Children's home run by Worcestershire County Council in Worcester

Inspection report children‟s home: SC037467 1 SC037467 Registered provider: Worcestershire County 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

This is a local authority immediate response children‟s home. As well as planned placements, the service accepts emergency placements and out-of-hours requests. It provides care and accommodation for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home‟s statement of purpose indicates that the age range of young people living at the home will be between 10 and 18 years of age.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 12 to 13 September 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: Sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children‟s home: SC037467 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

 Staff do not complete assessments before young people move to the home.  The registered manager does not record or analyse the impact that new admissions have on the experiences of other young people.  Some young people say that they do not feel safe living in the home.  The registered manager does not make sure that young people‟s case files include all of the necessary information and documentation.  Staff do not receive regular supervision to help them develop their practice.  The manager does not routinely record young people‟s complaints.  Incidents involving physical restraint are not always fully recorded and young people are not always debriefed after incidents.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff have warm and caring relationships with young people.  The registered manager has effective relationships with partnership agencies.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/10/2016 Full Good 09/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/05/2015 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC037467 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 children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children‟s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c)) 24/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff 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. (Regulation 11 (2)(a)(x)) 27/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home; and that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home‟s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) and (2) (a)) 29/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children can access all appropriate areas of the children‟s home‟s premises; and any limitation placed on a child‟s privacy or access to any area of the home‟s premises is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 27/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(f)) 26/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to 24/11/2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC037467 4 a child in the home, a record is made which includes all required information; and within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i-viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c))) The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to

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Requirement Due date

date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to statutory documents and accident forms. 24/11/2017

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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. (Regulation 39(3)) 13/10/2017

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Recommendations

 Staff should understand what they must do to prevent bullying of children by other children or adults. Staff should be able to recognise and address different types of abuse such as peer abuse, cyber-bullying and bullying in day-to-day relationships in the home. Registered persons must ensure that procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying are in place and staff have the skills required to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 39, paragraph 8.16)

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improvement to be good

One requirement was made at the last inspection. This shortfall is not met. The house is in need of some updating. The building is large and does not have a homely feel. However, staff make sure that the home is kept clean and tidy. The lounge area has modern furnishings and a fish tank. Young people like the home environment and have large bedrooms. Senior managers are taking action to make improvements. Plans are in place to completely renovate and redecorate the home.

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improvement to be good

Young people‟s overall experience and progress are mixed at this home. One young Inspection report children‟s home: SC037467 5 person currently residing at the home is presenting challenging and aggressive behaviours. His needs cannot be met in this placement. An alternative placement is being explored for him. Some of his behaviours have had an impact on the progress and experience of other young people. For example, one young person refused to return to the home after the other young person set fire to his own school uniform while in his own bedroom. Staff responded swiftly and there was no serious damage. Staff have taken appropriate action to reassure all young people and to make sure that this does not happen again. Additional staff make sure that all young people are kept safe. One young person told the inspector, „I‟m scared. I am petrified [about the behaviour of the other young person] but I love it to bits apart from that and would stay if he wasn‟t

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff do not make sure that young people‟s case files include all necessary information and documentation. For example, up-to-date placing authority care plans, detailing the aims and objectives of the placement, are not available on some young people‟s files. Up-to-date statutory health and education documents are also missing. This means that internal care plans do not reflect the longer-term objectives of the placing authority. Furthermore, missing documents mean that staff do not have a sufficient overview of some young people‟s holistic needs. This potentially limits young people‟s progress and development and is detrimental to their day-to-day experiences.

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improvement to be good

Young people are provided with a variety of age-appropriate activities inside and outside of the home. Positive behaviour is rewarded with treats and pocket money. Sanctions are generally restorative in nature. Staff provide warmth and nurture to help young people develop appropriately. Young people recently experienced a holiday to Bude and enjoyed themselves. Young people are pleased with the cooking in the house and are able to select the foods that they like the most. One young person told the inspector, „The food is amazing, the cook is amazing, and she made me a cake for my birthday.‟

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improvement to be good

Young people know how to complain and say that they feel confident in raising any concerns that they have with the registered manager or their social worker. This means that young people are confident and not afraid of sharing their issues about the quality of care that they receive. However, two young people living at the home have made written complaints about other young people to their social workers. The manager did not have a record of these complaints or of the outcome. Consequently, the experiences of young people is not being recorded and monitored. This could hinder potential progress, and young people may not feel listened to.

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improvement to be good

Young people currently living at the home say that they do not always feel safe. This is because one young person who has recently moved into the home has demonstrated some challenging behaviours. During this inspection, one young person told the inspector that she felt she was being bullied by this young person. The manager did not consider that this was a significant cause for concern. This is because staff members closely supervise young people and keep them safe. However, staff have not made sure Inspection report children‟s home: SC037467 6 that work takes place with young people on bullying. Young people do not have regular young people‟s meetings to talk about issues such as bullying. This means that young people are not able to share how they feel with other young people or given the opportunity to improve their behaviours. One young person told the inspector that she accidentally sustained a bruise to her leg after the other young person threw something

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improvement to be good

across the room. This incident was not properly recorded despite staff being present. Her injury was not formally logged. This means that staff are not properly recording accidents.

