Children's home run by Bettercare Keys Ltd in Belfast

Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 1 SC400212 Registered provider: Bettercare Keys Ltd

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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 children’s home is part of a large national organisation. The home is registered to care for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is set in the countryside in a peaceful and tranquil location but is in easy reach of large towns.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 26 January 2017

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 2 This children’s home is inadequate because

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Key findings from this inspection

 Serious and widespread shortfalls have been identified. The impact of these shortfalls on young people results in them not always being kept safe.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Not all young people are making progress. Some young people are not receiving education or being provided with the right support to help them to learn. The staff team’s expectations of young people are low. Staff fail to support them to be motivated about school or hold aspirations and an eagerness to learn.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Dangerous and prolonged incidents of challenging behaviour have happened. At times, young people have been out of the control of staff. As a result, unsafe situations have occurred and regular damage has been made to the home. Evidence of damage from these incidents can be seen throughout the house and means that young people are not living in a well-cared-for home.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leadership and management are poor. Requirements made at the previous two inspections remain unmet. Management oversight is weak and results in poor care and experiences for young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

 A notice to restrict the home from accommodating more young people and three compliance notices have been issued.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The organisation has made changes to the way in which staff from an external agency are employed and used within the home. Evidence of this safer approach to staffing was seen at this inspection.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager has been able to secure a permanent staff team to work in the home following a previous period of significant staff shortages. Staff are all receiving regular and meaningful supervision.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/10/2016 Full Requires improvement 16/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/05/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 3

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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

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(x)) 06/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

9: The enjoyment and achievement standard

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to— develop the child’s interests and hobbies; participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and make a positive contribution to the home and the wider 01/08/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 4 community; and that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 11: The positive relationships standard

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; and that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(xi)(b)) 01/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard *

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting 06/07/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 5 children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 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

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Requirement Due date

harm; that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard *

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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; 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; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) 06/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 01/08/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) 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; that arrangements are in place to— manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(2)(b)(ii)) 35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that within 48 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’) speaks to the user about the measure; and signs the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 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)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 01/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which includes the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; and ensures that they are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 01/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; and ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)) 01/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, serious incidents related to poor behaviour have happened that have placed young people and staff at risk of harm. A number of these incidents have been dangerous and prolonged. Staff have been unable to successfully manage these incidents and, as a result, a young person was made the subject of emergency police protection and was removed from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Not all young people are provided with sufficient educational opportunities or extra- Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 7 curricular activities. As part of one young person’s plan, tutors from the provider’s school are required to visit the home and provide him with outreach sessions. However, tutors do not visit the home as required because care staff are unable to motivate the young person and he often remains in bed throughout the day. This demonstrates low expectations of the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Although the registered manager has challenged the school because of the lack of educational provision, this challenge has not been successful in securing a satisfactory conclusion or ensure improvements in the young person’s experiences. Leaders and managers have agreed for staff to support the young person at school. The need for this arrangement in terms of potential risks have not been assessed by staff at the home. Staff failed to challenge the school for sending a young person home when teachers deemed his behaviour to be poor, despite him calming down quickly and being the only young person in attendance on that day. Leaders and managers have not escalated concerns about these arrangements effectively. As a result, the young person’s opportunities for learning have been reduced and his progress is limited.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Information provided to inspectors by the school and the children’s home about the young people’s schooling contains discrepancies. As a result, it is difficult to fully determine what education has been provided for each of the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff offer little challenge to the young people who stay in bed during the day, rather than being engaged in education. It is not uncommon for young people to remain in bed until late into the afternoon. This practice has been observed by the independent visitor and was also evident during the inspection. The staff told the inspectors that they try to get young people up by asking them and by opening the door and the curtains. This approach is not effective and, as a result, the poor behaviour continues and young people are not making good educational progress or preparing for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff fail to provide young people with a nurturing and homely environment. Evidence of damage from chaotic and violent incidents that have happened can be seen throughout the home. Repairs are not made to the home quickly enough. The main lounge has also been without a television for nine days. Staff did not feel that this was an issue. One member of staff stated, ‘Well these boys don’t watch TV anyway.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people are not always helped effectively to develop socially acceptable behaviour. Sanctions for poor and unacceptable behaviour are used, but the effectiveness of the sanction is not reviewed effectively. On one occasion, when a young person stole items from a shop, staff failed to return the items or ensure that they were paid for. The sanction given to the young person was not linked to the behaviour and did not help him to understand the seriousness of it. The young person was able to keep the stolen items despite staff being aware of the criminal behaviour.

