Children's home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report children’s home: SC033389 1 SC033389 Registered provider: Leeds City Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Behaviour is poorly managed. Experiences for all of the children living in the home are poor. The children confirmed that staff members routinely lock them outside of their home. The staff members use this approach as a means of managing children’s behaviour. This is highly inappropriate, and leaves the children at potential risk outside and without adult supervision. In addition, when behaviour escalates inside the home, staff members hold the children’s bedroom door handles. This physically restricts the liberty of the children. This is also very inappropriate practice. Both strategies have the potential to cause the children emotional distress.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children engage in behaviours that place them at risk, for example climbing on the porch roof, smashing windows and damaging cars. This behaviour is negatively impacting on relationships with the local community. Complaints have been made by local residents about anti-social behaviour and incidents in the street. However, these complaints are not formally recorded by the home. This means there is no record of any Inspection report children’s home: SC033389 2 investigations or actions taken as a result of such feedback.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk management strategies in the home are ineffective. Risk assessments are not reviewed following serious incidents, such as a child saying they wanted to kill themselves and who was placing themselves at risk by lying in a road. Risk assessments do not reflect the children’s current behaviours. Consequently, staff members do not have up-to-date and comprehensive actions to follow to reduce risks and to manage behaviours safely.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

As a result of poor safeguarding practice, an allegation has been made at the home, which is currently under investigation by another agency. Following this allegation, staff practice has not been reviewed or risk assessed and has not changed. This continues to place the children and staff at risk of harm and of potential further allegations.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Activities are not well planned and not appropriately risk assessed. During a recent trip to the seaside, children ran away from staff. Staff members on the trip alerted the local police. The managerial on-call response at the time of the incident was not appropriate. It demonstrated a lack of safeguarding knowledge and ability to provide adequate leadership and direction to staff.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

When the children go missing from the home, the staff respond appropriately and go looking for them. They know the areas to look, which helps them find the children quickly. Staff members are hindered in their searching as they do not have a car to transport the children home when they find them. This makes them reliant on the children coming home themselves or getting a lift with the police. The absence of a vehicle further limits the staff team in its response to emergencies, or when the children may need picking up from school at short notice.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff members lack the skills and experience to successfully engage the children positively. Staff lack insight into how the children’s past experiences and present emotions can present in the behaviours they display. Their responses to the children are inappropriate at times and as a result they struggle to build positive relationships with the children.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The morale of the staff is low. Casual staff and permanent staff work long hours due to staff shortages. Staff report feeling ‘exhausted’ and stated: ‘It’s reactive all the time, like firefighting.’ Another member of staff said: ‘I have never been so tired in my life.’ Staff members report not feeling supported by the registered manager.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, the leadership and management of the home is inadequate. The lack of direction and the poor oversight of staff members’ professional practice has led to a culture of inappropriate responses to the children. Decisions taken at the point of admission do not fully take into account the needs of the children and the abilities and experience of staff to manage their needs. This results in behaviour escalating out of control. Systems to monitor the safety and welfare of the children are ineffective. Lessons are not learned following serious incidents or allegations to improve practice and improve standards of care. Inspection report children’s home: SC033389 3 The registered manager has not notified Ofsted of serious events that have occurred. This includes police involvement when a child was arrested. This lack of transparency hinders the regulator’s ability to review and monitor safeguarding practice and the

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Improvements have been made to the children’s living room and conservatory area. The rest of the home remains dated and in need of decoration. The home has an uncared-for look due to the smashed front window, an electric box hanging from a wall and curtains hanging off. The outside of the home is also in need of attention. The garden area contains a broken trampoline and a damaged shed. This does not provide children with a homely, safe and welcoming place to play.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/11/2016 Full Good 22/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to–

p.3

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home physical necessities they need in order to live comfortably.

p.3

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6(2)(b)(vii)) In particular, ensure that the home is maintained to a good standard inside and out. 15 October 2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC033389 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure–

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must improve positive behaviour management techniques and must not routinely lock children in or out of the home or in their rooms. 12 November 2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

*In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure–

p.4

Requirement Due date

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)) 15 October 2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

*In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) 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.4

Requirement Due date

*In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to–

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous 15 October 2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC033389 5 improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13(2)(f) and (h)) *The requirements are that–

p.5

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if–

p.5

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

p.5

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

p.5

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’.

p.5

Children’s home details

Inspection report children’s home: SC033389 6 Unique reference number: SC033389

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Leeds City Council, 40 Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3DL

p.6

Inspector

Jamie Richardson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033389 7 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.6

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7