Children's home run by Blackford Education (schools) Ltd in Somerset

Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 1 SC403493 Registered provider: Blackford Education (schools) 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 home is run by a private company that also operates a school and several other children’s homes in the locality. The home provides care for up to six children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager is not thoroughly scrutinising records in relation to the Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 2 use of restraint to clearly identify triggers and trends, and to ensure that records meet regulation. During some incidents, there has been the need to use restraint many times. This is not reflected in the evaluation of the total number of restraints used. In addition, the registered manager has evaluated her own practice when she has been involved in restraints, and children’s views of restraint are not always clearly recorded.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff do not always follow the organisation’s guidance for when children go missing. Leaders and managers have not ensured that individual missing-from- home protocols have been devised in conjunction with placing authorities, and shared with the local police. In addition, some risk assessments do not detail the individual risks involved in matters relating to going missing.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Some areas of the home are hazardous to children. At the time of this inspection, not all areas of the home provided children with a welcoming and homely environment.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children’s placement plans do not clearly align with the local authority aims of the placement, or clearly define the children’s needs and targets, and how their progress will be measured.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and managers do not ensure that HMCI is provided with a copy of the statement of purpose when this document is reviewed and updated.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children are looked after by a registered manager and staff team who demonstrate genuine care for the children. Staff build trusting relationships with children. Children benefit from stability, as some children have lived at the home for many years.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Placing social workers speak highly of the care and support that children receive, including their education, and say that there is good communication between them and the staff.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children say that they enjoy the activities and that they feel listened to. Complaints that they raise are dealt with quickly and effectively.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and managers are quick to advise, and they liaise with other professionals when there are concerns that they are not able to meet the needs of children. They request multi-disciplinary meetings to discuss concerns and plan a way forward.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 3 15/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/11/2016 Full Outstanding 04/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/10/2015 Full Outstanding

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the home is well maintained and provides young people with a homely and welcoming environment. 13/12/2017

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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:

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and if necessary, plan to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. In particular, ensure that the individual risk assessments in relation to missing are detailed, and identify the risks and 30/11/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 4 how these are to be reduced.

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. In particular, ensure staff follow the agreed missing from home protocols.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used to the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. In particular, ensure that children do not have access to the electricity meter reading box, and restricted outbuildings.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)(v)(d)) 13: The leadership and management standard

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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 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

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. In particular, thoroughly scrutinise records in relation to the use of restraint to look for triggers and trends.

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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. In particular, ensure that the registered manager does not review her own practice when involved in the use of restraint and this review is carried out by another suitable person.

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Requirement Due date

14: The care planning standard is that children:

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all children’s placement plans and associated documents clearly align with the local authority aims of the placement, defining the children’s needs and 31/12/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 5 targets, and how their progress will be measured. 16: Statement of purpose

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

ensure that within 24 hours of the measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. In particular, leaders and managers should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing the risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s home’s regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Ensure that any child who has been restrained is given the opportunity to express their feelings about their experience of the restraint as soon as practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident, taking the age of the child and the circumstances of the restraint into account. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.60)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all staff are 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) Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 6

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improvement to be good

There are currently mixed outcomes for children. Some children are achieving well, and they enjoy living at the home. A social worker said that a child ‘regards the children’s home as her home. She is more self-confident and staff provide her with a nurturing environment.’

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improvement to be good

One child says that he does not want to live at the home. He said that he is unhappy there and wants to leave. His views are being listened to and acted on. Due to his current support needs, there has been a significant increase in the use of restraint to keep him, and others, safe. At present, he is not able to manage his emotions well.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children make progress and have a range of positive experiences. Most children have lived at the home for many years, and have developed positive relationships with staff and the other children.

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improvement to be good

All children attend school full time. A social worker spoke highly of the education provision for one child. The children’s home is located close to the organisation’s school, which most children attend.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy a wide range of social and recreational activities. A child said, ‘I like living in the country and going for walks and playing on my skateboard.’ One child has joined the local brownies group.

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improvement to be good

Children are in good health, and they receive specialist help according to their individual needs. Leaders and managers are proactive in escalating concerns with the placing authority and other partners in relation to children’s well-being.

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improvement to be good

Children know how to complain, and the registered manager ensures that complaints from children are managed appropriately. One child said, ‘I like all the staff and I could speak to any member of staff if I need to.’

