Children's Home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Inspection report children’s home: SC066747 1 SC066747 Registered provider: Sheffield City Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is judged as having declined in effectiveness because the children and young people’s overarching care needs are not being met. This is having an impact on their current and future outcomes and protection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children and young people are not experiencing stability in the home. Their stability is affected by children moving into the home without thorough consideration of the impact. This affects the children and young people currently living in the home and those being admitted. The group living arrangement is not harmonious and this is resulting in the children and young people experiencing episodes of bullying. The Inspection report children’s home: SC066747 2 provider has chosen not to admit any new children or young people until the home has maintained a period of stability.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some of the young people have experienced placement moves. For one young person this was because of the risks that they were presenting and the negative impact upon themselves and others. As a result, this young person did not experience a planned move from the home and was not given any opportunity to celebrate the ending to her placement. In contrast, another young person benefited from a planned move from the home. In both situations, the decision-making considered the outcomes for the children and young people, with a view to maintaining their safety and enabling their progress.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children and young people are not being consistently helped by the staff to understand and regulate their behaviours. This is resulting in the escalation of behaviours and the police are frequently called to the address. The staff are receiving limited guidance regarding their practice and therefore are not developing their approach towards the children and young people. Additionally, there has been minimal direct or meaningful work undertaken with the children and young people to help them address their concerning and risk-taking behaviours. As a result, there has been a significant increase in the number of notifications to Ofsted, and some of the submissions have been delayed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children and young people are demonstrating an element of progress within education. However, this is not a consistent achievement for all, and the children and young people’s commitment and motivation is affected by the group dynamics and their pattern of engagement with the routines and boundaries in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children and young people are being encouraged by the staff to lead a healthy lifestyle. Despite these efforts, the children and young people’s health needs are not routinely met. A young person has an outstanding dental appointment and requires additional guidance and help around her sexual health. As the children and young people present with difficulties with their mental health and emotional well-being, there are no clear plans, risk assessments or guidance for the staff on how to support them and ensure their safety. The multi-agency psychological support team has reinstated its plans to work with the staff and provide individualised guidance to assist it to meet the needs of the children and young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been clear gaps within the leadership and management of the home, including the oversight of the developments needed to ensure that there is continual progress. The registered manager has not responded to the actions set by internal and external monitoring systems, resulting in continued deficits in care practices. In addition, there have been significant delays in this information being sent to Ofsted. Measures have been taken to create a continual improvement plan, which includes changes to the leadership and management provision of the home. The aim is to improve the outcomes and protection for the children and young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staffing issues in the home are being addressed. Plans are in place to recruit experienced workers who are confident and comfortable at implementing the Inspection report children’s home: SC066747 3 developments within care practices. This will provide the children and young people with a consistent team of staff with whom they can build their relationships. Currently, staff are receiving supervision to enable them to reflect on their knowledge and practice. However, further improvements are needed in respect of their annual appraisals to manage the needs for continued development. Members of staff say: ‘We do recognise that recently things are improving and we are hoping that this will continue with the plans that are in place.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

On first appearances the home does not present well. The standard of the home has been affected by the damage that has been caused by the children and young people. Despite the appearance of some areas of the home, there are elements that remain homely and welcoming. For example, photos of the children and young people and some ornaments remain visible around the home. In addition, there has been a significant amount of reparation in community relations, which is minimising the hostilities projected towards the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although there has been some progress against the previous requirements and recommendations, a number remain unmet and will continue to be addressed through the plans implemented by the leadership and management team.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 05/04/2016 Full Requires improvement 09/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirements 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)) 30/06/2017

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Requirements Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are 23/06/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC066747 4 protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure– that staff– have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; and that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii)(b)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if– there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 01/12/2017

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Requirements Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to– HMCI. (Regulation 44 (7)(a)) 01/12/2017

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure– that arrangements are in place to– ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; and manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (2)(b)(I)(ii)) 01/12/2017

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to– use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(h)) 01/12/2017

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure– that staff– help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (2)(a)(ii)(iii)) 01/12/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC066747 5

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9). This is with particular reference to addressing the damage that has been caused to the home to ensure that a homely environment is maintained.

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

 Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of the control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concerns emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC066747 6 This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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Children’s home details

Registered Provider: Sheffield City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield S1 2HH

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Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC066747 7 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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