Children's home run by Potensial Limited

Inspection report children's home: SC489820 1 SC489820 Registered provider: Potensial Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

The children’s home is independently owned by a national company which operates a range of services for vulnerable adults and children.

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Information about this children's home

The home was registered in October 2015 for up to four children and young people who may have learning disabilities. This is one of two children’s homes operated by the company in the south-west of England.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 4 November 2016

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children's home: SC489820 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children's home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered person has failed to ensure that the home complies with the Care Standards Act 2000, the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, the statement of purpose and conditions of registration.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home is currently short of staff. The registered manager and her staff have all worked additional shifts in order to cover vacant posts.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Although there is still one child in the home, the staff have been transferred from training to complete their Level 3 awards in the care of children and young people to the adult care award.

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Key findings from this inspection

 One member of staff has been drafted in from another home operated by the same company. This person does not have a full employment history recorded on her file. This was not identified at the time of recruitment, or as a result of management monitoring.

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Key findings from this inspection

 A recommendation made at the previous inspection has still not been met. This was to ensure that the registered manager is supervised by a qualified social worker.

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Key findings from this inspection

 In light of these shortfalls, the ‘effectiveness of leaders and managers’ outcome area has been rated inadequate. In spite of the positive outcomes for young people, this has limited the home’s overall judgement to ‘requires improvement’.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff provide high-quality care for the children and young adults and have a very good understanding of their unique and complex needs.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The child and young adults are encouraged and supported to express their views and contribute to their plans, using a range of communication methods according to their needs.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home has a strong and effective staff team. Staff anticipate areas of difficulty and support each other well to manage the child and young adults’ behaviour.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager and her team have responded very professionally when parents have expressed concern about their children’s care. They have participated in regular ‘team around the child’ meetings to help resolve these concerns.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The child and young adults benefit from homely, spacious, en-suite Inspection report children's home: SC489820 3 accommodation, which is maintained to a high standard.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/11/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/04/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children's home: SC489820 4

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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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The leadership and management standard

13.—(1) The leadership and management standard is that 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.

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The leadership and management standard

(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; (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; and (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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The leadership and management standard

This is with particular reference to:  ensuring that the home complies with its statement of purpose and conditions of registration;  ensuring that the home has sufficient permanent staff;  ensuring that while the home remains a children's service, staff continue to follow training that is relevant to this function and purpose.  ensuring that all fire safety checks are recorded. 21/05/2017

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Fitness of registered provider

26.—(1) An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Fitness of registered provider

(5) The requirements are that— 21/05/2017 Inspection report children's home: SC489820 5 (a) the individual is of integrity and good character; (b) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2; (c) the individual is mentally and physically fit to carry on the home.

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Fitness of registered provider

(7) A responsible individual must— (a) satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and (b) have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated.

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Fitness of registered provider

In particular, the responsible individual must provide evidence to Ofsted that they meet the requirements listed above. (Regulation 26 (5), (7) and Schedule 2).

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Fitness of workers

32.—(1) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Fitness of workers

(2) The registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children's home; or (b) 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).

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Fitness of workers

(3) The requirements are that— (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Fitness of workers

This is with particular reference to ensuring that all staff who come to work at the children's home have a fully documented employment history on file, with any gaps accounted for and recorded. (Regulation 32 (1) (2) (3)(d) and Schedule 2) 21/05/2017

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Recommendation(s)

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

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Recommendation(s)

 Ensure that there are systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, Inspection report children's home: SC489820 6 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. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, for example teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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improvement to be good

The home requires improvement to be good because it does not comply with the provisions of the Care Standards Act 2000. There are two young adults and one child living in the home, which is a breach of the ‘wholly or mainly’ rule that states that children’s homes must be wholly or mainly for children.

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improvement to be good

This impending breach of legislation became clear in August 2016 when a young person was admitted two weeks before their 18th birthday. Leaders and managers knew at that stage that on 3 April 2017 a second young person would reach the age of 18 and that adults would be in the majority.

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improvement to be good

In spite of the six-year age gap between them, the mix of residents does not compromise their safety and welfare. However, the home cannot lawfully be both a provision for young adults and for children at the same time. The provider is now working with Ofsted and the placing authority to start to resolve the situation.

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improvement to be good

The child and young adults have warm and supportive relationships with the manager and staff. They have all made good progress since their arrival in the home.

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improvement to be good

The child’s school attendance has been excellent, with only one day off this year. He is making extremely good progress in mathematics and in handwriting. He has volunteered to help the staff with household tasks and gardening.

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improvement to be good

The child manages his own care to a much greater extent than when he was first admitted to the home. His behaviour has improved considerably, and previous signs of emotional distress have decreased significantly. He is now showing empathy for other people and is increasingly patient with his peers. The child enjoys an exciting range of outdoor activities, as well as engaging in complex and difficult Lego constructions. The registered manager, who is a qualified kayak instructor, explained that he has shown ability in boating activities and listens well when being taught how to manage his boat safely. Inspection report children's home: SC489820 7 The two young adults in the home have also made very good progress. Both young men are more sociable and are learning to understand other people’s humour, which they have sometimes found difficult in the past. One young man has learned the sophisticated skill of gently making fun of staff in an appropriate way. He can now make good choices

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improvement to be good

and follow these through. He is much calmer than when he first arrived and shows knowledge of how to calm himself down when he feels anxious.

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improvement to be good

This young man has coped well with new staff joining the team. He has made successful trips into the community, including public places, which used to be a challenge for him. He went on holiday for a week to an unfamiliar place, which was a considerable achievement.

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improvement to be good

The other young man has had 100% school attendance and is also making very good progress. He completed a work experience assignment and has attended the local college for a day to see whether he liked it. His independence skills have increased considerably and he is now able to do his own laundry, with staff guidance.

