Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in County Durham

Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 1 SC059180 Registered provider: Interact Care Limited

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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 private children‟s home provides care and accommodation for up to five children who have a learning disability. The home specialises in looking after children who have an autistic spectrum disorder.

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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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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children‟s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 21 December 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Key findings from this inspection

 The children and young people receive good individualised care that meets their needs. Relationships with the staff and with each other are positive. All the Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 2 children and young people enjoy positive day-to-day experiences. They have access to a wide range of leisure activities, and they fully access their local community.  The children and young people are progressing and achieving. Educational outcomes are good, and the children and young people are fit and healthy. They are consulted about important decisions in their lives, and their views are taken into account.  Support for parents and families is very good. Inter-agency working with a range of other professionals is effective.  Transitions for children and young people moving into the home are very well planned.  The young people are supported to develop good independence skills that prepare them for adulthood.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager and the staff focus on equality and diversity to champion the rights and entitlements of the children and young people.

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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 does not include information that sets out the home‟s environmental restrictions, specifically where such adaptations potentially restrict the children‟s and young people‟s liberty.  The registered manager has failed to meet a previous requirement to ensure that all the staff have an appropriate childcare level 3 qualification within the required timescales.  There is no children‟s and young people‟s admission register.  Restraint records do not make it clear that all staff manage behaviours effectively and in accordance with individual behaviour management plans. Additionally, sanctions used to manage behaviours are, at times, punitive.  The registered manager has not included in his monitoring of the home any details of consultations carried out with professionals linked to the care of the children and young people.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/05/2016 Full Good 16/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 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 complete in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must set out any measures that potentially restrict the children‟s liberty; the reasons for such restrictions; and, what measures are in place to ensure that the restrictions only apply to those children whose placing authority have agreed with and consented to these measures. 31/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all individuals who work in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification by the relevant date. The appropriate qualification is the level 3 diploma for residential childcare. (Regulation 34 (4) (a)) 31/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in schedule 4. In particular, this refers to a record in the form of a register shown in respect of each child, which includes: (a) the date of the child‟s admission to the children‟s home; (b) the date on which the child ceased to be accommodated in the home; (c) the child‟s address immediately before being accommodated in the home; (d) the child‟s address on leaving the home; (e) the child‟s placing authority; and (f) the statutory provision (if any) under which the child is accommodated. (Regulation 37 (2) (a)) 31/10/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff have the skills to respond to each child‟s individual behaviour. Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 4 Where necessary, they should manage conflict, maintain constructive dialogues, and react appropriately if challenged by a child in their care. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 39, paragraph 8.14)  Ensure that any sanction used to address poor behaviour be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviours on themselves, other children, the staff, and the wider community. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  Records of restraint should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards‟, page 49, paragraph 9.59) In particular, ensure that the records clearly describe the de-escalation techniques used, to avert a restraint, as set out in each child‟s individual behaviour management plan.  The registered manager should oversee the welfare of the children in their care through engagement with the professionals involved in the care or protection of each child; including their social worker, independent reviewing officer, teachers, clinicians and other health professionals. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 54, paragraph 10.23)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people receive good-quality individualised care that meets their needs. The staff are experienced in looking after children and young people who have an autistic spectrum disorder. This is evident in the ways in which they consistently deliver good levels of support that enhance the children‟s and young people‟s day-to-day experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker said: „I think this is a great placement. My young person has had two previous placements that did not work out, but he has settled really well here. He sees it as being his home. The staff put [Name] at the centre of their planning.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Activities are a strength and there is a strong focus on giving the children and young people choices about how they spend their leisure time. Each child and young person has a weekly activity planner with a wide range of both individual and group activities. Having a fixed routine helps the children and young people to plan their activities. This is especially important for those who have communication difficulties and who find change in their routines a challenge. The staff use a range of communication tools to support the children and young people to appreciate activities and new experiences in their locality. This enhances their social development and their understanding of the many benefits of being part of their local community. Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 5 A social worker said: „The staff have invited [Name‟s] friends to come and see him, and they were very good supporting [Name] at Christmas when he invited all of his family to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

