Children's home run by Castle Homes Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC413106 1 SC413106 Registered provider: The Priory Group Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private provider. It offers care and accommodation for up to six children with emotional and/or behavioural needs.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: 24 January 2017

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because: Inspection report children’s home: SC413106 2  The required changes and improvements identified following the previous safeguarding failings have not been achieved.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people have remained unsettled, displaying a wide range of concerning behaviours.

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Key findings from this inspection

 New referrals are ill-considered and poorly planned.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Care planning and risk management are lacking in rigour and focus.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and managers are clear and firm in their application of disciplinary and performance management procedures.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Standards in recording, administration and staff supervision have been improved to a good standard.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2017 Full Requires improvement 15/11/2016 Full Inadequate 08/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC413106 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

14: 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that arrangements are in place to ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (2)(b)(i)) In particular, to ensure that staff are properly equipped and prepared to care for the child and that the other children in the home are also appropriately prepared. 20/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking into account the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (2)(iv)) In particular, to ensure that arrangements are in place to ensure that there is accountability and responsibility for keeping children’s plans relevant and current. 20/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to 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. 20/07/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC413106 4 (Regulation 13 (2)(f)) In particular, to use the Regulation 45 review process for this purpose. 12: The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is

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Requirement Due date

arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (2)(b)) In particular, to respond urgently to emerging patterns of disruption that threaten the safety and well-being of children. 20/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

5: In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff, if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) In particular, to make all reasonable efforts to ensure that placing authorities promptly meet their statutory obligations with regard to the provision of education for their children. 20/07/2017

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Recommendations

 The registered person must seek ways to increase the homely and nurturing atmosphere and environment of the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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improvement to be good

During this inspection period, the experiences and progress of the young people have been mixed and they have reacted to challenging situations and change with significant displays of harmful behaviour. On more than one occasion, they have acted collectively against staff. There have been 29 significant incidents during a four-month period.

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improvement to be good

The disruption caused by these events has undermined the young people’s engagement in therapy and learning as well as their relationships with the staff and each other. It has also brought them into conflict with members of the public. The placements of two young people were brought to a premature end as the staff were unable to effectively Inspection report children’s home: SC413106 5 address their challenging behaviours and disruptive effect on the other young people.

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improvement to be good

Poor decisions are made about moving young people into an unsettled environment and their progress is slow.

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improvement to be good

Despite these issues of concern, some young people have remained in education and one has started her GCSE exams. All of the young people have maintained positive and trusting relationships with at least some members of staff.

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improvement to be good

Various mechanisms are employed to ascertain the wishes and feelings of the young people and they make use of these. Young people are clear about how to make a complaint and when they do, staff respond appropriately. Monthly young people’s meetings are held but the value and effectiveness of these events varies. One meeting was abandoned due to arguing among the young people and tempers flaring. This is reflective of the unsettled state of the home at the time.

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improvement to be good

The current system of key working in the home is lacking in structure, focus and accountability. This results in care and risk management plans not being clear and responses to specific events not being incorporated into behavioural and risk management plans. An example of this, is three different versions of contact arrangements for one young person and no written contact agreement in place.

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improvement to be good

Young people’s access to specialist services such as therapy and counselling is effectively enabled by the staff team that maintains regular communication with the relevant professionals. However, this unsettled period has resulted in an increased focus on the more immediate external behaviours of the young people and has reduced their opportunity to make progress in addressing their underlying feelings of conflict and insecurity.

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improvement to be good

The home is in the midst of a programme of modernisation and redecoration and when completed, is intended to offer a high-quality living environment for the young people. Currently, bedrooms are personalised and of a good standard. The current disruption resulting from a kitchen refit, is being effectively managed by staff, who consider how to minimise disruption to the young people.

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improvement to be good

Young people continue to engage in risk-taking and harmful behaviours. Examples include physical aggression causing injuries, damage to property and making threats towards the staff which have on occasion, resulted in the police being called. Although fully staffed, and with fewer young people living in the home, the staff team does not maintain a culture of sufficient order and appropriate control. There remains a failure to instil appropriate boundaries and behavioural expectations for the young people. Despite these difficulties, the young people say that they feel safe in the home.

