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

Inspection report children’s home: SC489414 1 SC489414 Registered provider: Castle Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is a residential provision for up to four young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The children’s home is run by a private organisation.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC489414 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young people are making reasonable progress, with the assistance and support of the staff.  Health and education are promoted to a high level among the young people.  The young people are able to maintain their individual identities through structured contact arrangements.  Staff understand all risks associated with the young people, while focusing on keeping them safe.  There is excellent support provided to young people at risk of child sexual exploitation.  Staff feel supported and enjoy working with the young people.  There is an appropriate plan of action to provide continuity at the change of registered manager.

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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 manager needs to ensure that all new staff are trained in physical intervention before being involved in any incidents.  All records of physical intervention need to be reviewed by the manager promptly.  All records should be signed and dated by the young people and staff.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/09/2016 Full Good 08/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC489414 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 registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to child in the home a record is made and signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(b)(ii)) 27/10/2017

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children in the home is set up to care for as defined in the home’s Statement of Purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.57)  Case records must be must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are making reasonable progress due to staff offering them support that meets their individual needs. The records are evidence that the staff have been instrumental in the accomplishments made by the young people thus far.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The views of the young people are valued by staff. The staff encourage the young people to express their opinions in formal review meetings, key-working sessions and house meetings. Some young people have gained an understanding of what is expected of them, their rights and how to complain if needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The majority of the young people enjoy positive relationships with staff. A review of key- working sessions and interactions seen on inspection is evidence that staff are helping the young people to understand the importance of developing and sustaining positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Health and well-being for the young people are promoted and monitored by the staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC489414 4 When young people display any concerning emotional health issues, they receive therapeutic input quickly as staff make prompt referrals to the child and adolescent mental health services. The staff have played an active role when young people are being assessed for medication. They attend meetings and provide health professionals with an insight into the young people that helps to identify the best medication to be prescribed. The staff then monitor the impact of the medication on the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a commitment to the education of the young people that has led to some positive progress. A young person has shown marked improvement in her academic performance. The social worker confirmed that staff encouraged the young person to attend a class trip abroad, which resulted in a marked improvement in her confidence and social interactions. Alternative provisions are in place for all young people who are not able to attend full-time education. This includes exploring employment opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are able to maintain their relationships with parents and other people who are important to them. Their individual identities are maintained through contact arrangements that involve the staff communicating regularly with parents and professionals. The staff duties include facilitating and transporting the young people. The staff are good at identifying when contact may not be safe for young people, and they quickly intervene.

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

The young people feel safe. Their individual risks are well understood by the staff. Regularly reviewed risk assessments are in place to offer guidance to staff, with a thoughtful management overview contributing to the safety of the young people.

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

There is a good response from staff for young people who go missing from care. The staff follow the appropriate protocols and access the available support to assist in the safe return of young people. Return home interviews routinely take place and provide information which helps strategies of prevention and intervention to be developed.

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

The young people at risk of child sexual exploitation receive well thought through support that enables them to improve their awareness. A young person said, ‘Staff have been helped me to understand how social media and some relationships can be unsafe.’ The staff have evidenced that they have been actively consulting the local child sexual exploitation officer and social worker to ensure that a structured routine is in place to keep the young person busy. This action has improved the safety of the young person.

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

Records indicate that only one physical interventions has occurred since the last full inspection. Staff evidenced that they were aware of the triggers that the young people display when their behaviour escalates and could become a risk to themselves or others. This has resulted in the use of physical intervention only as a last resort. The staff address unpredictable acts of aggression by young people by implementing a zero tolerance policy as a method of behaviour management. The young people are supported to understand that no act of physical violence will be tolerated and will be referred to the police. When an incident occurs, staffing levels are increased and the Inspection report children’s home: SC489414 5 police are invited in to have a discussion as part of restorative justice.

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

The records of two newly recruited members of the staff team were reviewed during the inspection. They each were subjected to the process of having their relevant information thoroughly scrutinised and verified prior to an employment offer.

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

The young people live in a safe environment. The required health, safety and fire checks are carried out on a regular basis. Training in these areas is provided to the staff and regularly updated. Detailed and up-to-date risk assessments support the actions.

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

There was missed opportunity for valuable learning for the manager in relation to a complaint by a young person as a result of being restrained by a new member of staff. The actual record of this intervention is yet to be finalised and was unavailable for review, despite an investigation by the manager. The staff member involved had not undertaken physical intervention training, despite being in post for several months. The method of intervention used by the new staff member was not scrutinised, nor had any policies and procedures been adapted to prevent further incidents from occurring in the future.

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

Several documents reviewed on inspection, including those pertaining to key-working sessions and some risk assessments, were missing the signatures of both the staff and the young people, along with the dates.

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

The long-term registered manager has submitted her resignation and voluntary cancellation of registration as manager of the home from the end of August 2017. A new manager has been recruited and made a visit to the home during the inspection to meet with the current manager. The outgoing manager will remain working at the home as a sessional worker.

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

Supervision for all the staff is held consistently, usually allowing for reflection of their practice, and addresses any issues raised. The training available for the staff exceeds the mandatory training required, and offers opportunities for developing their practice. The staff feel valued and supported even in sensitive issues such as allegations or complaints.

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

Monitoring of the practice is good. Regulation 44 reports are timely and evaluative. The manager’s regulation 45 monitoring is clear, and the evidence of points being raised and addressed demonstrates the effectiveness of the monitoring. Learning is undertaken from incidents at other homes that are attached to the organisation, and policies are updated to reflect any changes.

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

The service continues to provide care and conduct itself in line with its statement of purpose. The services and care available for the young person and potential residents are detailed, outlining the expectations for both the young person and the service. Inspection report children’s home: SC489414 6

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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 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: SC489414 7

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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)

James Harmon, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC489414 8 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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