Children's Home, Residential special school run by Kedleston (High Peak School) Limited in Cheshire East

Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 1 SC484134 Registered provider: High Peak School 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

This privately run children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 28 children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. At the time of this inspection, 10 children were living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

Following the last inspection, Ofsted served three compliance notices under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to:  the poor arrangements in place to protect children (Regulation 12);  inadequate restraint and behaviour management practices and associated records (Regulation 35); and  ineffective monitoring and oversight of the quality of care, safeguarding arrangements and records (Regulation 45).

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Enforcement action since last inspection

Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit to the home on 20 April 2017 to assess the Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 2 registered person’s progress in meeting the requirements set out in the notices relating to Regulations 12 and 35. The home had taken swift action to improve and both compliance notices were met. The leadership, management and monitoring of safeguarding practice had been strengthened. Staff were better trained and supported. Staff were supervising and responding to children more effectively. As a consequence, children were better protected, bullying was no longer a concern and the use of restraint had diminished.

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Enforcement action since last inspection

Compliance with the Regulation 45 notice was assessed as part of this inspection.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The new interim management arrangements provide for rigorous oversight and monitoring of the home’s practices and records. Consequently, there has been a significant improvement in the operation and management of the home.  The development of the home takes into account the views of children, parents and other stakeholders.  The arrangements for supervising, training and supporting staff have been significantly strengthened. Consequently, staff have grown in confidence and competence. They are providing good-quality care to children.  An extensive staff training programme and increased levels of guidance from managers and therapists have led to more effective and individualised behaviour management strategies. This has resulted in a reduction in the use of restraint, a calmer atmosphere, a significant reduction in bullying and happier children.  Children feel safe and are safe. Incidents of children going missing have

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Key findings from this inspection

dramatically reduced. On the few occasions when children have been missing, they have been quickly found and returned to the home. The arrangements for conducting and learning from independent return interviews have been strengthened and protect children well.  Children enjoy and benefit from many and varied positive experiences. They engage well in their education. They make good educational progress from their starting points.  Children’s physical, emotional and mental health needs are well promoted.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development

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Key findings from this inspection

 The arrangements for the administration of medicines are not reliable. Consequently, there have been times when a young person has not received the medicines prescribed. This does not fully protect and promote the child’s health.  Some children’s placing authority care plans have been altered at short notice and they have been discharged from the home against their will. The home should do more to ensure that children receive the support of an independent Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 3 advocate who can, if required, campaign and influence local authority decision- making on behalf of a child.  Many children only have access to a phone when staff allow this. There is no readily available phone for them to use, in private, without reference to a member of staff. The home does not routinely assess whether there is a need to withhold ready access to a phone as part of children’s individual risk

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Key findings from this inspection

assessments.  As no children have been admitted to the home since the last inspection, the home has not yet demonstrated it can carry out rigorous impact risk assessments before admitting new children.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 02/11/2016 Full Requires improvement 31/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/10/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 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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Requirement Due date

23: Medicines The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home and must ensure that medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed. (Regulation 23 (1)(b)) 25/06/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children have access to a phone that they can use privately (Regulation 22 (3)(a)). This can include the provision of a mobile phone where appropriate and safe for the child, as long as an alternative is in place for the child to make phone calls in private if their personal mobile is lost, out of credit or broken. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.17)  Ensure that children have access to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure that they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.16)  Ensure that the registered person only accepts placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully

