Children's Home run by South Tyneside Council in South Tyneside

Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 1 SC032701 Registered provider: South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to five children or young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a local authority.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

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

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 2

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is inadequate because:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The young people are not sufficiently safeguarded. Some young people are regularly missing and they have been involved in harmful experiences, which compromise their safety and well-being.  Some young people regularly use illicit drugs, which they are easily able to access from the local community. Drugs and drug paraphernalia have been found in the home. This compromises the safety of other young people.  The location of the home does not always enhance the young people’s outcomes. They have been involved in local anti-social behaviours, resulting in their sustaining injuries.  Poorly written procedures, which do not comply with regulation, and failures to follow safeguarding statutory guidance compromise the young people’s safety and their welfare.  Educational outcomes and achievements are unsatisfactory. None of the young people is in full-time education or employment.  Record-keeping and document management are disorganised. Documents are

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

not kept up to date; nor are they always signed and dated. Quality assurance systems are lacking.  The provider has failed to meet two previous requirements.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The manager and the staff team are making progress in some aspects of the home’s operation. The staffing levels are improved and new staff have been recruited.  Behaviour management techniques are under review to manage behaviour positively. The manager and the staff team are beginning to create a positive ethos based on using praise and appropriate rewards rather than punitive management styles.  Relationships between the staff and the young people are improving and they are starting to create positive bonds.  Inter-agency and partnership working is effective and this is improving the young people’s care and support.  A full review of the staff’s development needs have been evaluated, and the manager is arranging additional staff training in line with the young people’s needs and the statement of purpose. Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good 10/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/12/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

*The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.4

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 34(1)(b) and (2)(b)(d)) 22/09/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk from 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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the children’s and young people’s written risk assessments are monitored and updated to reflect new or escalated risks, and how these will be reduced.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12(1) and (2)(a)(i)) 22/09/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 22/09/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (2) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

Requirement Due date

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year, taking into account the requirement in regulation.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (2) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records for each child which

p.5

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy setting out—

p.5

Requirement Due date

steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and 22/09/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 6 the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent.

p.5

Requirement Due date

Before implementing or making an amendment to the missing child policy the registered person must—

p.6

Requirement Due date

Have regard to any relevant local authority or police protocol is on missing children. (Regulation (34)(4)(a)(b) and (5)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The young people have experienced a period of instability following the closure of the home for seven months for refurbishment. The young people were moved to another children’s home, operated by the same provider, before returning on 3 May 2017. During the transition, there were a number of staff changes and a new manager came into post. This led to inconsistencies in the care and management of the young people.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

A monitoring visit was carried out on 12 June 2017, following a number of safeguarding events. These included an escalation in antisocial behaviours that led to an increase in police involvement in the home, the young people going missing and accessing illicit drugs and alcohol, significant damage to the home and property, and concerns about a young person threatening to self-harm. During this visit, the young people and the staff commented that the home was unsettled and that they felt that this was because of all the changes that had evolved from the home being closed for such a long period.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The outcome from this inspection is that the home is judged inadequate. This is mainly due to failures in keeping the young people safe. There are also shortfalls in the oversight of the home and safely managing private and confidential documentation.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the monitoring visit, there has been a reduction in notifiable events. The young people feel much more settled and they are beginning to forge good relationships with the staff. There is a noticeable increase in meaningful key worker sessions that shows that the young people are being are being consulted and listened to. Better consistency among the staff team has impacted positively on the young people’s behaviours, and there are signs that establishing routines and boundaries are effective.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

A young person said: ‘It is moderately better and there are not so many disturbed nights. I can talk to the staff more now, and I spend time with my key worker.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 7 Better inter-agency and partnership working is proving effective. The young people have better access to a range of external workers who offer specialist support. These include drug and alcohol practitioners and workers specifically trained to work with young people who may be at risk from exploitation. This additional support is beginning to enhance the young people’s outcomes.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

A social worker said: ‘[Name] has a very good relationship with his drug worker, and this relationship is one of the few constants in [Name]’s life. This gives [Name] some stability in his life.’

p.7

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Educational outcomes are poor. None of the young people is in full-time education, and some young people have been out of education for a significant period. Where young people are attending part-time alternative education, their attendance is haphazard and their timekeeping is poor. A lack of consistent good-quality education compromises the young people’s future careers and job opportunities.

p.7

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

The home has failed to meet a previous requirement to improve the quality of the young people’s individual risk management. The risk assessments written by the staff are very onerous, which makes it difficult to pinpoint significant risks and how these will be minimised, and there are occasions when known risks are not recorded. This poor practice compromises the young people’s safety and welfare.

p.7

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

A previous requirement to improve managing child protection concerns is partly met. There are now systems in place to record all suspicions or allegations of abuse and the actions taken in response. This is a positive improvement.

p.7

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

However, part of this requirement, to ensure that the home’s child protection procedure is written in line with regulation and statutory guidance, is not met. The new, updated procedure does not fully set out what actions must be taken in response to an allegation or suspicion of abuse, and some of the information in the procedure is contradictory and confusing. A safeguarding document about protecting children and young people from being exploited still uses the term ‘child prostitution’. This unacceptable terminology is detrimental to the young people.

p.7

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

A new requirement to ensure that the young people are safeguarded is identified in this report. This is in response to a number of instances in which the young people have not been adequately protected. Events include young people being threatened by other young people in the home, some young people regularly accessing illicit drugs from the local community, and young people bringing illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia into the home.

