Children's home run by Chaigeley Educational Foundation

Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 1 Registered provider: Chaigeley Educational Foundation Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people with emotional/and or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. It is part of a charitable organisation which also provides specialist educational services.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 19 to 20 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 inadequate

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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

Date of last inspection: This is the first inspection after registration

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 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

 Leadership arrangements since registration have been inconsistent and inadequate in meeting regulatory requirements.  The current manager of the service has not applied for registration with Ofsted.  There are significant deficits in record-keeping practice since the home registered in December 2016.  The staff team has not notified Ofsted of significant and serious events that have occurred in the home.  Leaders have not demonstrated sufficient rigour in evaluating and debriefing sanctions and physical restraints.  Leaders have not completed a review of the quality of service provided at the home.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people are settling in their home environment and their behaviour has improved.  Young people have developed close relationships with the staff team.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people with a history of non-engagement in education have improved their attendance and attainment.  The new manager has demonstrated a good understanding of the service’s strengths and areas for development.  Since June 2017, police involvement at the home has diminished significantly and record-keeping practice is much improved.  Placing authorities have provided good feedback about this service. Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 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 ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes –

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

and a description of any injury to the child or any other person and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure.

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

and within 5 days 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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 31/10/2017 Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 4 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 date and are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

if the child dies before attaining the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of the child’s death; in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth;

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Requirement Due date

securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)and(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 31/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner – children’s case records (see regulation 36); (Regulation 38 (i)) 31/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry);

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Requirement Due date

or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 31/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the 31/10/2017 Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 5 registered person must help the independent person, if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a))

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it;

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Requirement Due date

and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (‘the quality of care review report’).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the views of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5)) 31/12/2017

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan that can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 6 continuing professional development needs of staff, including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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improvement to be good

The home was registered in December 2016; this is the first inspection. The progress and experiences of the young people accommodated are varied. There are limited records in the home to demonstrate the progress and experiences of the young people that lived previously at the home. Furthermore, there is no evidence to demonstrate that the manager had completed compatibility risk assessments on all young people before they moved into the home. Consequently, staff were unable to meet the escalating needs of one young person. He has now left the home after the manager served notice to the placing authority. This was due to the negative impact he had on the other young people.

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improvement to be good

There are two young people currently living in the home. One young person has not engaged fully with staff at the placement and has made limited progress. The young person who recently moved into the home has settled in well and is developing very good relationships with staff. During the inspection, the interim manager of the service was in the process of welcoming another young person to the home. They were welcomed sensitively and with careful and considered planning.

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improvement to be good

Since the home opened, 11 staff members have left. This does not ensure that young people receive care from a stable and consistent team. However, the provider has taken appropriate action to recruit a new staff team with diverse experience and skills. One young person is developing really close and trusting bonds with the staff and is showing early signs of making progress in her social and emotional development. The young person said, ‘this home is the best’. Another young person does not respond positively to care provided by female staff. Male members of staff are meeting the majority of his care needs and they are working with him to develop his relationships with female staff members.

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improvement to be good

All young people are accessing specialist educational provision on the same site as the home. One young person with a previous history of non-engagement in education has successfully returned to school. Staff at the home work closely with the teaching staff team. This ensures that young people are appropriately supported and prepared for their education. Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 7 Healthcare plans are comprehensive and young people are accessing in-house therapeutic support. Staff have had intensive training, which has provided them with practical and therapeutic strategies to help young people to achieve good emotional health.

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improvement to be good

Young people are able to influence their day-to-day care arrangements through house meetings. Recently the children’s guide was updated. This is of good quality and clearly outlines the service that young people can expect when living at the home. Two young people have exercised their right to complain and the manager has responded promptly and sensitively. Those matters have been resolved successfully.

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improvement to be good

Young people are encouraged to pursue their own interests and explore their talents. One young person enjoys swimming, dancing and horse riding. Another young person likes trampoline activities, visits to the park and going on bike rides with the staff. This means that young people have opportunities to engage in the community and have fun. Staff support young people to maintain contact with their family and friends.

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improvement to be good

Leaders have failed to notify Ofsted when young people have been involved in serious incidents. This included occasions when the police had visited the home to manage the behaviour of young people. On at least one occasion, the police have charged a young person with a criminal offence. Since the interim manager has been in her position, calls to the police have reduced considerably. There has been one recent instance where staff at the home did not notify Ofsted of a significant event. A requirement is made to meet this shortfall.

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improvement to be good

Previously, there had been a high number of missing from care incidents at the home. This behaviour has reduced significantly. Leaders have taken appropriate steps to work with other agencies and make suitable plans to keep young people safe. At the time of the inspection, comprehensive risk management plans were in place for both young people. They provide clear strategies to assist staff in providing a consistent response to young people who present with challenging behaviour. When staff sanction young people, they are using restorative methods to help young people to take responsibility for their actions and behave in a more socially acceptable manner.

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improvement to be good

Staff have intervened physically when young people are placing themselves or others at risk. However, leaders have not demonstrated sufficient oversight and scrutiny of behaviour management practices. Leaders have not routinely evaluated and signed the records to confirm that they are accurate. Debriefs with staff and young people have not consistently taken place. On occasions, records are incomplete and a requirement is made to address this matter.

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improvement to be good

Medication procedures for storage and administration are stringent. Recruitment procedures are robust and ensure that staff are suitably vetted before they are able to work at the home. Staff and young people take part in regular fire drills. Leaders take Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 8 appropriate steps to ensure that the physical environment in the home is safe. Staff at the home have all had relevant safeguarding training. They are familiar with the procedure to report a concern about a young person or a staff member. This ensures that young people are kept safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The previous registered manager of this service notified Ofsted that he was ceasing to manage the home on 17 March 2017. The provider arranged for a person with previous experience of residential care for young people to undertake the manager role. However, this person became unexpectedly absent from her role, due to sickness. A new deputy manager recruited at a similar time lacked sufficient qualifications and experience to ensure that regulatory requirements of the service were met. Until the appointment of an experienced manager in June 2017, the home did not have suitable interim leadership arrangements. Despite the current interim manager of the service having started her role in June 2017, she has not yet made an application to register with Ofsted. Therefore, leadership arrangements throughout this inspection period are inadequate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Prior to June 2017, there is a lack of evidence of sufficient record-keeping practice. In particular, records that related to a young person who has since left the service were unavailable and/or inaccessible at the time of inspection. Requirements are made to address this breach of regulation. Since June 2017, the interim manager has put appropriate methods of recording in place. However, she has not yet completed a review of the quality of service provided to young people. A requirement is made to address this. Furthermore, some minor typing errors in records were identified and a recommendation is made to ensure that there is clarity of any information recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff state that they are enjoying their roles. They feel that the new leader and deputy manager are supportive and the environment is conducive to promoting their professional development. The organisation has invested in providing intensive therapeutic training to staff. This will enable staff to offer high-quality support to young people with very complex and challenging needs. Staff have had sufficient mandatory training but the workforce development plan was not reflective of the current position. A recommendation is made to ensure that this is updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The interim manager has updated the statement of purpose and has taken steps to ensure that the service will meet the aims and objectives specified. The interim manager demonstrated a good understanding of the strengths of the service and the ability to capitalise on them. She has a development plan in place to address aspects of the service that require improvement. Despite the shortfalls identified in this report, placing authorities provided positive feedback about the efforts of staff.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 9 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: 1243966 10

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Chaigeley Educational Foundation

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chaigeley School, Lymm Road, Thelwall, Warrington WA4 2TE Responsible individual: Antonio Munoz-Bailey

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Inspector

Nicola Thomas, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1243966 11 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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