Children's Home run by Leicester City Council in Leicester

Inspection report children‟s home: SC039025 1 SC039025 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 registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and managed by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 September 2017

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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 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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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people make progress as a result of living in this home.  Safeguarding practice is good. Staff follow policies and procedures, and notify Inspection report children‟s home: SC039025 2 professionals in a timely manner.  Staff are skilled in managing incidents where young people are missing from the home. This has resulted in a significant reduction in going missing and absent incidents.  Leadership and management arrangements promote good standards of care. This is despite a high number of young people being admitted and discharged from the home.  The team works exceptionally well with multi-agency partners. Young people benefit from well-planned, cohesive care.  Staff are skilled and knowledgeable. They promote diversity and equality needs effectively.

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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 statement of purpose has not been maintained in accordance with regulation, and requires updating and submitting to HMCI.  The manager‟s review of the quality of care requires an evaluation of the feedback and opinions of young people.  Recruitment records need to be clear and contain all records, as required under regulation.  The locality risk assessment must seek and take into account the views of relevant persons.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/10/2016 Full Good 21/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/09/2015 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC039025 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 compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI, keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1)(2)(3)(a)(b)) 11/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. This is with reference to recruitment records containing all required information. (Regulation 32 (3)(d)) 11/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. The report must monitor, review and evaluate the quality of care provided for children and include the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(b)) 11/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purpose of the children‟s home at least once in each calendar year, taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the child protection standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2)) 11/10/2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC039025 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection, this home has provided care and accommodation for several young people. Placements have consisted of both planned and emergency admissions. Upon admission, managers ensure that all young people have clear, individualised care plans. This means that staff have an immediate understanding of each young person‟s needs. One residential worker said: „We have high standards from the start of each placement.‟ On arrival, staff welcome young people and begin to develop positive relationships. This minimises trauma and helps young people to adapt to their new home. Regular care planning meetings inform day-to-day care plans. Staff skilfully implement care plans. A social worker said: „Care and interventions are flexible and creative to meet the child‟s needs.‟ This means that staff at the home are responsive to changing care needs and risks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home provides good care for young people who have specific identity needs. One social worker said: „The home has a diverse range of staff, in terms of gender, age, ethnicity and culture. This means young people have culturally appropriate placements.‟ An independent reviewing officer talked about the statutory review of a young person. She said: „This was one of the most positive reviews I have done, with staff going over and above to make my young man feel comfortable and ensure his needs were met very quickly.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Social workers confirm that the majority of young people make good progress from their starting points as a result of living in this home. Some young people have made limited progress. This has been due to their risk-taking behaviours. Conversely, other young people are making exceptional progress. In all cases, young people receive individualised care and support. This supports the progress and experience of young people. Managers track progress effectively. For most young people, records show a reduction in risk- taking behaviours. This leads to improved engagement with education, health and social care. Some young people make negative choices, such as smoking and drug use. In these instances, staff support young people to access professional advice and guidance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are good at promoting positive behaviour and they celebrate young people‟s achievements regularly. Staff recently took all the young people out for a meal. This was to celebrate a young person‟s success in his examinations. Other celebrations include the local authority‟s „Celebrating Success‟ and „Stars in the Making‟ achievement awards. Small successes are rewarded with extra activities or trips out. Young people feel valued because of this recognition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have very positive relationships with staff and with each other. A social worker said: „Staff are effective in understanding and managing his behaviour.‟ Young people say that staff listen to them and act on their wishes. They say that staff help them. This supports young people to develop and make progress. Inspection report children‟s home: SC039025 5 Transitions into and out of the home are managed well. Before admission to the home, staff assess risk in relation to the new young person and any risks or vulnerabilities regarding young people already resident in the home. Managers ensure that there is compatibility with the existing group. Transitions to future placements are managed well. Staff and managers encourage young people to be involved in all aspects of their care planning, including moving on to new placements.

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

Upon admission to the home, young people will have varying levels of risk-taking behaviour. In all cases, managers and staff work proactively with a range of professionals to keep young people safe. Risk assessments identify known risks and outline strategies to reduce harm. Risks assessments are reviewed regularly to reflect changes in behaviour. Staff are highly skilled, showing an acute awareness of young people‟s needs and risks. Young people become safer because of care provided in this home.