p.7

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

A professional who works with a young person said: ‘I have a great relationship with [Name] and I am very worried about him. He has more access to drugs since moving back to this home.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 8 Behaviour management is currently being reviewed to introduce more, and appropriate, rewards and incentives to encourage the young people to develop their social skills and to help them better understand how their behaviours affect others. This positive approach to behaviour management is taking over from some previous punitive behaviour management strategies, such as over-using sanctions and punishments.

p.7

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

A staff member said: ‘We are looking at giving the young people more positive and inspirational rewards. We have been using cash incentives, but this can sometimes compromise their safety. We want to get the young people more involved in community activities, and to encourage them to engage in their own hobbies and interests.’

p.8

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

The manager has a good relationship with the local police who respond promptly to young people going missing and being absent. The manager meets regularly with the police officer who is responsible for the locality, to talk about the young people who are living at the home, specifically those at risk of going missing. This is good progress, and a good example of joint working.

p.8

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

The local police officer said: ‘I have worked in this area for 15 years, so I know the location very well, and, yes, there is a drug problem in the area. We work well with the home, and we have always found staff very good. We have good working relationships and work together to support the young people. I visit the home regularly on an informal basis, and meet with the manager every five weeks. I am aware of the current risks of the young people, and the staff keep me up to date.’

p.8

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

However, the home’s procedures and the staff’s understanding of what constitutes a young person being missing or being absent are lacking. The home does not have a copy of the statutory guidance for missing children and young people, which explains the measures that should be taken in response to a young person going missing. Nor are there any agreed, written local protocols that set out how the home and the police will work together when vulnerable young people are missing or are not where they are supposed to be. The missing young people data provided for this inspection is inaccurate. This is because the manager and the staff have been using police definitions of what is missing and what is absent, which do not correspond with the statutory guidance. Therefore, there are significant shortfalls in addressing concerns where some young people who are regularly missing are being treated as being ‘absent’. This

p.8

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

In addition to the concerns about the number of missing incidents, some young people are at risk because they are socialising with inappropriate adults in the local community. This is known to staff at the home and the police, yet there is little oversight by the manager and the provider to assess the location of the children’s home and the local environmental risks. This potentially compromises the young people’s welfare.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has been in post since April this year. She has recently submitted an application to register with Ofsted. She has the required qualifications to undertake her Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 9 role, and she has previously worked in a children’s home. This inspection has identified a number of failures to keep the young people safe, which have impacted on the outcome judgement for leaders and managers. However, the manager has made a number of improvements. She has focused on reviewing the services provided to the young people, and she has an action plan in place to address a number of shortfalls, including some of the concerns identified in this report.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has also identified and addressed some difficulties within the staff team, to improve morale. She has worked hard on teambuilding exercises, which are starting to have a positive impact. Subsequently, the staff team morale is much improved.

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A staff member said: ‘Moving from [Name of another children’s home] was a difficult time. Bringing new staff together and the young people being unsettled was a horrible time. Consistency has been up and down because of new staff starting, but it is a lot better since the last time you were here. We all want to improve, and we are looking forward to things getting better and we are staying positive.’

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has progressed by meeting a requirement to improve staffing levels. There are now adequate staff on duty at all times to meet the needs of the young people. A new deputy has been employed, and staffing vacancies have now been filled. This will improve consistency in the home, and it will provide better stability for the young people.

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A young person said: ‘There is always loads of staff on now, so we can go out and do things, and the night times are a lot better.’

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager and the staff are developing high expectations for the young people and they are promoting a positive ethos in the home. Following an evaluation of the staff’s skills, experience and training, there is a new training matrix in place to ensure that all the staff have the training they need to meet the young people’s needs. This investment in the staff demonstrates a clear drive to improve outcomes for the young people.

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager is beginning to explore additional services for the young people. She has accessed external agencies and is beginning to involve them in supporting the young people. This is focusing on individualised care and on meeting young people’s specific individual needs. The registered manager also understands how to advocate on behalf of the young people, with positive results. She has actively pursued other professionals, and agencies, where she feels that the young people are not being provided with the support they need. This promotes the young people’s rights.

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are shortfalls in recording and document management that compromise good practice and outcomes for the young people. The young people’s case files are disorganised and overfilled with information. This makes it very difficult to locate important documents and to ensure that the young peoples’ care plans are current and relevant. There is some statutory documentation missing from the files, and a number of documents have not been signed or dated. There is little evaluation of some of the young people’s risk assessments and their residential plans. This makes it difficult to see Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 10 and understand whether the young people are making measurable progress.

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are examples of staff having recorded private and confidential information about the young people inappropriately, for example using a communal logbook to share private and sensitive information about the young people. Document management and, in particular, quality assurance procedures are ineffective. This relates mainly to policies and procedures in the home. There have been instances where staff have written new procedures and implemented them without the local authority agreeing to or validating the documents. Consequently, there are procedures in use that do not meet regulation or statutory guidance. This compromises good practice and potentially compromises the young people’s safety and welfare.

p.10

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.

p.10

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: SC032701 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Westoe Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear NE33 2RL

p.11

Inspector:

Debbie White, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC032701 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.

p.11

Inspector:

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Inspector:

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

Inspector:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.12