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Recommendations

considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4) Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good, person-centred placement plans and risk assessments which guide staff to meet their needs, as set out in their care plans. They are well cared for by an increasingly competent and confident staff team that places children’s welfare at the heart of their practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Clear objectives are set and monitored for each child and this helps staff to focus on targets for improving each child’s life. Targets are set by the staff team, taking into account the advice of therapists and parents. They are discussed and agreed with children. Incentive schemes, effective behaviour management and therapeutic interventions help children to make progress and achieve good outcomes. For example, a child who previously struggled to settle and sleep at night is receiving effective, well- planned and consistently applied support to do that. As a result, she is more settled, she causes less disruption to others and she engages better with daily routines and education, as she is not always tired.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide nurturing care and increasingly build strong bonds with children. This enables them to be more responsive to children and understanding of their needs. Their ability to de-escalate challenging situations has improved significantly and this means that children are more settled and relaxed. One child explained, ‘All the staff are sound. I feel better in myself and I’m getting on better with my mum and dad.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The on-site clinical team assesses the needs of each child within the early months of placement and thereafter provides ongoing therapeutic support to those children who need it. Clinicians provide feedback to the child and adolescent mental health service when appropriate and carry out work with some children, on its behalf. Working in close partnership with care staff and teachers in the on-site school, therapists help children, over time, to self-regulate, build self-esteem and develop social skills. This helps to prepare children for future independence and community life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A key strength of the home is the way that staff provide and engage in fun activities with children. In particular, they encourage outdoor pursuits such as cycling, fell-walking and skate-boarding. This helps children to develop new skills, work as a team and benefit from exercise. The home has extensive grounds in a peaceful setting, and children enjoy using the playground, swimming pool and gym, as well as cycling in the gardens. A social worker said, ‘Sometimes I visit at weekends. It’s quiet, tranquil and welcoming. I am 100% happy with this placement. My young person is coming on leaps and bounds.’ Some children particularly enjoy and benefit from peacefully fishing in one of the ponds on-site. One child explained, ‘I like it here. I can relax.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who have missed education in the past successfully re-engage in education through carefully tailored, individual programmes aimed at reintegrating them into school life, at their own pace. They benefit from the provision of small classes, on-site. They are very well supported by education staff during the school day. Their educational progress Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 6 is routinely monitored and there is good evidence of children making sound academic progress. Children build confidence as they recognise their own improvement. One child explained, ‘This is the best school I’ve been in. I’ve started engaging in lessons and I’m making progress.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are solicited though key worker sessions and house meetings and clearly inform the development of the service. For example, children influence the day-to-day activities provided, help to plan holidays and have been influential in the decision to develop a skate park and a football pitch on the poorly used tennis courts. Children say that staff listen to them and they know who to approach with a problem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Recognising the importance of children’s engagement in the community, the home encourages children to engage in community groups of their choice. For example, one child plays football for a local team and other children enjoy attending a local youth club. A child who has recently moved on to another placement attended and enjoyed girl guides. This was after weeks of building up confidence to attend, with patient support and encouragement from staff. Some children enjoy helping out at a local farm and in particular, enjoy horse-riding, an experience that was not available to them before moving to this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker commented, ‘He’s like a different child since moving here. He had poor social skills and could not make friends. He was usually segregated from his peers in school and he focused almost entirely on his games console. Now he is integrated into school life. Other children positively want him to join in. Staff are good role models. They encourage him to do new things, and he does. I walk away from visits with a warm heart.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Seven children have left the home since the last inspection and none have been admitted. The home has successfully enabled children to have a smooth transition to new placements. Through their proactive interventions, managers have successfully influenced most local authorities to move children in a planned way. Staff have accompanied children on visits, and have encouraged and enabled the development of positive relationships with new carers. The home has appropriately shared information about each child and has provided advice and guidance to new carers. Some children have not wanted to move from the home. They have not received independent advocacy to support them with making their views known to their placing authority. Managers recognise that they need to do more to ensure that children have access to advocacy and are in the process of setting up a contract with an independent advocacy provider.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home promotes and facilitates contact with families, enabling families to visit children and supporting children to go on home visits or supervised contact, in accordance with their individual plans. Families say that they are made welcome and are kept well-informed about their child’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A small number of children have a mobile phone which they use to maintain contact with families and friends. However, most children do not and are reliant on using the home’s phone to make contact with families, friends and professionals. To do so, they must ask Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 7 permission from staff to use the phone, even when no risk assessment is in place to show that it would not be safe for them to have unrestricted phone contact. This means that there may be some children who are unnecessarily restricted from having phone contact with people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The arrangements for the administration of medicines are not robust. They do not ensure that children always received prescribed medicines. Auditing of medication records is not good enough to identify medication errors quickly. This does not ensure that children’s health is fully protected and promoted.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There was a serious incident shortly after the last inspection, in which a number of children displayed high levels of dangerous behaviour and aggression, resulting in assaults on staff, damage to property and other children being in fear. Behaviour management strategies were ineffective and police intervention was required to protect children and staff from further serious harm. Several children were arrested and one did not return to the home because of the danger that the child posed towards others living there.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Managers took immediate action so that, since then, safeguarding arrangements are much improved and children are effectively protected. There has been no further need for police involvement. An intense programme of staff training and focused work with children has resulted in better behaviour management, a reduction in bullying and reduced use of restraint. Damage to the property has massively diminished, as have assaults on staff.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Restraint practices have significantly improved and records are mostly compliant with regulations, showing restraint is being used appropriately and only to protect children and others from serious harm. A child who has been restrained said, ‘They only restrain me when they need to and I am never hurt.’ Managers are aware that more needs to be done to ensure that restraint records are well documented. Through careful, swift monitoring of incidents, they are addressing shortfalls and working with staff to improve the quality of records. This is proving to be effective.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Better risk management ensures that risks to children’s safety are identified, understood and well managed. For example, staff follow individual risk assessments and behaviour management plans which guide them in how to keep children safe from known risks to their safety. Therapists and managers have helped staff to learn new skills in de- escalation strategies and to better understand why children behave as they do. Staff are more aware of triggers to children’s challenging behaviour and take positive action to avert escalating anxieties that would otherwise lead to challenging behaviour. For example, staff know that by commenting positively on a particular child’s progress an hour before bedtime, they are able to help him manage the transition from daytime to bedtime smoothly and without incident. Staff are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of their behaviour management strategies and understand the importance of

