Children's home run by Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: 1240842 1 Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd

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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 children’s home is one of a number of homes operated by a small private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A mobile motorhome is used to access outward-bound activities at set locations as part of the service.

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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

Date of last inspection: 16 November 2016

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because: Inspection report children’s home: 1240842 2  Risk assessments are not updated to ensure that they address young people’s risks and behaviours robustly.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Care planning is not effective. This resulted in a young person’s placement breaking down.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Management monitoring systems do not provide detailed oversight of care practice.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff do not always receive pertinent training in relation to young people’s specific needs. Moreover, young people’s diets are not always nutritious or healthy.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Incidents of physical intervention are not reviewed robustly to ensure that when physical intervention takes place it is appropriate and proportionate. Moreover, learning and/or or improvement are not identified from such incidents.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The recruitment process is not robust. References are not always verified to ensure the suitability of staff.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager has not received an annual appraisal at least once per year to ensure the suitability of his performance, and his fitness to carry out his role.

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Key findings from this inspection

 A new manager is in position who is enthusiastic, and who is committed to developing and improving the home further.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The majority of young people are learning to manage their behaviour and emotions well. Risk-taking behaviours, such as going missing from care, are significantly reduced.

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Key findings from this inspection

 There are trusting relationships between the staff and the majority of young people. These are built up through completing outward-bound challenges together as a team.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The staff are very well trained in outdoor activities. This provides for a structured experience during young people’s time at the motorhome.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s views and feelings are gained through meaningful discussions with the staff. This happens during outward-bound activities, where bonds are formed.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people gain vocational qualifications as part of a time-limited placement. Inspection report children’s home: 1240842 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/16 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1240842 4

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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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff 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. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(i)) In particular, risk assessments are updated to reflect the needs of young people. 01/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person must ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (2)(a)) 01/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(c) and (h)) 01/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that an accurate record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (2)(c)) 01/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety, in that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (3)(d)) 01/12/2017 Inspection report children’s home: 1240842 5 33: Employment of staff

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 01/12/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are provided with nutritious meals suitable for each child’s needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.8)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the process for considering the notification of serious events includes an assessment of each case individually, taking into account any patterns of behaviour or unusual behaviour which may indicate an increased risk to the child. Homes should also consider the frequency of incidents and judge whether their cumulative effect makes notification appropriate even if in isolation each event would not warrant this. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.11)

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improvement to be good

The home provides time-limited emergency placements for young people who have highly complex emotional and behavioural difficulties. A motorhome is also used, as part of the service, to enable young people to participate in outward-bound activities. Fully trained activity instructors help to steer young people through a period of crisis in their lives.

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improvement to be good

A warm welcome is part of the introduction to the home, alongside a children’s guide explaining how it runs. However, one young person’s placement broke down due to staff having difficulties in managing the young person’s needs and behaviours. Placement planning was not effective, as the needs of this young person were not fully considered before the placement was accepted. Moreover, the staff were not skilled or trained in the area of need for that individual. In contrast, one young person has returned home successfully in line with their care plan, and another young person is currently staying in the motorhome and engaging well in the programme of activities.

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improvement to be good

Young people’s health needs are generally met. They are registered with appropriate Inspection report children’s home: 1240842 6 healthcare services and have access to trained therapists. Medication is administered regularly, but not at the set time intervals as prescribed. Also, on one occasion non- prescribed medicine was administered but this was not detailed in the medication records. Furthermore, a young person’s meals were not wholesome and nutritious.

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improvement to be good

Relationships are built up through staff and young people being part of a team facing outward-bound challenges together. Mountain biking, kayaking and climbing form part of the programme. Young people develop trust with the staff, and learn new skills and build confidence. For the majority of young people this works, and they refrain from harmful behaviours such as violence, going missing from care and gang activity.

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improvement to be good

Young people’s educational needs are creatively met through alternative provision during their short-term placement. They gain approved vocational and life skills qualifications. One young person gained a climbing and vocational award that will stand him in good stead for employment in the future. These are good achievements for young people, many of whom have been out of educational settings for many years. Another young person’s placement broke down, which resulted in the activity award not being completed.

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improvement to be good

Regular discussions all contribute to young people having their say. Any discriminatory behaviours are sensitively challenged by the staff, who guide young people to respect themselves, and treat others with dignity. Moreover, the staff focus on positive reward as part of behaviour management, which is working well in the main. Additionally, a questionnaire is currently being introduced to gain further feedback from young people. These are all positive steps forward.

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improvement to be good

The safety and protection of young people is central to the home’s ethos and care practice model. A young person said that he ‘feels safe’. Moreover, high levels of staffing help to minimise risks and vulnerabilities for the majority of young people. For example, there are significantly fewer incidents of young people going missing and being involved in crime. This helps to make them safer. Effective protocols are in place with partner agencies, and these are followed by the staff when young people do go missing.

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improvement to be good

The staff have regular training in safeguarding, and organisational policies and procedures are also in place to guide staff practice. Health and safety checks of the motorhome and the home are regularly undertaken to ensure a safe living environment.

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improvement to be good

The staff understand young people’s needs and have developed strategies to manage the individual behaviours of young people well the majority of the time. As a result, there are few physical interventions with young people. The staff are trained in a certified method of physical intervention to safely hold young people if necessary. However, instances of physical intervention are not always robustly reviewed by the registered manager for their appropriateness. For example, in one record it was not Inspection report children’s home: 1240842 7 picked up that a young person was being held by the staff in a hold that was contrary to the organisation’s physical intervention model. Moreover, no investigation had been prompted to learn from the incident, and improve practice.

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improvement to be good

The staff are recruited and selected through a process that includes checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). However, checks to verify why employment ended for applicants who have worked with children or vulnerable adults are not always carried out. Also, telephone verification of an employment reference has not been completed, prior to a person working at the home. This does not robustly guard against unsafe adults working with young people.

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

Since the last inspection a new registered manager is in post. He is enthusiastic and passionate about making a positive difference to young people’s lives. He has the experience and skills necessary to work with young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. He is currently undertaking a management qualification. The staff members spoken to enjoy their work and are complimentary of the manager. They have guidance, policies and procedures to support their care practice. They also have regular supervisions and mandatory training. However, training specifically to understand a young person’s autistic condition was not completed. This does not assure the competence of the staff in meeting the young person’s needs during the time living in the motorhome. Additionally, the registered manager has not had an appraisal of his performance.

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

The staff team is relatively new, and the majority of its members do not hold a suitable qualification in residential work. One staff member is qualified and two others are working towards this. However, staff are well qualified in outward-bound activities.

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

Monitoring systems are in place to provide oversight of the quality of care. However, these are not robustly adhered to. For example, the registered manager has failed to pick up inaccuracies in medication records and risk assessments. Moreover, the use of a physical restraint was not subject to scrutiny to identify issues of concern, or any learning points to improve care practice.

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

The staff work well with partner agencies and young people’s family members. Regular progress reports are provided to social workers and family members to keep them involved and updated. Feedback systems are currently being developed by the registered manager to improve practice further.

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

There is a system in place for notifying all responsible bodies of serious events. These are generally notified promptly to ensure that information is shared in the protective network of professionals. However, the registered manager’s consideration of a serious incident does not take into account patterns of behaviour, for example multiple physical interventions in public, which may indicate an increased risk to a young person that Inspection report children’s home: 1240842 8 would warrant a notification.

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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: 1240842 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Care 4 Children, 1 Stuart Road, Bredbury Park Industrial Estate, Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2SR

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Inspectors

Caroline Jones, social care inspector Mandy Williams, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1240842 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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