Children's home SC367737

Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 1 SC367737 Registered manager:

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private manager. Care and accommodation are provided for up to three children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager also operates a school from the same address.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious failures that mean children are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 2 February 2017

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

This children‟s home is inadequate because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 One child goes out to work two days each week with unknown adults. The Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 2 manager has failed to carry out checks to ensure that the child is safe and protected. In addition, the home has failed to ensure that the child‟s educational needs are met.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager and staff fail to undertake necessary safeguarding checks on people with whom children routinely spend time.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager does not follow safer recruitment practices when employing staff to work in the home.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager is responsible for recruiting new staff and managing child protection concerns. He does not have up-to-date training in either of these areas.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Care plans are insufficiently detailed to ensure that staff are provided with the information that they require to provide children with appropriate care.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff team does not receive good quality, meaningful supervision or induction training.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager and staff continue to demonstrate a weak understanding of how to keep children safe. This is the second time that the home has been judged as inadequate due to serious and widespread weaknesses in how well children are helped and protected.

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Key findings from this inspection

 This is the fifth consecutive full inspection where the effectiveness of leadership and management of this children‟s home has been judged as inadequate.

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Key findings from this inspection

 This inspection was aligned with an Ofsted inspection of the manager‟s school. The overall effectiveness judgement for the school was also inadequate due to shortfalls in safeguarding children and in leadership and management.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people who have left the home recently have been helped to secure good training and employment.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 05/07/2016 Full Requires improvement 20/04/2016 Full Inadequate 08/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 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

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children‟s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— (a) seek to involve each child‟s placing authority effectively in the child‟s care, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans; (b) seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child‟s needs; (c) if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‟s or a relevant person‟s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child‟s needs are met in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans. 30/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

(1) The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— (a) understand the children‟s home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‟s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (a) understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose; (b) ensure that staff— (i) understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose; (ii) protect and promote each child‟s welfare; (iii) treat each child with dignity and respect; (iv) provide personalised care that meets each child‟s needs, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans, taking account of the child‟s background; (v) help each child to understand and manage the impact of any 30/11/2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 4 experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

(vi) help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult; (vii) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; (viii) provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and (ix) make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

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Requirement Due date

(1) The health and well-being standard is that— (a) the health and well-being needs of children are met; (b) children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and (c) children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff help each child to— (i) achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child‟s relevant plans; (ii) understand the child‟s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child‟s health and well- being, in a way that is appropriate to the child‟s age and understanding; and (c) that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. 30/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child‟s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe; (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 30/11/2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 5 (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare; and (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

(b) 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; and (e) that the effectiveness of the home‟s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home‟s statement of purpose; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (e) ensure that the home‟s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (f) 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; (g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and

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Requirement Due date

improved by taking into account and acting on— (i) research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and (ii) feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 30/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children‟s home. (2) In particular the registered person must ensure that— (b) medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child (Regulation 23 (1) (2) (b)). 30/11/2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 6 32: Fitness of workers

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. (2) The registered person may only— (a) employ an individual to work at the children‟s home; or (b) if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). (3) The requirements are that— (a) the individual is of integrity and good character; (b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; (c) the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2 (Regulation

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Requirement Due date

32 (1) (2) (a) (b) (3) (a) (b) (c) (d)). 30/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must— (a) ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; (4) The registered person must ensure that all employees— (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience (Regulation 33 (1) (a) (4) (b)). 30/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— (b) an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious (Regulation 40 (4) (b)). 30/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‟s home at least once each month. (2) When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— (a) 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; and 30/11/2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 7 (b) to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home‟s records (except for a child‟s case records, unless the child and the child‟s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (3) A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced. (4) The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person‟s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether— (a) children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

(b) the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. (5) The independent person‟s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (6) If the independent person becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest (whether under regulation 43(3) or otherwise) after a visit to the home, the independent person must include in the independent person‟s report— (a) details of the conflict of interest; and (b) the reasons why the independent person did not notify the registered manager of the conflict of interest before the visit (Regulation 44 (1) (2) (a) (b) (3) (4) (a) (b) (5) (6) (a) (b)).

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people: inadequate

The children‟s overall experiences and progress are inadequate. Due to serious failures in the leadership and management of the home and in safeguarding practices, children are not protected and their welfare is not promoted sufficiently.

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people: inadequate

The owner, who is also the manager, and his staff team do not ensure that all children‟s health needs are met. Important health appointments have been missed. Staff do not provide children with the information, advice and support that they need to understand their individual health conditions and the implications that these health needs may have for the future. Staff failed to ensure that a child took prescribed antibiotic medication. They failed to ensure that a sufficient stock of another medication was obtained to complete a prescribed course of treatment.

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people: inadequate

Care planning documents fail to provide sufficient information to the staff team to help its members give children the care that they need. Important information is omitted and a lack of detail prevents care Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 8 being provided in a way that is safe and individual to each child. This includes the arrangements for children‟s access to the internet, their health needs, the procedures for managing children‟s anxiety levels, their daily routines, children‟s cultural needs and the details for contact with adults and other children.

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people: inadequate

The manager does not complete impact risk assessments for every child who moves into the home. He cannot demonstrate that staff have the skills to meet children‟s needs or that children are suitably matched together. In addition, one child is not being offered therapeutic interventions as arranged with the placing authority.