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

being proactive as well as responding appropriately to children’s behaviour. Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 8 The arrangements for conducting and learning from independent return interviews following incidents of going missing have been strengthened. The home has challenged local authorities and an independent return interview provider to share information better and faster so that those responsible for children’s safety are quickly made aware of any concerns. Few children have been missing and only for short periods, not overnight. Recognising their vulnerability, staff immediately search for missing children and report them to the police, in line with their individual missing from home protocols. Staff welcome children back and act on any indication of bullying or other reasons why the child is unhappy at the home. This helps children to feel listened to and safer.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are trained in the ‘Prevent’ strategy and know how and when to make a referral to the channel panel. Although alert to signs of radicalisation, staff are confident that the high levels of supervision that they provide both on-site and off-site as well as online are effectively protecting children from radicalisation and extremism. No children are currently deemed to be at risk of sexual exploitation but staff have been trained to look out for changes in behaviour and other signs that a child may be being exploited, and to take appropriate action to protect such a child.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Respecting others and valuing diversity are integral to the home’s methods of working. By raising awareness of bullying, delivering clear messages that it is not tolerated at the home, and ongoing vigilance, staff have managed to substantially decrease the level of bullying. This makes for a calmer atmosphere where children are more content and starting to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has been open and transparent with placing authorities about the shortfalls in practice that were identified at the last inspection. The immediate steps taken by the senior leadership team to improve children’s experiences and progress have been successful. For example, the dynamics of each house were quickly reviewed and changes were made which resulted in children being more settled, safe and happy. One child, whose presence in the home had a marked negative effect on other children was discharged immediately following a serious incident. This enabled the home to keep other children safe and the child in question is now making much better progress in a more appropriate, solo placement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager resigned from his post in February 2017. Interim management arrangements have been in place for 15 weeks, while the home actively recruits a new manager. The provider’s attempts to recruit a person with sufficient experience, knowledge and skill to manage such a complex, large children’s home have so far been unsuccessful.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A decision has been made that the service manager, who is currently acting as the interim manager, will apply to Ofsted to be the registered manager, and her application is awaited. The provider intends that she will manage the home until a suitable person has been recruited and, working alongside her, successfully completes a probationary Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 9 period. This demonstrates the provider’s determination to ensure effective management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The provider’s vision and determination to turn the service round are apparent, as is the commitment from all those running and working at the home. There has been a significant financial investment in the home which has enabled significant improvement in a short time. In partnership with her colleagues, the interim manager has made extremely good progress in addressing the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. Consequently, the overall quality of care and operation of the home have improved. The managers and staff are ambitious to provide a well-run, successful home where children enjoy their lives and make good progress. There is a shared sense of ownership and accountability and a strong commitment to caring for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager has formally reviewed and reported on the quality of care provided in recent months. She has identified where practice and children’s progress have been less than good. She knows the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has taken decisive action to bring about improvement. For example, she has introduced new systems and processes which better support staff to deliver a good service. She has canvassed the views of children, parents, staff and placing authorities to inform her review and there is clear evidence that she has taken and continues to take their views and wishes into account in driving improvements in the home. This work has enabled a swift turnaround of the quality of care. Although it is early days, and more needs to be done to consolidate the improved working practices, sufficient steps have been taken to meet the Regulation 45 compliance notice issued following the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Indeed, the home has taken steps to address all of the requirements issued following the last inspection. There is now more robust oversight of the home by the independent visitor and this helps the manager to monitor the home’s operation and address shortfalls promptly. Notifications to Ofsted of serious incidents have been made as necessary, and in a timely way. In addition, the home has kept Ofsted informed of changes and developments within the home. This enables Ofsted to maintain effective scrutiny of the home’s ability to meet children’s needs and operate within the relevant legislation. Through providing appropriate challenge to local authorities, the home has secured stronger arrangements for safeguarding children. This better protects children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The strong leadership and management are having a positive impact on the staff team that is working more collaboratively and consistently. There is greater stability within the team so that children are looked after by happier staff team members who enjoy their work more. This creates a warmer, more tranquil atmosphere in which children feel settled and relaxed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The arrangements for the recruitment, induction, supervision and training of staff have improved. This ensures that the manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of the staff team and she is addressing each member of staff’s personal and professional development. This is already leading to a more highly skilled workforce. Staff are developing their report writing skills so that children’s records are better maintained, more informative and child-focused. Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 10 In-house assessors have been brought in to provide assessment and advice to those staff currently undertaking the diploma level 3 qualification. The comparatively new staff team members are keen to achieve their qualification and develop their skills. They feel well supported in this. Of the staff team, 53% are suitably qualified. A further 32% are currently engaged in the diploma level 3 qualification. The remaining 15% are going

