Children's home run by Manchester City Council in Manchester

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC063683 1 SC063683

p.1

Manchester City Council Local Authority

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority-run home that accommodates up to six children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 11 July 2017. As a result, Ofsted issued a compliance notice under regulation 14 regarding the care planning standard. This was due to delays in local authority care planning which were leading to placement drift. Children were living at the home when this was clearly not in their best interests. Consequently, children’s safety and welfare were compromised.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The focus of this visit was to monitor the actions taken by the provider to comply with the regulation 14 notice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The local authority has drawn up an action plan for improvement and has taken sufficient steps to address and meet the compliance notice. The senior leadership team has been fully involved in promoting improvement and has maintained effective scrutiny of practice. Robust action has been taken to promote better and more timely care planning. This has involved weekly governance meetings that have addressed delays in care planning by ensuring that professionals responsible for children’s placements are held accountable. The provider has reviewed current practice in the wider authority and addressed shortfalls in placement planning systems. Consequently, three children have moved on to new placements following well-planned introductions.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Moving forward, plans are in place for each child to have a care planning meeting every six weeks and for partner agencies to be involved, as well as local authority Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC063683 2 partners. Better arrangements have been set up for partnership working so that children have access to a range of other professionals within the home. This is likely to result in more effective care and placement planning, which address children’s needs faster and more effectively.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made to the referrals process, and all new referrals are to be presented via the centralised placements team and considered at a matching and linking meeting, which the social worker is expected to attend. A compatibility risk assessment is to be drawn up in collaboration with the social worker so that the registered manager can make an informed decision about the suitability of the placement for the child, taking into account the needs of children already in placement.

p.2

This monitoring visit

As yet, no compatibility risk assessments have been drawn up because no children have been admitted to the home. This has been a deliberate strategy, as the local authority is taking steps to address a number of shortfalls at the home prior to admitting more children. A review of the current risk management documentation has taken place and the provider recognises that the document is too long-winded and needs improvement. Managers want the document to be more succinct, to incorporate the ‘signs of safety’ approach and to follow on from referral information in a more streamlined and smarter way and to fully reflect the children looked after care plans. The home anticipates introducing the new document by the end of September 2017 and prior to the future admission of any child.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children’s placement plans demonstrate how their needs are to be addressed at the home. They are usually, but not always, updated each month. The standard remains variable in that placement plans do not always reflect changes to the child’s care plan. This is a weakness in recording. For example, where a new placement has been agreed for a child and introductions have been set up and executed prior to the child’s discharge, this is not always recorded on the child’s placement plan. Consequently, the document does not fully demonstrate how the home is supporting a child and meeting their needs, including how it is supporting introductions to a new placement. The manager plans to address this issue and to ensure better and more timely recording.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Three children have moved on to new placements appropriately as a result of improved management and oversight of care planning by the senior leadership team. The children have had planned introductions and have been well supported and consulted prior to the move. The home is undergoing refurbishment and staff are undertaking refresher and new training in key practice areas. This is in preparation for the admission of new children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The home has met the compliance notice in respect of regulation 14. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC063683 3

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/07/2017 Full Inadequate 02/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/08/2016 Full Good 30/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC063683 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Manchester City Council Local Authority

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Manchester City Council, PO Box 532, Manchester M60 2LA

p.4

Inspector

Sharon Lloyd, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC063683 5 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.

p.4

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 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.5

Inspector

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

p.5

Inspector

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

p.5