the home. There is very good community integration, and the young people have loads of holidays. My young person loves school and after-school activities. The staff fully facilitate this by transporting him and working around his activities. This is a very good placement, and everybody works together really well.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children and young people are progressing and achieving. They are happy living at the home and they have formed strong bonds with the staff and with each other. This gives them emotional security and a feeling of belonging. Overall, educational outcomes are good and the children and young people are healthy. Inter-agency working is effective, and the children and young people have access to the additional services they need to meet their developmental milestones.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker said: „My young person‟s main progress is his improvement in speech. Before he came here, he had no ability to speak, and now he is learning more words and talking more every day. His behaviours are also very much improved. He is a lot calmer.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A teacher said: „The manager and the staff are strongly committed to improving the pupil‟s outcomes in all areas of their life. They fully support the school and the pupils. They attend all the meetings and they support pupils with their homework and after- school activities. They have excellent communication with the school. As a class teacher, I can say that my pupil is the happiest and most settled he has ever been since he moved to the home. This has had a massive impact on his learning and his development.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and the staff excel in the way in which they support, include and work alongside parents, carers and other family members. This maintains meaningful family relationships and supports the children and young people to understand their background and their heritage. Contact arrangements are fully facilitated by the staff organising practical arrangements, such as transportation, and, where appropriate, supervising family visits.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A grandparent said: „This is a home from home. It is brilliant, and the staff are fantastic. [Name] has been there for 18 months and I have seen a big difference. It is a very happy place and [Name] is happy there. Everything is great. The manager is great; I cannot fault him. This is the best place ever. The staff are brilliant with the kids; they all have their own families so they are very caring and understanding. They keep me up to date, and I can phone any time. They give me advice, and support me. There is nothing bad at all.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children and young people move into the home, they are made to feel very welcome. Transitions are well planned, and the staff work with each child or young person and their families to help them to understand and adapt to what is a significant change in their lives. The staff‟s nurturing and caring way of working enhances each transition, which helps the children and young people settle into their new home. Keyworkers have a pivotal role during each transition period, by offering the children and Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 6 young people one-to-one individual time and support. This direct, focused approach positively influences good outcomes for the children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker said: „This home is outstanding. They are a good, strong team. My young person had some difficulties moving into the home, but he has received excellent support. He is doing really well, and he now understands why he cannot live at home. The staff are very flexible and supportive, and [Name‟s] key worker is excellent.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people are developing their independence skills, which prepares them for later life and moving into adulthood. Their achievements are helping them to grow in confidence in their own abilities. Along with learning new tasks and self-help skills, making good progress in their socialisation skills is significantly improving their outcomes and their quality of life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A social worker said: „[Name] is a totally different boy since he moved here. It is absolutely brilliant. I cannot think [of] or say anything that is not great. I cannot explain fully how much improvement [Name] has made, and he is definitely in the right place. He is happy, he is thriving and we are so pleased with everything.‟

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improvement to be good

The welfare of the children and young people is paramount. The staff have a very good knowledge of each child‟s and young person‟s needs and their vulnerabilities. Staffing levels are very good, which ensure safe observation and supervision. No children or young people are at risk of exploitation or radicalisation, and there is no bullying. The children and young people rarely go missing but, if they do, there are good protocols in place to respond quickly and effectively. Risks are managed appropriately.

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improvement to be good

All the social workers who were consulted as part of this inspection said that they have no concerns about their children‟s and young people‟s safety.

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improvement to be good

There are strengths and weaknesses in behaviour management. The registered manager strives to create an ethos that focuses on rewarding positive behaviours. He encourages staff to explore why some children and young people demonstrate challenging behaviours, which are usually linked to their autistic spectrum disorders. Since the registered manager took up his post, there has been a marked reduction in the use of physical restraints. He has also introduced additional training that focuses on de- escalation techniques and strategies to avoid confrontations with, and between, the children and young people.

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improvement to be good

A social worker said: „There has been so much improvement over the last six months for my young person. He has needed additional support and supervision because of his behaviours, but this has reduced significantly. There have been no restraints since May, and his challenging behaviours have reduced dramatically. This is great for [Name].‟

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improvement to be good

In the main, the new behaviour management strategies are proving effective, and the children and young people are responding positively to a more nurturing approach. Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 7 However, there have been a very small number of occasions on which situations have escalated because some staff have failed to manage conflict appropriately. Individual behaviour management plans have not been followed, particularly in relation to implementing a range of de-escalation techniques to avoid a physical restraint. Such incidents rarely occur. However, should this practice continue, there is the potential to compromise the safety and welfare of children and young people.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager reports that sanctions are not used to manage behaviours. However, there have been two occasions on which young people have had their personal property withheld due to their behaviours. In both instances, staff removed the young people‟s hand-held games console. This action resulted in an escalation of the young people‟s behaviour. Using personal items as a punishment is not appropriate, nor it is identified in the home‟s behaviour management policy as a permissible sanction. This way of working is punitive and it compromises the children‟s and young people‟s rights.

