Adel Beck Secure Children's Home

Inspection report children’s home: SC033457 1 SC033457 Registered provider: Leeds City Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This secure children’s home is managed by a local authority. It is approved by the Department for Education to restrict young people’s liberty. The children’s home can accommodate up to 24 young people who are aged between 10 and 17 years. It provides for up to 16 young people placed by the Youth Justice Board and eight young people accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 and who are placed by local authorities. Admission of any young person under 13 years of age under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 requires the approval of the Secretary of State. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities. The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding 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

Measured against outstanding, insufficient progress has been made in addressing the requirement and recommendations raised at the previous inspection in May 2017. A number of behaviour management records, in particular those relating to restraint, were found to be incomplete, missing details such as the time and duration of the incident. Inspection report children’s home: SC033457 2 Some records were of a poor quality containing an inadequate description of the measure used by staff, for example using the term ‘restrained’ rather than specifically detailing their actions when applying the restraint. If challenged, these records would not stand up to scrutiny and would not provide adequate protection for young people or staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

It is concerning that duty managers are still not consistently identifying shortfalls when monitoring behaviour management records, and when they do action is not always taken to address these in a timely manner. For example, in the logs pertaining to single separation, managers had placed a number of post-it notes denoting gaps and shortfalls. However, these actions had not been followed up, with a number of them being outstanding for over a month, exceeding the regulatory requirement of 24 hours. Senior managers have recognised these weaknesses, having undertaken a recent audit of records. In response they are in the process of introducing an additional layer of quality assurance, which will be completed by the recently appointed deputy manager on a weekly basis. However, this has not yet been implemented and therefore it is impossible to measure the effectiveness of this change.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Nineteen staff have still not completed or refreshed training in supporting young people with self-harming behaviour, including the use of ligature cutters. The impact of this continues to be minimal due to the wealth of support, guidance and information available throughout the home and risk management continues to be effective. Good links are maintained with commissioned mental health professionals to ensure that responses to self-harming behaviour are well thought-out and effective in keeping young people safe. This was evident when supporting a particularly complex young person who regularly placed herself and others at risk. During this time staff showed high levels of skill, patience and resilience and were effective in their efforts to keep her safe while managers worked with partner agencies to secure a needs-specific placement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two recommendations have been suitably addressed. Incident records have been centralised to ensure continuous recording of incidents that take place in multiple locations. A child-friendly system has been developed to capture young people’s views specifically for the purpose of staff appraisals. This is still in its early stages and will be used for the annual appraisals in December 2017.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Three additional recommendations relating to education were also made at the last full inspection. These will be assessed at the next full inspection. This said, some progress is noted in the development of vocational programmes following the recruitment of a motor mechanics tutor.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management of medication requires improvement. The home is not adhering to its own policy, which advocates that medication is only to be administered by trained staff. Inspectors found a number of examples when medication had been administered by staff whose training had expired. The practice of a second member of staff countersigning records when controlled medication is given is not consistently followed and a number of gaps in records were noted. Staff are not always recording how and why medication has been disposed of, including controlled medication, simply stating Inspection report children’s home: SC033457 3 ‘drugs were disposed of’. While these shortfalls have not had a direct impact on the care of young people, there is clearly a potential for errors that may place young people at risk.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Management oversight in respect of training needs to improve. According to the central training record, there are number of staff who have not completed or refreshed mandatory training, such as safeguarding, fire safety and medication administration. Some of these are significantly overdue and need to be completed at the earliest opportunity.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are admitted to the home in a planned and supportive manner. Information gathered at the point of admission is used to develop appropriate plans and strategies to support young people effectively during their time at the home. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of young people’s needs and provide good levels of individual support and opportunities to progress and move forward. Links with relevant professionals and agencies are used effectively to ensure that young people receive the services and support they require from third party stakeholders, such as working with the placing authority to ensure that suitable accommodation is identified for when young people leave the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records relating to transition planning are not well coordinated. There is an absence of an individually detailed written plan that clearly identifies the specific support necessary for the young person, including supporting them emotionally on their final night in the home. Fortunately, this has not created a major problem so far and there are good examples of how staff have supported young people in their preparation for leaving the home, such as using mobility (approved visits into the community) to enable the young person to visit the placement before discharge. This process would be strengthened through detailed plans being available to guide staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A calm and settled atmosphere was noted throughout the inspection. Young people were engaged in a range of purposeful activities, such as making pizza, preparing Halloween decorations, painting nails and applying facials. They were extremely positive about their time in the home and were complimentary about the support they receive from staff. Many told inspectors about the progress they have made and how being at the home is helping them in addressing their offending behaviour and learning how to keep themselves safe. They were particularly positive about their academic achievements with one young person saying, ‘I love going to school here. I have achieved GCSEs in English and mathematics, which I would not have got if I hadn’t been here’.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to benefit from exceptionally high levels of support from staff during their time at the home. Relationships between young people and staff are positive. Positive behaviour is incentivised, with a significant majority of young people showing increased self-motivation and control over their own behaviour. Negative behaviour is sensitively challenged. The use of sanctions, restraint and single separation is proportionate and measured. Restorative practice is embedded into the ethos of the home and is effective in helping young people to understand their behaviour in preparation for their release. Inspection report children’s home: SC033457 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2017 Full Outstanding 23/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/04/2016 Full Outstanding 13/10/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)) 14/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. This is with specific reference to ensuring that staff follow the home’s procedures when administering medication, in particular that medication is only administered by staff whose training is up to date; a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child, which includes how refused medication is safely disposed of; that administration records are signed by two staff when dispensing controlled medication. (Regulation 23 (1)) 14/11/2017

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Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: SC033457 5  The registered person should make best use of information from internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24). In particular, ensure effective monitoring of all behaviour management records with a view to ensuring that records are complete and improving the quality of information contained within.

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Recommendations

 Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12). In particular, ensure that all staff complete or refresh training in supporting young people with self-harming behaviour, including the use of ligature cutters.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11). In particular, ensure that all staff complete or refresh all outstanding mandatory training.

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Recommendations

 The home has an important role in supporting each child leaving the home in the period immediately before their departure. The registered person should ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9). In particular, each young person should have a written plan that clearly outlines the practical and emotional support the young person is to be given when preparing to leave the home.

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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

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 Inspection report children’s home: SC033457 6 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 address: Leeds City Council, 40 Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3DL

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Inspectors

Paul Scott, social care inspector Debbie Foster, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033457 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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