriate friendships to develop, which are supported by the staff team. This support includes staff making relationships with the parents of friends, and sharing such tasks as transport to groups and activities. This means that young people develop positive friendships, which increases their level of resilience. Health outcomes for young people are mixed but improving. There is evidence that engagement with additional services to address concerns such as substance misuse is now taking place. This improves the overall welfare of young people, and

p.7

Requires improvement

The spacious home environment continues to have comfortable rooms that are available for individual and group activities. The damage seen at the last inspection has been repaired and the manager has plans to review the use of rooms. There is evidence of art and craft activities, with pictures and posters on the wall, in what is now a chill-out room with bean bags and a television. The outside space is clean and well presented.

p.7

Requires improvement

The improvements seen in recruitment practice at the last inspection have continued. The newly appointed manager’s own recruitment followed safer recruitment guidelines. For example, the application form has improved to include relevant declarations. In addition, there is now a format to record the verification of references, with an evaluation of any next steps to be taken. The manager has plans to ensure that all core staff complete this new paperwork. This will ensure that all records meet the required standard consistently across the team, and in new recruitment. There has been a further reduction in episodes of missing from home, and there have been none for a period of six weeks. Records demonstrate that during the last few incidents the staff made every effort to find young people and support them to return. This demonstrates an increased commitment to the placement by young people and will increase their feelings of being valued, as well as demonstrating

p.8

Requires improvement

improved safeguarding practice by staff. Risk assessments have improved and now outline the strategies that staff are to follow in order to mitigate against risk. In addition, the assessments have been individualised to the young people resident. This, combined with an improved monitoring system of case records, has improved the ability of staff to protect young people. Any incident of concern is notified to the relevant professionals as required. Daily records demonstrate that the staff team is aware of the young people’s activities and outline staff responses to concerns and positive experiences. The result is more cohesive records that demonstrate positive safeguarding knowledge. The provider has ensured that the staff have undertaken a range of safeguarding training, including face-to-face and online courses covering safeguarding and child protection, as well as sexual exploitation. This training, along with flow charts

p.8

Requires improvement

devised by the manager, has enabled the staff team to be more aware of the necessary steps to take to safeguard young people. A member of staff said: ‘I feel young people are safe here.’ In addition, the manager has undertaken designated safeguarding lead training since being appointed. This will strengthen the safeguarding practice within the home. Judgement grade

p.8

Inadequate

The leadership and management judgement of this home remains inadequate because there has been no registered manager for over 26 weeks. The newly appointed manager is confident and experienced. He has put in place clear lines of accountability within the home. This has enabled the staff team to feel able to address practice issues that were of concern previously. A senior member of staff said: ‘[manager] has put the structures in place that we need.’ A new induction booklet, devised by the manager, is based on the quality standards and required competencies of staff. He intends to use this booklet for current staff, as well as any new staff recruited. This will improve practice across the team and ensure that any development issues are identified early and can be addressed.

p.9

Inadequate

Supervision within the home has improved both in quality and quantity. Sessions now include opportunities for reflection. These sessions are monitored by the senior team, to ensure that they take place. The independent visitor undertakes regular monitoring of the home. However, the quality of the resulting reports remains a concern. They do not contain relevant information or evaluation. Care planning incorporates most aspects of the young people’s individual needs. However, plans continue to be in need of review and individualisation as they currently limit the ability of staff to fully address the needs of young people. There have been definite identifiable improvements in the stability and practice of the home. Shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home have diminished. But, due to the short timescale that the manager has been in post, it is recognised that further improvements are required. There are some repeated

p.9

Inadequate

requirements from the previous inspection because of this, but the two compliance notices issued in relation to safeguarding and the recruitment of staff have been addressed.

p.9

What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children’s home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children’s home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children’s home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place. However, the children’s home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children’s home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

p.10

What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm, or that result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

p.10

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 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

p.11

Information about this inspection

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 .

p.11

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 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,

p.12

Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

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

p.12