Children's Home run by DMR Services Ltd in Derbyshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 1 Registered provider: DMR Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned and is registered to care for up to five children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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children 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.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people and social care professionals have expressed positive views about the quality of care in this home. However, widespread and systemic failures undermine the consistency of care. A number of safeguarding incidents have taken place since the full inspection, raising concerns about the capacity of the staff to keep young people safe from harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The leadership and management team has been unable to ensure that staff provide consistently safe childcare. Significant safeguarding incidents include young people drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis in their bedrooms. There has been sexual activity between young people, and some incidents in the home and in the community have potentially been exploitative. Three placing authorities are Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 2 undertaking child protection enquiries as a result of this particular incident. Records show that young people have been leaving the home at night. Additionally, young people have been entering each other’s bedrooms at night. This demonstrates that staff are struggling to monitor young people’s whereabouts, resulting in staff being ineffective in preventing potentially harmful behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A further safeguarding incident involved a young person throwing hot water towards another young person’s face. The paramedics were called to deal with this incident. Records show that staff had missed several opportunities to prevent this incident escalating. Concerns are raised about the capacity of staff to recognise the indicators of potential conflict, to de-escalate the situation and to manage relationships between young people to prevent them from harming each other. The requirement from the previous inspection is not met as a result of these safeguarding incidents.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider has notified Ofsted of significant events. Staff have liaised with placing authorities and have been proactive in seeking the most up-to-date multi-agency plans in relation to each young person. Staff have demonstrated that they are engaging with placing authorities. The provider has met the requirement in this regard from the previous inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people freely access the staff office where confidential information is kept, and did so during the inspection. Inspectors were concerned that young people could access confidential records and access an open key cabinet, which contained the keys to the medication cabinet. Previously, a young person who has self- injurious and suicidal behaviours entered the office. He took the keys to the garage and the gate and left the home. The continued access to the office by young people demonstrates that the day-to-day arrangements in this home fail to safeguard young people. Confidential information is not kept safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, a number of new staff have been recruited. Inspectors found discrepancies in the recruitment records, in terms of conflicting information. This shows that management monitoring systems are ineffective in relation to recruitment. Deficits in training were identified as not all staff have undertaken training as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. In particular, not all staff have received training in safeguarding and behaviour management. This does not support consistent, safe care and is likely to be a contributing factor regarding problems in managing behaviour and recognising safeguarding situations at an early enough stage.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been several incidents of young people going missing from the home. On one occasion, this period of missing was for several days. Staff follow appropriate Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 3 procedures and liaise with safeguarding agencies in these instances. However, staff do not ensure that young people have an interview with someone independent of the home when they return. This is a missed opportunity to speak to young people about any harm that may have occurred, or to better understand why young people go missing and prevent this happening again in the future. Additionally, managers fail to evaluate their plans and responses to young people who are missing from the home. This does not promote improvement in safeguarding strategies.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff use physical intervention to prevent young people harming themselves or others. Records relating to physical intervention are poor. Records provide an outline of the incident, but hold scant information. Records do not include the detail or description required under regulation. This means that any analysis of incidents is limited. Records do not provide an insight into the situation, how it could have been avoided and how to respond more effectively in the future. It is therefore difficult to ascertain how necessary and proportionate physical intervention is in all cases.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The inspection identified a number of shortfalls in leadership and management. One key difficulty is accessing the information which is required under regulation. The majority of records are held electronically. While this is recognised practice, managers were unable to retrieve the information required for the inspection in a timely manner.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Importantly, case records for young people were not easily accessible. Young people confirmed that they have not seen their records or contributed to their plans. This does not enable young people to fully participate in their care planning.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A young person newly admitted to the home advised that she did not have a copy of the children and young person’s guide. As a result of this, the young person did not have a full understanding of the care provision, her rights, or how to complain. This also demonstrates a lack of understanding from staff about the young person’s needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have not ensured that all records are kept up to date and signed by the author. Additionally, important documents, including the admissions register, did not hold essential information. Staff rosters did not reflect the daily staffing levels in the home. This fails to provide full and accurate information about the young people who live in the home and the staff who work there.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has not submitted the home’s statement of purpose to Ofsted since 2016. This limits the regulator’s ability to understand the purpose, function and any changes in the home. Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 4 Managers are clear about the shortfalls identified at this inspection and are committed to take decisive action to remedy shortfalls and raise standards.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good

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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, the 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 requires the registered person to ensure that each child—

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Requirement Due date

has access to the home’s children’s guide, and the home’s complaints procedure, when the child’s placement in the home is agreed and throughout the child’s stay in the home. (Regulation 7(2)(b)(ii)) 20/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(iii)) 20/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— 20/11/2017 Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 5 manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(iv)) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to the monitoring of young people, preventing young people from leaving the home at night, accessing each other’s bedrooms and other unauthorised areas, such as the staff office. 20/11/2017

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to ensuring that management monitoring systems identify any discrepancies in recruitment records. It is also about ensuring that physical intervention records are robustly monitored. 20/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 20/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development.

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular regard to ensuring that all staff, including casual staff and agency staff, receive training as outlined in the statement of purpose. (Regulation 33(4)(a)) 20/11/2017

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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 20/11/2017 Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 6 relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; a description of the measure used and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure and the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vii)) 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. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) 20/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4, and ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37(2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to a record in the form of a register showing in respect of each child all details relating to their admission, legal status and discharge arrangements. 20/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37(1)(2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to having a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of actual rosters worked. 20/11/2017

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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—

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Requirement Due date

the statement of purpose, the children’s guide, children’s case records, independent person’s reports, and quality of care reviews. (Regulation 38(a)(b)(i)(m)(n)) 20/11/2017

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.30)  Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 7 from the home (Regulation 36 (Schedule 3(14))). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of

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Recommendations

what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care (see paragraph 15.2). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.31)  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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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

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.

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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: 1245390 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: DMR Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: DMR Services, 102 Queslett Road East, Sutton Coldfield B74 2EZ

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Inspectors

Amanda Ellis, social care inspector Katarina Djordjevic, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1245390 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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