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improvement to be good

Behaviour management practice is reactive and does not explore or address the Inspection report children’s home: SC413106 6 underlying reasons for young people’s challenging behaviours. Significant incidents are not sufficiently analysed. Consequently, risk assessments and behaviour management plans are not updated in response to new or escalating behaviours. Nor do they include a sufficient focus upon proactive strategies in order to reduce the likelihood of challenging behaviours occurring. Such guidance has lost its currency and fails to provide the staff with the guidance that they need.

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improvement to be good

Physical interventions are applied with care and consideration and are only used when necessary. The recording of incidents is sufficiently detailed and clear which allows for meaningful managerial oversight. Such events are reviewed with the young people and affected staff and this reflection helps the young people to develop insight into their harmful behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Significant gaps remain in relation to safeguarding practice. Three examples whereby staff failed to recognise and take appropriate action in response to safeguarding information received have resulted in disciplinary action for those staff. No direct harm occurred to the young people and subsequent appropriate action was taken. While this demonstrates swift and decisive action by managers in holding staff to account, these examples indicate that the concerns about safeguarding competence raised through the previous inspection are still unresolved.

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improvement to be good

Staff’s safeguarding knowledge is improving through ongoing training. In particular, topics on radicalisation, child sexual exploitation and safe use of the internet are a current focus. Staff questioned were readily able to list early indicators of the possible sexual exploitation of the young people.

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improvement to be good

Good standards of notification practice and communication with parents and placing authorities are maintained by the home in relation to significant incidents and a positive relationship is maintained with the police, independent reviewing officers and the local authority designated officers. When safeguarding incidents do occur, staff act in a transparent manner with external agencies in their attempts to reduce further risks. Prompt notifications to Ofsted ensure that the regulator is kept up to date.

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improvement to be good

Young people live in a safe and secure physical environment. Fire drills are completed as required and a recent group health and safety audit confirmed sound health and safety practice within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The experienced and committed registered manager is strongly focused on improving the quality of care that the home provides for the young people. She displays a determination in seeking to understand and address the factors that led to the previous safeguarding and leadership failures. However, the effectiveness of these efforts have been limited, as reflected in the recent need for disciplinary proceedings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

No proper analysis of the staff training needs was conducted following the previous safeguarding failures and the blanket approach to staff training has been ineffective. The Inspection report children’s home: SC413106 7 senior management review of the failures has also not contributed to understanding how a tolerance to staff misconduct developed and how these attitudes were sustained. Further, how this practice will be rooted out. There has been a failure by leaders and managers to take responsibility for the quality of the training and guidance provided and has resulted in a punitive approach to disciplining staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff express confidence in the registered manager and although having felt very distressed at times, feel reassured by the recent disciplinary action taken and accept this as having been necessary. This includes those directly involved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Despite three staff member vacancies at present, the continuity of care for the young people has been maintained by keeping occupancy at 50% and making some very limited use of well-known agency staff. Recruitment to the vacant positions is underway.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Despite this challenging period, the experience and commitment of the registered manager and staff team have enabled them to remain focused on the core activities relevant to the care and progress of the young people. The team’s liaison with external agencies is effective and good communication is maintained with therapists, placing social workers, parents and schools. However, the manager does not sufficiently challenge external professionals in the best interests of the young people. For example, one young person is still not receiving formal tuition after nine weeks in placement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Standards in staff supervision have been significantly raised and all managers and staff have received regular and meaningful supervision. The structure of sessions has been improved and provides staff with clear opportunities to raise any level of safeguarding concern. The registered manager reports that these improvements have helped her ‘to keep my finger on the pulse about how the young people are doing and how staff are meeting their needs, also how staff are feeling’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff training in core areas is being individually monitored and the completion of mandatory online training is being regularly followed up by the registered manager. This is also the case for those still completing their level 3 diplomas. Some senior staff members are being supported and encouraged to complete the level 5 leadership and management diploma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager’s Regulation 45 review report covering this inspection period provides a clear narrative of the journey of each young person and the operation of the home. However, there is no analysis of this information that demonstrates an understanding of how the quality of care for the young people can be improved. Nor is there a clear action plan in place to drive improvement for the next period.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young Inspection report children’s home: SC413106 8 people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences 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 whom 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: SC413106 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Manor House, High Street, Rothwell, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN14 6BQ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Wells

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Inspector(s)

John Pledger: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC413106 10 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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