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improvement to be good

Young people are not consulted about new young people arriving at the home. This means that young people do not have a say in whom they live with. Staff have to manage highly aggressive and emotionally challenging situations that they may not be prepared for. For example, one young person physically assaulted several staff members during her stay.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage young people to take care of their home and to take pride in its appearance. Young people are involved in decorating their own bedrooms and one young person has chinchillas. This means that young people feel at home. However, some practices within the home are restrictive and appear to have become customary. For example, the kitchen, dining room, pool room, computer room, family room and lounge doors are locked at night. During this inspection, the kitchen and dining room doors were found to be locked during the day. This is to prevent one young person becoming agitated and entering the kitchen. Risk assessments do not adequately explain why the doors need to be locked and young people‟s movements restricted. This is not recorded within the statement of purpose. This means that young people are restricted and do not have free movement around their home. The managers and staff are not

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improvement to be good

providing care in line with the aims and objectives within the home‟s statement of purpose.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand and follow safeguarding procedures well. There have been incidents of young people going missing from the home since the last inspection. When young people do go missing staff respond well. They follow procedures, look for young people and liaise with police. Staff also follow young people when possible. Staff explain the risks to police and advocate on behalf of young people to ensure that they return home promptly. This promotes young people‟s safety and demonstrates that staff care about them and want them to return. As a result, this contributes to young people‟s emotional well-being and sense of positive identity.

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improvement to be good

Staff have good relationships with young people and restraint is used as a last resort. All staff receive training in the use of physical restraint. The reassuring relationships between staff and young people mean that staff are able to use distraction and de- escalation techniques. This reduces episodes of challenging behaviour and potential emotional distress for the young person. However, some incidents of physical restraint are not properly recorded. Electronic records do not consistently confirm that staff record all incidents correctly and within necessary timescales. Managers are not reviewing incidents effectively. Documents do not always include the views of young people after the incident. This means that appropriate records are not in place, and this Inspection report children‟s home: SC037467 7 hinders the registered manager‟s ability to review this area of practice.

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

The registered manager is highly experienced and has the necessary skills and qualifications for the role including a level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare. There is a stable and highly experienced staff team. Nearly all of the staff hold the diploma level 3 in caring for children and young people in residential care, or an equivalent qualification. This means that staff have the essential skills and qualifications to care for young people. The staff team speaks positively about the manager. One staff member told the inspector, „He is very relaxed but proactive, I really like him, and he is very supportive. When we have had tough times he has come in here.‟

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

The manager is not ensuring that the care provided is in line with the statement of purpose. For example, some young people‟s needs fall outside the statement of purpose, as one young person who recently resided at the home had extremely aggressive and significant self-harming behaviours. As a result, the experiences of some young people were affected by the distressing and violent behaviours witnessed. This resulted in one young person making a complaint. The registered manager gave effective challenge to senior managers regarding meeting the needs of this young person before she arrived at the home. The registered manager shared concern for the potential risks to other young people. However, the placement was made.

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

All mandatory training is up to date. Staff also receive training in specialist areas such as radicalisation, confidentiality and child sexual exploitation. However, the registered manager does not make sure that staff receive regular, formal supervision. Gaps in records were observed during this inspection. This shortfall means that the registered manager is not able to properly review the professional practice and performance of staff. In addition, staff are not receiving the guidance and emotional support that they need to assist them in managing the complex and challenging behaviours of some young people.

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

Staff do not ensure that they have access to all necessary historic information and documentation to support young people when they arrive at the home. This is because the registered manager does not complete adequate assessments about how young people‟s behaviours will affect and influence each other. Matching and planning meetings do not take place and the individual needs of each young person are not well considered. For example, one young person already residing at the home is fearful of fire due to early childhood trauma. This was not properly considered prior to placing the new young person at the home. It was not detailed in risk assessments. This has an impact on the quality of care that young people receive and means that their needs are not reviewed properly. The manager is not able to properly consider and understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and

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

experiences of each young person. For example, one young person told the inspector, „Some relationships with young people are difficult. Sometimes I have been happy to see some young people leave, and some of their behaviours have made me sad.‟ Inspection report children‟s home: SC037467 8 Investigations into allegations against staff are managed competently, and the registered manager has good communication with the designated officer and local authority. As a result, the registered manager ensures that issues concerning staff are promptly resolved and appropriate action is taken to safeguard young people. This ensures that young people‟s safety is promoted. The registered manager has devised a range of monitoring systems to assess and review the quality of care provided by the service. However, there are a number of missed opportunities following significant events to learn from young people‟s feedback. The registered manager is not able to learn from

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

and reflect upon these incidents. This means that opportunities to develop practice within the home because of young people‟s feedback are not acted on.

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

Partnership-working arrangements between the managers, staff, placing authorities, police and education professionals are positive. One police officer shared that, „The ethos is focused on the young person, and all are treated with respect as individuals, and their individual needs are met. When there is a new resident, the dynamics change and, as some of the young persons have complex needs, this can be and is a daunting experience for them all and can result in all the work undertaken being turned on its head, and the team very quickly manage this and get them all back on track. Commendable.‟

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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: SC037467 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Worcestershire County Council, County Hall, Worcester WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC037467 10 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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