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

through the induction process. This shows that the provider is committed to improving the skill set of the workforce.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In addition to mandatory and specialist training events, the home has developed regular group discussions with therapists. These focus on particular children’s complex needs and how to support them. Staff say that this is invaluable in helping them to understand and care for children better. Being better trained, better supported and better supervised, staff have grown in confidence and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A member of staff explained, ‘Training has built our confidence. We have revisited things through refresher courses… we have connected the dots.’ Another member of staff said, ‘We have been given tools to help children self-soothe. We are putting more emphasis on their emotional well-being and helping them to be more reflective and accountable. We used to go straight to hold but now we are talking things through. We were in a negative habit. Since the major incident, some reflection work has been done. It has really helped us.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report ‘massive changes’ since the interim manager took over the home. One member of staff said, ‘She is a godsend. We get regular supervision. We are told about the new plans, about the day-to-day running of the home, any training coming up. We can go to her with personal issues. We feel supported. We are heading in the right direction.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the children well and has introduced new and effective systems to monitor their experiences and outcomes. Continuous review of their progress is maintained and plans are altered in response to changes in the child’s life. Placing social workers report that children are making good progress and that the home keeps them and parents well informed. Equally, parents report that the home is helping their child to make very good progress. They are impressed with how well managers and care staff know and understand their child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is operating in accordance with its statement of purpose. The provider has supplied a copy of the revised version to Ofsted along with an up-to-date staff list. He has reviewed the capacity of the home and plans to reduce the number of children for whom it provides a service so that there are fewer children living in each house and spare rooms are available for activities. The small number of children currently living at the home means that already children are making better progress, living in smaller, more manageable groups. No children have been admitted to the home since the last inspection so it has not been possible to assess the home’s new arrangements for carrying out impact risk assessments and matching children. Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 11

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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: SC484134 12

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: High Peak School Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/O Kedleston Group Limited, Office Suite No. 1, Ansell Gardens, Holloway Lane, Harmondsworth, Middlesex UB7 0AE

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Inspector(s)

Sharon Lloyd: social care regulatory inspector Michelle Bacon: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC484134 13 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)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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