Children's home run by Leicester City Council

Inspection report children's home: SC039001 1 SC039001 Registered provider: Leicester City Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 31 July to 1 August 2017

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children's home: SC039001 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Safeguarding practice requires improvement. However, there are no serious failures in staff practice or competence.  Complex behaviours from two highly vulnerable young people have presented the staff team with exceptional safeguarding challenges. Safeguarding strategies and plans are not reducing risk of harm.  The home has experienced high levels of disruption. This has impacted on the routines in the home.  Some residents have had a negative impact on the wider group of young people. This has included bullying, conflict and negative group dynamics.  Staffing has been insufficient to respond to increasing levels of safeguarding concerns.  Case recording requires improvement to be good.

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Key findings from this inspection

 A highly experienced leadership and management team has been proactive by ensuring that young people posing risks to others move on as a matter of urgency.  The registered manager has supported the staff team effectively through a very difficult time.  The management and staff team are highly qualified, trained and skilled.  The majority of young people make good progress in many aspects of their lives.  Feedback from partner professionals is that that the managers and staff of this home ‘do the very best they can in very difficult circumstances’.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC039001 3 03/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/06/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children's home: SC039001 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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11: The positive relationships standard

In order to meet the positive relationships standard the registered person must ensure that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from relationships based on —

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11: The positive relationships standard

(a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and (c) positive responses to other children and adults.

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11: The positive relationships standard

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

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11: The positive relationships standard

(i) meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; (iv) help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; (vii) help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; (xii) understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable.

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11: The positive relationships standard

(Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(i)(iv)(vii)(xii) 01/09/2017

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12: The protection of children standard

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to the protection of children that may go 01/09/2017 Inspection report children's home: SC039001 5 missing from the home and/or are at risk of sexual exploitation, the registered person must:

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12: The protection of children standard

(i) 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 (ensure there are up-to-date, detailed and specific risk assessments and clear strategies to reduce harm and clarity about how these will be implemented and monitored).

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12: The protection of children standard

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to the protection of children, the registered person must:

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12: The protection of children standard

(b) 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 harm (with particular reference to the routine and culture of the home/preventing young people entering each other’s bedrooms).

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13: The leadership and management standard

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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13: The leadership and management standard

In particular the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure —

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13: The leadership and management standard

(d) that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child, with particular reference to providing increased levels of staffing where safeguarding concerns require higher staffing 01/09/2017 Inspection report children's home: SC039001 6 ratios.

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13: The leadership and management standard

(Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(d)) The registered person must ensure the home maintains records (case records) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; ensure records are kept up to date and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) 01/09/2017

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Recommendations

 Where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. If no education place is identified by the placing authority, the registered person must challenge them to meet the child’s needs under regulation 5 (engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, this home has experienced a high level of disruption. This is because of the complex behaviours of two vulnerable young people. These behaviours have presented the staff team with exceptional challenges. Behaviours have had a negative impact on the quality of young people’s day-to-day experiences and routines. The focus of staff attention has been to minimise disruption and keep them safe.

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improvement to be good

Relationships between young people have been variable. There have been conflicts between some young people. However, when this has occurred, social workers confirm that staff have taken appropriate action. The dynamics between two young people are of concern, with one young person potentially having a negative influence on the other.

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improvement to be good

Educational attendance and engagement are variable in this home. Some young people refuse to engage with any education offered to them. One young person has not attended school since their admission to the home and staff have been unable to engage Inspection report children's home: SC039001 7 them in structured activities in preparation for a return to education. Other young people have very good school attendance. One young person progressed from non-school attendance to attending school full time. He has now achieved his goal, and has started a work apprenticeship. These are considerable achievements that will help enhance their future life chances.

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improvement to be good

Despite the recent disruption, the majority of young people do continue to make progress in many aspects of their lives. An independent reviewing officer said of one young person: ‘Progress is because of the commitment and dedication of staff.’ A mental health professional said: ‘Young people at the home generally make good progress.’ However, some young people still lead chaotic lives.

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improvement to be good

The majority of young people enjoy trusting and respectful relationships with staff. Staff work hard to support young people in all aspects of their lives. One young person said: ‘I can speak openly with all the staff team. I can tell them anything.’ Social care professionals also describe very positive relationships between staff and most young people.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff regularly consult with young people. The views of young people inform improvements to the home. Young people confirm that staff listen to their views and act upon them. Young people know how to make a complaint and have a children’s guide and access to advocacy.