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improvement to be good

The management of risk is good. The children and young people are protected from known risks, and their risk management plans are regularly reviewed and updated to meet their needs. Health and safety are taken seriously. The staff carry out environmental checks, which include fire safety checks. All utilities are routinely maintained and serviced. These measures provide the children and young people with a safe home.

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improvement to be good

The recruitment procedures are good. They ensure that all the required safety checks are carried out on new members of staff. All visitors to the home are required to produce identification, and they sign the visitor‟s book so that the registered manager can check who comes into the home and the purpose of their visit. These measures ensure that the children and young people are protected from unsuitable adults.

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

The registered manager has been in post since December 2016. He has the right qualifications to undertake his role, and he is an experienced practitioner. Since taking up his post, he has strongly focused on teambuilding, with positive results. His management approach is to include the staff in decision-making, and he values their contribution towards improving outcomes for the children and young people. This approach is creating a unified staff team, which provides the children and young people with stability.

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

A member of staff said: „I have worked here for 13 years. It was a big change for all of us when we were taken over by a bigger company, but it is now much better. It was strange at first, but since [Name, registered manager] started it has been much better. We are much more involved now and included. [Name] has brought in new ideas and we are much more involved. [Name] asks us what we think, and if we do not agree we can say so. We feel much more valued, and that is important because we spend a lot of time here.‟ Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 8 The registered manager is very much involved in the care and the support of the children and young people. He is a very good advocate, and he does not hesitate to challenge services to ensure that the children‟s and young people‟s rights are respected. He has high aspirations and a strong vision to improve the children‟s and young people‟s outcomes and quality of life.

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

A social worker said: „I am very impressed with [Name, registered manager]. He is open and honest, and he is not afraid to admit to areas of development. Communication is very good. There has been so much improvement over the last six months.‟

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

The registered manager has a very good understanding of the home‟s strengths and weaknesses and he is taking actions to improve the home‟s efficiency and shortfalls in practice. He regularly monitors the home‟s performance and the outcomes for the children and young people. The latest monitoring report is informative and includes an action plan that focuses on the home‟s areas for improvement. There is regular consultation with the children and young people, their parents and other professionals to ascertain their views about the home. However, the registered manager has omitted to include the feedback from professionals in the report. A new recommendation is included to ensure that all the comments and views gathered during the home‟s monitoring are reflected in the report.

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

The statement of purpose includes an overview of what services the home offers to meet the needs of the children and young people. The aims and objectives of the home are incorporated, along with other relevant information, to advise parents, social workers and placing authorities about how the home operates. However, the registered manager has failed to include information about adaptations in the home that restrict the children‟s and young people‟s liberty. In particular, the external doors are locked. There is no written explanation as to why the doors are locked, or what measures are in place should a child or young person indicate that they wish to leave the home. This compromises the rights of the children and young people.

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

Records to monitor new admissions and children and young people leaving the home are incomplete. There is no admissions register, which should include information that is required by regulation. A failure to ensure that this important information is recorded and stored in the home potentially compromises future enquiries that might involve tracking where children and young people have lived, and how long they were placed there.

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

The home has progressed by meeting most of the requirements from the last inspection, and from a monitoring visit that took place on 11 April 2017.

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

The recording of restraints now meets regulation. The registered manager has adapted the recording format to include a „tick box‟ that lists a range of de-escalation techniques. The staff complete this each time a restraint is undertaken. However, it is not clear in the written text about each restraint, at what point the staff use individual de-escalation measures to prevent a physical intervention, to ensure that each child‟s and young person‟s behaviour management plan is followed. Therefore, a new recommendation is Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 9 identified in this report to improve the overall recording, to ensure that each restraint can be fully monitored.

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

A requirement to ensure that the registered persons notify Ofsted of any allegation made against staff is met. Although there have not been any allegations since the last inspection, there is now clear guidance in place to ensure that any notifiable event is reported to the right agencies, including Ofsted.

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

A requirement to improve behaviour management is met. The staff have received additional training, at an advanced level, to improve their knowledge and understanding of how to manage challenging or difficult behaviours. Following this training, there has been a significant reduction in the use of physical restraints, which is a positive outcome. A previous requirement to ensure that the staff have a relevant level 3 qualification within the required timescales is not fully met. At the last inspection, it was identified that eight staff members fall into this category. Although the registered manager and the provider have put in additional support and resources, the staff have not yet completed all the modules required. A failure to ensure that the staff complete their mandatory training in a timely manner potentially compromises the quality of care.

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

There are two new requirements, and four recommendations, arising from this inspection.

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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: SC059180 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Interact Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Waterfront Building, Chancellor‟s Road, Hammersmith Embankment, London W6 9RU

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Inspector:

Debbie White, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC059180 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:

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

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