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

When young people have been absent or missing from the home, incidents are managed very well. A safeguarding police officer said: „The home deal with and understand safeguarding incidents well. They use their policies and put their procedures in place before contacting us.‟ Staff describe how they keep young people safe when they are missing. Their actions reflect good parenting. There has been a significant reduction in incidents of young people going missing from the home. A social worker said of one young person who had a history of going missing: „The impact of the care provided in this home has made a significant difference to this young person and his progress. He is greatly safer due to the care provided in this home.‟

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

The home has a positive relationship with neighbourhood police officers. Police visit the home regularly to meet with young people and talk about a range of issues. On the day of the inspection, a police officer and young person were playing pool together. These relationships help to keep young people safe. They prevent young people engaging in negative or anti-social behaviours. These visits also mean that managers and staff learn about incidents within the locality. This improves their capacity to protect young people from potential harm.

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

Behaviour management is effective. Staff use strategies, such as incentives, to reward positive behaviour. The independent visitor wrote about a recent visit: „The limited use of sanctions and physical interventions, and the lack of complaints, suggest that the engagement between staff and young people is more positive, that the care provided is consensual, and as a result the atmosphere in the home is more relaxed.‟

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

Young people have made allegations against staff. Each allegation has been investigated in line with statutory guidance. The manager ensures that safeguarding incidents are reported in a timely manner. This means that safeguarding services, placing authorities and Ofsted are able to review the home‟s response to incidents. Records show that staff follow procedures to protect young people from potential harm. Inspection report children‟s home: SC039025 6 Recruitment records require improvement. This is because some staff have transferred from other homes without an up-to-date record of recruitment checks. However, the registered manager can prove careful recruitment of staff. This means that unsuitable adults do not work in the home with young people.

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

The registered manager has completed a location risk assessment. However, the report requires more content. There is a need to include the views of key partner agencies. The risk assessment also needs more detail about environmental risks. Lastly, greater detail is needed about specific risks relating to the young people living in the home.

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

The physical environment is safe and secure, and protects young people from harm and the risk of harm. Health and safety arrangements in the home are routinely monitored. Fire equipment is checked and fire evacuation drills take place. The prescribed level of public and employee liability insurance is in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home benefits from good quality leadership and management. The registered manager is experienced and knowledgeable. She is committed to delivering the highest standards of care to the young people who live in this home. The registered manager will be completing the required qualification at the end of this year. Two assistant managers support her, and she has the support of the responsible individual. The management team ensures that there are high standards of care in this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Both of the shortfalls identified at the last inspection have been addressed. Sanctions are appropriate and proportionate, although rarely needed. Staff prefer to manage behaviour through recognising and rewarding good behaviour. The shortfall in relation to improving the physical environment has also been addressed. Substantial building works commence in October 2017, with a completion date of February 2018. Managers have ensured that no further admissions will be made to the home in this period. Additionally, they are in the process of ensuring that suitable risk assessments are in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager places young people at the centre of her priorities. The home is currently very settled. However, there have been high numbers of admissions and discharges since the last full inspection. The manager is able to show that she has advocated on behalf of young people. She has been proactive in liaising with social care professionals to ensure placement suitability for all young people. Consequently, she has been effective in ensuring that young people benefit from stable and secure placements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership work is a strength of this home. One social worker said: „This is the best home (in the area).‟ Another professional said: „The managers and the staff are professional. They are a very proactive team. Where obstacles are in place, they seek solutions.‟ Case records highlight regular contact with a range of professionals. This means that the multi-agency team delivers cohesive care to each young person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff describe the management of the home as follows: „We are supported from the top down – I cannot speak highly enough about the support from all of the managers‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC039025 7 Another member of staff said: „I am very happy with my entire management team‟.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff describe there being a „wonderful team‟ and a supportive team of managers. Records show that the team has daily handovers, regular team meetings and formal one-to-one and group supervision. These structures of support have promoted consistent communication. This has been particularly effective when the home has dealt with challenging behaviours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff who are not in their probationary period are either suitably qualified or working towards the required qualification. This means that staff are well equipped to meet the needs of children and young people. Staff are provided with a programme of mandatory and additional training. The range of training has ensured that staff have good levels of knowledge and skills to meet the needs of children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She has good plans in place to promote continued improvement. She acknowledges that staff shortages over the summer had an impact on completing some management tasks. One of these is ensuring that there is an up-to-date statement of purpose. The statement of purpose does not contain all matters required under regulation and has not been submitted to Ofsted. This limits the regulator‟s capacity to review the operation of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective management and monitoring of the home ensures continual improvement. Internal and external monitoring systems identify areas for improvement. However, the manager‟s monitoring does not include an evaluation of the opinions of young people. This means young people‟s views are not included in forthcoming plans.

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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 differences 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: SC039025 8

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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: SC039025 9 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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