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improvement to be good

Independence skills form part of the daily routine of the home. Young people can access a specially designed kitchen. This is an area where they can practise their food preparation skills. They learn to take some responsibility for tasks such as managing their laundry, and helping with tidying the home. Young people can progress to live in a separate independence flat on site, which is a valuable addition to this home. Staff ensure that young people develop vital and age-appropriate life skills.

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improvement to be good

Arrangements for safeguarding young people require improvement. Two young people have frequently been missing from the home. In some cases, this has been for significant periods of time. When this has happened, managers and staff have worked in line with the local authority runaway and missing from home and care protocol. One specialist worker described staff practice as ‘fully compliant with protocols’. Regardless of this, incidents of being missing from the home remain very high.

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improvement to be good

The experienced staff team works with young people at risk of sexual exploitation. Inspection report children's home: SC039001 8 However, one young person assessed as being at high risk in this area has had significantly increased episodes of being missing from the home. A specialist child sexual exploitation professional said: ‘Progress has been limited during the time she’s lived at this home; however, I feel this is more a reflection of her complex circumstances, including high level of vulnerability, rather than the standard of care provided.’

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improvement to be good

Risk management in this home requires improvement. Current strategies to prevent young people from leaving the home without authorisation have not been effective. Risk management plans do not contain clear enough strategies for reducing harm. This limits staff members’ abilities to proactively prevent and respond to risky behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Staffing arrangements in this home have at times been insufficient. Managers have not been able to deploy extra staff to monitor and supervise young people when risks have escalated. On occasions, this has prevented staff from intervening to stop situations escalating, for example in relation to bullying. Some situations have become volatile. When they have, staff take appropriate action to safeguard young people.

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improvement to be good

Staff have struggled to manage some disruptive behaviours, which includes two young people going into each other’s bedrooms. On occasions, they have barricaded themselves in them, preventing staff access. This behaviour has extended to other young people, who now enter each other’s bedrooms. While there is no evidence of harm, there are clear risks attached to this.

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improvement to be good

Staff are experienced and work well with young people who self-harm. They work alongside mental health teams and social workers to provide specialist support. One young person has completely stopped self-harming. He said: ‘This is because I see my therapist every week. This really helps me understand my situation and feelings. I have a key worker who talks with me and I trust all the staff.’ This support and care for young people helps keep them safe.

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

The registered manager is very experienced and is progressing with her level 5 diploma in Leadership in Health and Social Care. Two knowledgeable and experienced assistant managers support her with the management of the home.

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

Managers have addressed a shortfall identified at the last inspection in relation to young people being supported and encouraged to access dental services. A recommendation relating to internal monitoring reports is also met. The registered provider submitted a report to Ofsted, as required by regulation, which demonstrates her oversight of the home. Inspection report children's home: SC039001 9 A recommendation to ensure that all children’s case records are kept up to date and signed and dated is, however, escalated to a requirement. This is because the standard of case files is not yet good enough. Files do not consistently contain all required information or up-to-date records.

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

The well-trained staff team is resilient and committed to working positively with all young people. This is despite their complex behaviours. Staff want all young people to achieve their potential. Staff confirm that throughout recent challenging times, managers have been supportive of their needs. One member of staff described the registered manager as ‘a brilliant manager!’

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

Partnership arrangements with health, education and social care professionals are positive. Managers advocate on behalf of young people. They are not afraid to challenge decisions if they feel that they are against the best interests of the young person. Professionals report high levels of satisfaction with the quality of care. They say that communication is good . External professionals also confirm that most young people progress from their starting points.

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

An independent person undertakes monthly external monitoring visits to the home. The responsible individual and manager welcome this external scrutiny. The independent person is effective in identifying shortfalls. Managers have not always been able to respond to the shortfalls in a timely manner. However, they are proactively working with partner agencies and local authority departments to find solutions to recent difficulties. An example of this is the decision made in partnership with other professionals for new placements to be found for two young people in order to safeguard them.

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

The statement of purpose provides a guide to parents and placing authorities. It outlines the aims and objectives of the home and care provided. Managers and staff are not currently able to meet all of its aims and objectives due to the shortfalls identified in this inspection.

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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 Inspection report children's home: SC039001 10 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: SC039001 11

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Children’s home details

Registered Provider: Leicester City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: New Walk Centre, Welford Place, Leicester LE1 6ZG

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Inspector

Amanda Ellis, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC039001 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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