Children's home run by Worcestershire County Council in Worcester

Inspection report children’s home: SC037396 1 SC037396 Registered provider: Worcestershire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority short-breaks service provides short periods of residential care for up to four young people who have a physical and/or learning disability.

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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 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: 28 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None. Inspection report children’s home: SC037396 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff make sure that the home is bright, clean and well decorated. This means that young people feel welcome.  Young people are safe and say that they feel safe.  Staff have positive relationships with professionals and young people’s families.  Young people receive care from staff who understand their complex needs and have established relationships with them.  Staff provide young people with a wide range of activities and learning opportunities. This helps young people to have fun and socialise.  Young people make progress. Their confidence and independence skills improve because of the help and support that they receive from staff.  Young people are confident in sharing their wishes and feelings about the care that they receive, the activities that they do and the food that they eat.

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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 registered manager needs to make sure that staff have regular supervision, with opportunities to discuss their professional development. Mandatory training updates should be completed on time.  Staff do not feel supported well enough by the registered manager. This needs to improve to maintain the high-quality care that young people receive.  The manager needs to update the location risk assessment to include an evaluation of risks within the local area.  The children’s guide needs to be accessible to all young people.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Outstanding 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/11/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC037396 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. (Regulation 7(2)(c)) 29/12/2017

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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 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. This is with specific reference to staff support.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. This is with specific reference to overdue mandatory training updates in fire safety, food hygiene and safeguarding for some staff. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b), (2)(c)) 26/01/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development and receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)) 29/12/2017

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Recommendations

 When establishing the home, the registered person must ensure that it is suitably located so that children are effectively safeguarded and can access services to meet needs identified in their relevant plans (see regulation 12(2)(c)). Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Inspection report children’s home: SC037396 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This short-breaks home is very clean and is decorated to a very high standard. There is a variety of specialist equipment, toys and games to meet the needs of young people. The home has a well looked after sensory room with an array of lights and soft play cushions. Since the last inspection, the garden has had Astro Turf laid, and young people now have a wigwam. The garden is well maintained and there are many fairy lights and ornaments. Young people decide what bedding and posters they would like when they stay. Staff make sure that the bedding is ironed and the beds are well made. Photographs of young people are put up on bedroom doors. This helps young people to feel welcome. The familiar surroundings reassure them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Internal short-break plans are well written and include all necessary information about the needs of the young person. The registered manager has recently updated the format to make it more user friendly and colourful. Case files are kept up to date. The registered manager makes sure that copies of child in need reviews and plans are available to staff. Staff work in partnership with parents, carers and the local authority to review these plans. Managers make sure that the short-break plan for each young person has clear aims. As a result, staff are clear on the targets for each young person and are able to review young people’s progress effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people develop their confidence and social skills because of the good-quality care that they receive from staff. Young people have fun and enjoy spending time with other young people. The kitchen has adapted facilities to allow all young people to take part in baking and cooking. Staff provide activities such as arts and crafts, karaoke and beauty sessions. Young people sit and eat together. They sometimes enjoy take-away meals of their choice and play cards. Other activities include shopping, visiting the zoo and enjoying the local garden centre café and countryside.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s visits are well planned, and they receive a warm welcome with tea visits before staying overnight. This means that staff come to know young people properly. Young people’s routines, likes and dislikes are well understood. This means that young people are well prepared and supported. The young person’s guide needs to be improved, as not all children who visit the home can use this. This is because some children who are able to read do not have access to a suitable version of the guide.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have close and warm relationships with staff. Some young people were observed laughing and interacting positively with staff during the inspection. Staff have a really good understanding of young people’s needs. Staff adapt their approaches to meet the individual communication needs of each young person. For example, some young people use the picture exchange communication system to communicate, others prefer to verbally express their wishes, and some may sign or use other communication aids.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good relationships with young people’s family members and ensure regular communication. A parent shared very positive feedback about the service during this Inspection report children’s home: SC037396 5 inspection. Young people’s family members and carers are made to feel welcome at the home. The manager makes sure that they have the opportunity to share their feedback about the service. The staff team also works in partnership with social workers and teachers to make sure that plans for young people are well understood. A social worker told the inspector: ‘Staff have attended meetings and really know the young person, which is reassuring and enjoyable for parents to see and hear. Parents were anxious about sending their child away from home, but have been supported thoroughly by the manager and staff.’ Another social worker told the inspector: ‘Staff are very keen on healthy eating, they work on communication and tend to manage with good humour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Nothing becomes an issue. They are very aware of safeguarding issues.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people are safe, and say that they feel safe when they stay at this short-breaks home. One young person told the inspector, ‘Yes I am safe and I feel safe, but I don’t like the alarm.’ Another young person told the inspector, ‘Yes I am happy and I really like coming here.’ Young people are confident in sharing their wishes and feelings with staff. Young people are able to share their likes and dislikes with the support of staff. The manager has a postbox for young people to share their wishes and feelings. For example, one young person has asked for a new bike to be purchased, and the manager is following up on this request.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Since the last inspection, there have been no safeguarding referrals and no child protection concerns. Staff receive mandatory safeguarding training. During this inspection, staff did not raise any safeguarding concerns in relation to the quality of care that young people receive. Several staff members shared knowledge about dealing with safeguarding concerns professionally. Managers verify staff references and qualifications, and check that all necessary Disclosure and Barring Service checks are in place. This means that young people receive care from appropriately checked adults.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The last-recorded incident of physical restraint was in 2015. This is because staff use restraint as a last resort. Staff undertake training in the use of physical restraint and de- escalation techniques. Young people are praised for their positive behaviour, and short breaks are centred on having fun and keeping busy. There have been no episodes of young people going missing from the home. There have been no complaints to the manager from young people, their parents, carers or professionals.

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

The current registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2007. She has the necessary skills and qualifications needed for this role and is passionate about the care provided to disabled children. An experienced and caring deputy manager supports her.

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

During the inspection, some staff raised concerns about the level of support that they receive. The registered manager does not make sure that staff receive regular supervision. Supervision notes observed during the inspection were of a poor quality, did not highlight areas for development and were not easy to read. For example, during this Inspection report children’s home: SC037396 6 inspection it was found that staff are only supervised every three months. Some staff have had longer periods without supervision. This shortfall means that staff do not have the opportunity to reflect on their practice or to improve the quality of care provided to young people. This lack of regular supervision means that appraisals do not properly consider the individual development needs of staff. This could affect the quality of care that young people receive.

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

Training records are clear and there are plans in place for further team development. The senior manager responsible for the home is supporting the managers and staff with other training, such as ‘Signs of Safety’ and team building. However, not all staff are up to date with mandatory training requirements. For example, a small number of staff need to refresh their training in fire safety, food hygiene and safeguarding. Staff are not always encouraged to develop their practice and skills through alternative training in areas such as mental health. This shortfall could have an impact on the quality of care that young people receive. All of the staff team hold the level 3 diploma in residential childcare, with the exception of one member of staff who is on target to complete this within the required timescales.

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

The registered manager has conducted an assessment of the location of the home. However, this does not include an identification of any risks and potential strategies for managing these. This means that young people could be at risk.

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

The registered manager has effective monitoring systems in place to review the quality of care that young people receive. The manager evaluates the feedback from parents, carers, young people and professionals to make improvements to the service. The registered manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the service. She has taken effective action to make some improvements to the home. For example, the manager has listened to requests from young people about purchasing new games and play equipment. The statement of purpose reflects the aims and objectives of the service. Inspection report children’s home: SC037396 7

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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 difference 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: SC037396 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Worcestershire County Council, County Hall, Worcester WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC037396 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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