Children's home run by Dorset County Council

Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC032250 1 SC032250

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Information about this children’s home

This children‟s home is operated by a local authority. It provides long-term placements for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken following the full inspection of the home in June 2017, when it was judged inadequate. Two compliance notices were issued because of the home‟s failure to comply with the protection of children, and the leadership and management standards.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, leaders and managers have taken steps to address the serious and widespread weaknesses. They provided Ofsted with a detailed action plan documenting the work that leaders and managers were proposing in order to safeguard children and remedy the weaknesses.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual is now directly overseeing the day-to-day management of this home. The registered manager‟s position is currently vacant. The responsible individual and senior care team demonstrate a determination to safeguard the young people and improve the quality of care they receive.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have made good progress towards meeting the actions set out in the two compliance notices. However, the improvements made remain in their infancy, and will be assessed for effectiveness and sustainability at a further full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

In the short time since the last inspection, the responsible individual and senior shift leaders have audited the home‟s records and reporting systems. As a result, missing- from-home protocols are now in place, care plans and risk assessments have been reviewed and new recording systems have been introduced. Daily reports now Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC032250 2 provide an improved overview of the young people‟s day, their diet and their achievements. In addition, new systems and guidance have been introduced to enable the young people‟s views to be sought when they have any concerns or complaints.

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This monitoring visit

Monitoring and oversight of the quality of care have improved. Two senior workers have been allocated specific responsibility for undertaking daily, weekly and monthly checks of the records relating to the safety, health and welfare of young people. These checks have enabled the senior management team and responsible individual to identify any weaknesses in the records completed by the staff team. When omissions or deficiencies are identified, they consult with the author and the appropriate changes are made. As a result, staff are being helped to develop their reporting skills and reflect on their practice. Records now provide a comprehensive overview of the young people‟s day, and actions taken by staff to safeguard them.

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This monitoring visit

Individual missing-from-home procedures have been devised that have been approved by the local police. Staff have been provided with clear guidance on what actions they are required to take when a young person goes missing. There have not been any reported missing-from-home episodes since the last inspection. As a result, these procedures have not been tested out for effectiveness.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments, care plans and behaviour management records have been reviewed and updated. Risk assessments now include indicators of risk and preventative measures that staff should take in response. Care plan targets now focus on young people‟s current needs.

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This monitoring visit

A further full inspection will be undertaken to review the remaining requirements and assess the effectiveness of the improvements leaders and managers have made and the impact of the improvements on young people‟s experiences.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/12/2016 Full Requires improvement 11/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/07/2015 Full Good

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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 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC032250 3 registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose and ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose; protect and promote each child‟s welfare; provide personalised care that meets each child‟s needs, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans, taking account of the child‟s background; help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6(1)(2)(a–b)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)) 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

7: The children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

The children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who: develop positive relationships with them; engage with them; and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children‟s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child‟s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child‟s best interests when making decisions about the child‟s care and welfare; help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; help each child to understand how the child‟s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 31/07/2017 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC032250 4 This requirement also relates to ensuring that young people‟s views are sought following incidents, restraints and sanctions.

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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:

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Requirement Due date

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; help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child‟s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; understand how children‟s last experiences and present

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Requirement Due date

emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of 31/07/2017 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC032250 5 bullying and how to deal with them; and that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xii)(xiii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

If a home has a website, the registered person must ensure that a copy of the statement of purpose is published on that website unless the registered person considers that such publication would prejudice the welfare of children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (1)(2)(3)(a,b)(4)(5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the statement of purpose is up to date and a copy is provided to Ofsted. 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that this supervision is regularly provided in line with the home‟s supervision policy. 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

Within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline 31/07/2017 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC032250 6 or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes all of the elements listed in regulation 35(3)(a)(i–vii).

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Requirement Due date

Within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. 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(1)(2)(3)(a)(i–vii)(b)(i,ii)(c))

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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. This specifically relates to records relating to missing-from-home incidents and how young people‟s special dietary needs are met. The registered person must ensure that all case records are kept up to date. (Regulation 36(1)(a,b))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that all records are accurate, detailed and factual. 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI‟s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding 12 months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39(3)(5)) 31/07/2017

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Recommendations

 Where there is a possibility that a child will run away or go missing, their placement plan should include a strategy to minimise this risk („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph 9.24) Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC032250 7  The home‟s procedures must take into account the views of appropriate local services and have regard to police and local authority protocols for responding to missing persons incidents. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph 9.29)

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing the risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children‟s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC032250 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dorset County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1XJ

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Post vacant Inspector: Sharron Escott, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC032250 9 to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Children’s home details

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Children’s home details

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Children’s home details

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