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improvement to be good

This young man’s approach to food has also changed. He was previously very particular about what he ate, which had led to some concerning weight loss. The staff are monitoring this well, and he has begun to gain weight again. This shows that the staff manage the residents’ healthcare needs effectively. All three residents are supported to attend appointments with healthcare professionals. The staff have useful strategies to help those who have anxieties about dental procedures, so that the care needed is provided.

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improvement to be good

It is concerning that one young adult does not have an allocated local authority social worker. This could have a negative impact on the level of support and care planning that he receives. However, this is largely beyond the control of the children’s home.

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improvement to be good

All three residents maintain good-quality contact with their families. The staff help to ensure that this contact remains positive and that practical arrangements are facilitated. The young adults are encouraged to develop independence skills to support them with daily living tasks.

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improvement to be good

This outcome area requires improvement to be good because not all of the staff recruitment files contain a full employment history. One member of staff came from another home, where the recruitment checks were made, but management monitoring had not identified the shortfall. A requirement has been made.

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improvement to be good

Fire safety checks have been completed, but approximately half of them have not been recorded. This has not been identified through management monitoring. This shortfall has been incorporated into the requirement made under the leadership and management quality standard. Inspection report children's home: SC489820 8 All other health and safety checks have been completed. Fire and premises risk assessments are up to date and well recorded.

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improvement to be good

The manager and the staff understand the need for clear and effective risk assessments. All the known risks to the child and young adults are recorded and evaluated. Risk assessments are detailed and contain all the information required to help the staff to manage risks arising from the child and young adults’ needs and their activities.

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improvement to be good

Apart from these administrative oversights, children and young adults are kept safe in the home. They do not go missing, and there are very few serious incidents. Behaviour is managed very well, and strategies are constantly reviewed. The staff work closely with the child and young adults to help them to keep calm. Consequently, there has been only one physical intervention since the previous full inspection.

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improvement to be good

The staff show extraordinary teamwork and insight when there is an incident. The inspector was told about an incident in which a young person became difficult to manage at a local restaurant. A member of staff, who was not working that day, saw the manager’s car heading towards that location. She knew that the young person was going on an activity there and immediately realised that something must be wrong. She drove off in support and helped to defuse the situation.

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improvement to be good

One young adult is subject to a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) assessment. A DoLS application for the other young adult was under way during the inspection. The home’s front door is restricted to prevent very vulnerable children and young adults from leaving the house and running out onto the road, where they could suffer serious injury. The child and young adults go out frequently alongside their staff, who protect them from harm. They therefore lead a very active life outside the house itself.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to operate the children’s home in line with the Care Standards Act 2000, their own statement of purpose and conditions of registration.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The Care Standards Act says that a children’s home must be ‘wholly or mainly’ for children. This home does not comply because there are now two young adults and one child living there.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The Ofsted inspection report dated 4 November 2016 warned of the need to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) if the company intended the home to become an adult service. At the time of the interim inspection, the home was caring for one young adult and two children and young people under 18. The registered manager also raised concerns about the fact that a second young person would become an adult on 3 April 2017, so the present situation was predictable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The company appointed a very skilled and experienced adult services manager to work Inspection report children's home: SC489820 9 alongside the registered manager and take the home into its transition to an adult service. The home has still not been registered with the CQC, although an application was submitted during the week prior to this inspection. In addition to the regulatory breaches from Ofsted’s perspective, the service is also now operating as an unregistered home for adults. The registered manager is due to leave her post on 17 April 2017.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual is working with Ofsted and the placing authority to find a solution that does not have a negative impact on the child and two young adults in the home. A possible way forward has been identified, and, if this plan comes to fruition, the ‘wholly or mainly’ rule will no longer be breached.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The company has been making plans for some time for the home to become an adult service, and, to this end, the registered manager acted on an instruction to change the four staff members who were undertaking a Level 3 qualification in working with children and young people to an equivalent award in adult care. This means that the remaining child’s needs have been overlooked in this respect. He is likely to remain in the home for several more months, so he should be cared for by qualified staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

At the time of this inspection, the registered manager said that the home is operating with four fewer full-time members of staff than usual. The remaining staff, together with the manager and her deputy, are working extra shifts to cover these hours. This means that most of the staff and the management team members are working many additional hours each week. This commitment to the child and young adults has ensured that there is continuity of care, but it has impinged on management time. The company has recruited some new staff for the home, but they have not yet started in post.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual changed on 31 August 2016. Ofsted has not yet received evidence of this person’s suitability for the role, including a Disclosure and Barring Service check. It appears that the letter sent requesting this information was never received. This is a communication issue, so a request for information has been sent to the responsible individual again. A requirement has been made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The day-to-day management of the home is good, although the registered manager has been under additional pressure through having to cover shifts. For some time, this had an impact on staff supervision, but she has now largely caught up and has held meetings with all but one member of the team. The staff have great respect for their manager and feel well supported by her. One staff member described her as ‘fantastic’ and said that she always makes herself available to help and support them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager monitors practice well and makes good use of her regulation 44 visits. The independent visitor has also highlighted the need for a timescale for transition to an adult service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is a qualified social worker, and a recommendation was made at the previous inspection that she should be supervised by a similarly qualified person. The responsible individual has explained that the company offered to pay for an external Inspection report children's home: SC489820 10 supervisor to provide this, but the plan was not put into effect. The recommendation has therefore been repeated.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the 'Social care common inspection framework', this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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'. Inspection report children's home: SC489820 11

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Potens, 68 Grange Road West, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH41 4DB

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Inspector(s)

Heather Chaplin, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children's home: SC489820 12 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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