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have developed individual children’s pre-missing-from-home risk assessments, and a generic missing-from-home protocol. However, these documents have not been developed in consultation with the children’s placing authorities, and have not been shared with the local police. In addition, not all risk assessments clearly identify how each individual child’s risks will be managed.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection there have been two incidents of children going missing from the home. Records viewed in relation to these incidents demonstrate that staff do not always follow the organisational guidance for responding to missing-from-home Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 7 incidents. On one occasion, a child was not reported as being missing for several hours, and neither was the placing authority informed quickly. Children receive independent return home interviews; however, the outcomes of the interviews have not been shared with the registered manager. The registered manager has attempted to obtain the outcomes of these interviews, but to date this information is still outstanding.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there has been a significant increase in the use of restraint for one child. Leaders and managers acknowledge this, and have spoken with the placing authority about whether they can keep the child safe, and are able to meet his needs. Leaders and managers have involved other professionals as needed, such as therapists, and they have requested that a multi-disciplinary meeting be convened to discuss the issues, and agree the way forward.

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improvement to be good

Restraint is used as a last resort. The registered manager scrutinises and evaluates each restraint record. She comments on the appropriateness of the measures used, and if practice needs to be reviewed. However, the restraint records do not comply with the regulations. This is because on some occasions multiple restraints are used and the actual time of the restraint is not recorded. In addition, the registered manager has reviewed her own practice when she has been involved in restraint, and the child’s views of the restraint are not always recorded. However, children say that staff talk to them afterwards. Minimal sanctions are given to children, and these are clearly recorded and evaluated, and include children’s views.

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improvement to be good

Staff are provided with behaviour support plans to guide them in how to support children to manage their emotions and feelings. At present, for one child, staff are not able to support him in effectively managing his emotions. Leaders and managers have alerted the placing authority about their serious concerns in relation to this, and are working collaboratively with the social worker to agree a way forward.

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improvement to be good

One safeguarding concern has been raised since the last inspection. This incident occurred over a weekend period and, therefore, was not reported to the appropriate agencies and professionals until three days later. However, the concern was addressed by the placing authority in collaboration with the designated officer. Because of these discussions, no further action was required. All staff receive safeguarding training.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager has developed comprehensive locality and adverse weather risk assessments. These assessments clearly identify the known risks and how the risks are to be managed, and reduced. The adverse weather risk assessment is comprehensive, and refers to the action to take due to the home’s rural and isolated location.

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

The leadership and management of the home requires improvement. This is due to the lack of management oversight of matters relating to the use of restraint, and the management of missing-from-home incidents. Although the registered manager oversees restraint records, there is no clear evaluation of the potential triggers and trends relating to the use of restraint. In addition, records demonstrate that a Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 8 significantly higher number of restraints are being used than initially reported.

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

The registered manager has not identified that staff did not follow the organisation’s policy in relation to children going missing, and individual protocols have not been developed and shared with the appropriate agencies.

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

At the time of this inspection, some health and safety concerns were noted. The door to the external electricity meter reading box was broken, and children had access to some potentially hazardous external outbuildings. Significant damage has been made to some areas of the home, and there have been some delays in repairing this damage. At the time of this inspection, not all areas of the home provided a homely and welcoming environment. The registered manager said that she is waiting for the delivery of wallpaper so that the planned refurbishment and redecoration can go ahead. There are plans to further improve the environment, and children have been consulted in relation to this.

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

The statement of purpose has recently been updated, and reflects the services that the home provides. However, a revised copy of this document has not been sent to Ofsted as required.

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

The children’s placement plans are currently under review. This is an organisational decision following leaders and managers identifying that the plans do not clearly align with the local authority aims of placement, or clearly define children’s needs and targets, and how their progress will be measured. Some records written by staff detail their opinion rather than fact, in particular when recording matters relating to behaviour management.

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

There continues to be regular external scrutiny of the quality of care being provided. The registered manager acts on any recommendations for improvement.

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

Together with children, staff compile individual photo albums that contain photographs and records of the children’s achievements while they are living at the home. Children are involved in developing these albums, and they can take their albums with them when they leave and ‘look back’ on their time living in the home. These are lovely albums for children to keep.

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

The registered manager and senior leaders are committed to ensuring that children receive high quality care and support. Staff and professionals speak highly of the care provided. A social worker said, ‘The registered manager and staff engage with me very well. I regularly receive reports, and progress reports that are very detailed. I am very happy with the care provided.’

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 9 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: SC403493 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: Blackford Education (schools) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Blackford House, Blackford, Minehead TA24 8SY

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Inspector(s)

David Kidner, social care inspector Sharron Escott, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC403493 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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