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people: inadequate

The manager fails to support all children to develop their skills and plan for adulthood. A young person, now 18, is anxious about leaving the home, as there is no agreed plan for his future. The manager and staff have failed to help this young person develop the resilience he will need to prepare him to live in a new home or to live independently as an adult.

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people: inadequate

A school-aged child does not receive the required level of education. Instead, unsafe and informal arrangements have been made for the child to participate in unpaid work two days each week. While the arrangements were made prior to the child moving into the home, the manager has failed to carry out checks to ensure his safety or to monitor the educational value of this arrangement.

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people: inadequate

The staff support young people who are now at college and work well with tutors to give young people the opportunity they need to succeed. Some young people have obtained appropriate qualifications that are helping them to realise their ambitions and their pride in their achievements has increased their self-esteem. Young people who left the home earlier this year have moved on to good employment and training schemes.

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people: inadequate

Staff support the children with their family contact, both practically and emotionally. As a result, a child has repaired his relationship with his sibling since moving in.

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people: inadequate

Staff support children‟s involvement in sporting activities and groups effectively. One child has returned to play for his football team, another is trying boxing and helping at a wheelchair basketball group. Staff and children watch a football team play to pursue a child‟s interest and to help him to increase his confidence in public situations.

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inadequate

The manager fails to protect children in his care. One child is allowed to Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 9 work unpaid two days a week in the building industry. The home has failed to carry out checks to ensure that the child is safe and protected. The manager and staff do not know where the child is working or the employer‟s details. They have never visited the child‟s place of work to assure themselves that the arrangements are safe and legitimate and do not know if the child has been provided with the necessary personal protective equipment.

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inadequate

The manager cannot demonstrate an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding practices and procedures; his training is out of date. Unsafe recruitment practices in the home include the manager interviewing applicants by himself, failing to record interview notes and failing to thoroughly explore and risk assess new staff members‟ previous convictions. The home‟s policies and procedures do not require staff to inform the manager of any new criminal charges or convictions while in his employment. The manager does not fully explore the work history of new staff members or their reasons for leaving previous employment and reference checks fail to ask about the applicant‟s suitability to work with children.

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inadequate

The manager and staff do not take action to help protect the children by assessing the suitability of the people that they are visiting. They do not assess the risks to children when visiting friends‟ houses or undertake any checks.

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inadequate

The manager places children and others working at the home at risk by failing to manage the potential spread of infectious diseases. In addition, the manager has failed to carry out an infectious disease control risk assessment. Care plans do not contain information about how staff and children should manage the risk of infectious diseases. The manager and staff do not have all the required precautions in place, such as providing a first aid kit to children.

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inadequate

Staff have used three restraints on one child since the previous inspection. This was shortly after he had moved in and restraints have since stopped. The child told inspectors that he did not like being held by staff as it made it worse for him. However, restraints were used appropriately and have reduced in use as the child has become familiar with staff and less anxious about living at his new home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not show capacity to improve the performance of the home. The home has been judged to be inadequate twice in the previous 18 months due to serious and widespread failures in how well children are helped and protected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

This is the fifth consecutive full inspection where the effectiveness of Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 10 the leadership and management of this children‟s home has been judged to be inadequate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has failed to notify Ofsted of a serious incident at the home. The police were called by staff to help them respond to a child‟s disruptive behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has failed to ensure that the home is maintained, furnished and presented to a good standard throughout. The home lacks soft furnishings and fittings that typically provide a welcoming and homely environment. There is damage to a wall and door in one child‟s bedroom that has not been repaired. Surveillance cameras and motion sensors in communal areas that are no longer in use have not been taken down and detract from creating a homely environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not operate the home in line with its statement of purpose. The document does not provide an accurate description of the services provided to children. For example, children are not provided with high quality accommodation and staff are not trained to offer therapy to children or help all children strive towards successful independent living.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not receive professional supervision to help him to offer a safe service to children. Consequently, his safeguarding practice is not explored or challenged independently. The arrangements for the supervision of staff, although frequent, fail to help the staff team to develop its skills or to reflect on its practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The induction training for new staff is ineffective. Staff are asked to read a folder containing information that they need to know to support children with complex needs. The manager does not perform any competency checks or observation to measure the staff members‟ understanding. Some staff have a poor understanding of childhood attachment and what constitutes a therapeutic approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The independent visitor‟s reports are inadequate. There is a conflict of interest, as the independent visitor has been supervising the manager since March 2017. The reports are repetitive; they lack sufficient scrutiny and do not ensure that children are protected. The independent visitor always arranges his next visit one month in advance; this is not appropriate as some of the visits should be unannounced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager‟s audit of the quality of care continues to lack rigour. His assessments are descriptive rather than evaluative and do not identify any areas for development or improvements in the quality of care provided to children. Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 11 The manager was registered with Ofsted in 2009 as the registered manager. He has the required qualifications, but does not demonstrate that he has the skills or knowledge to carry out this role competently. The manager is not aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and comments that he uses inspections to help him make improvements. The manager has consistently failed to demonstrate his competence to inspectors since 2014.

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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: SC367737 12

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Inspector

Guy Mammatt, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC367737 13 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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