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

Staff do not manage challenging behaviour effectively. A number of incidents of Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 8 challenging behaviour have happened since the last inspection. Some of these incidents have been dangerous. Staff have failed to intervene effectively in a timely manner, resulting in young people and staff not being kept safe and the incidents continuing. Some incidents have seen the young people hold the balance of power and control. Staff have been hurt and the home has been significantly damaged as a result of these incidents.

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

During the inspection, staff did not demonstrate a good understanding of known risks relating to fire starting, or what action they should take to minimise the risks. Despite a young person’s care plan stating that aerosols and lighters are a risk and that these items should be handed in to staff, inspectors found a container full of lighters and two aerosols in this young person’s bedroom.

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

Leaders and managers have failed to manage effectively and to rigorously investigate allegations made by young people about staff. Young people have raised three allegations since the last inspection. One of these allegations was not progressed in line with safeguarding policies and procedures, resulting in a delay in referring the allegation to the designated officer.

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

Leaders and managers do not routinely speak with young people as part of their internal investigation into allegations young people have made. As a result, conclusions are reached without leaders and managers having a full understanding of the young person’s view or concerns.

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

Leaders and managers do not ensure that all recommendations from internal investigations are actioned. Therefore, poor practice is not addressed effectively and staff are not provided with the support that they require to improve their practice.

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

There have been two incidents resulting in physical intervention being used since the last inspection. Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that their oversight of these incidents is effective. Young people have not been spoken to following these interventions. This has resulted in their experiences not being understood and used to inform future practice.

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

There have been two incidents of children going missing from home since that last inspection. Staff actively search for young people in an attempt to ensure that they are found quickly and are returned safely. Staff communicate well with other agencies to identify the whereabouts of young people who are missing. While a return home interview was carried out after a young person had been missing, the manager was not informed of the outcome of the interview. This makes it difficult for the manager to consider the risks and to put in place strategies to reduce these risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Failures to comply with the Children’s Home Regulations 2015 continue. Requirements under regulation 13: the leadership and management standard and regulation 8: the Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 9 education standard were issued at the previous two inspections. Leaders and managers have not taken action to deal effectively with these regulatory breaches. As a result, weaknesses in these areas continue.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders’ and managers’ monitoring of the quality of care and behaviour management is weak. They do not scrutinise all of the incidents of challenging behaviour effectively in order to learn from the incident and prevent it happening again. During the inspection, an incident happened that could have been prevented if leaders and managers had acted sooner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not track behaviours effectively to identify themes and trends. The inspectors noted a theme emerging in January 2017 that incidents were centred on the staff office. In January 2017, a young person entered the office and took two screwdrivers and caused damage to the home. In the following four weeks, a further seven incidents occurred where young people gained access to the office and removed items, including a hammer, screwdrivers and secateurs, and caused damage to the home. Insufficient action was taken to address this issue and change practice. As a result, incidents continued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to evaluate the two incidents where restraint had been used, or sign the records to confirm that they are accurate. Leaders and managers do not ensure that young people and staff involved in restraints are always given the opportunity to talk about what happened.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Care planning records are not kept up-to-date to include all current, relevant information. Staff are not provided with clarity in respect of expectations about the quality of their work. During the inspection, the inspectors identified that a decision had been made that physical intervention should not be used in response to one young person’s behaviour. Leaders and managers were unable to provide evidence of when this decision was made, and care planning documents conflicted with this decision. No alternative strategies or direction were provided for staff. This weakness has had a negative impact on the staff team’s ability to manage and intervene in young people’s challenging behaviour effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that all of the documents required for inspection are accessible. The manager told the inspectors that this was due in part to a significant incident in February 2017 that resulted in the home’s computers being damaged. However, some recent paper documents could not be provided. This created a barrier for the effective tracking and oversight of the young people’s experiences. It is also further evidence of the lack of oversight by leaders and managers as they were unaware that these documents were missing until they were requested by the inspectors.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that the visitor’s book is routinely completed; not all of the required details required are recorded. As a result, it was difficult for the registered manager to provide details of accurate dates and times when the police were at the home due to serious incidents. This creates a barrier to effective Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 10 oversight and review of incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have ensured that staff working at the home receive regular and meaningful supervision in line with the provider’s policy. Staff spoken with as part of the inspection felt supported by the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have taken action to improve the safer vetting and recruitment of staff. When staff from an external agency are used, managers obtain full details about them and review their recruitment checks prior to them working with children. These improvements have been effective and have reduced the risk of unsuitable staff working at the home.

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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: SC400212 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bettercare Keys Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Keys Group, Laganwood House, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5NW

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Inspectors

Tracey Ledder; social care inspector Guy Mammatt; social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC400212 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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