Children's home run by Blackpool Borough Council in Blackpool

Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 1 SC033432 Registered provider: Blackpool Borough Council

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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 children’s home is run by a local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to six young people who may 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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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Declined in effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people benefit from being cared for by a stable and experienced staff team. As a result, young people have positive and trusting relationships with Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 2 staff members.  Staff promote positive behaviour and acknowledge young people’s achievements.  Staff know young people well and understand their needs.  Staff promote and support young people’s contact with family members. They work hard to engage with families and carers in a positive manner.  Staff work in partnership with other safeguarding agencies, such as the police, ensuring that young people are safe and well.  Some young people have made a positive and planned transition into independence, with the support of staff in the home.  The manager of the home is experienced. She has the respect of staff and young people.  The home has recently been refurbished. It is a pleasant environment that is

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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

 Young people’s risk assessments do not currently contain sufficient information to ensure that all relevant issues have been taken into consideration or the strategies to be employed to alleviate the risk. Furthermore, pre-placement matching risk assessments do not assess the impact that the young person is likely to have on the current group of young people.  Although a wide range of training opportunities are available for staff, update training on fire safety, medication and physical intervention have not been completed in a timely manner.  The recruitment checks on new staff are yet to comply with the principles of safer recruitment.  Staff remain confused about the criteria for controlled medication. Prescribed medication has not always been administered as prescribed.  Serious incidents have not always been notified to HMCI as required.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 28/09/2016 Full Good 18/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/01/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 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

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 harm.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that risk assessments include all known risks together with strategies to manage these. Furthermore, ensure that impact risk assessments for potential new placements fully consider the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)) 08/12/2017

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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 should ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(c)).

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have completed the necessary training in the handling of medication, and fire safety, and update training in physical intervention. 08/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

23: Medicines Ensure the registered person makes arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand what controlled medication is and how this is managed. Also, ensure that all prescribed medication is administered as directed and only ceased following an approach to an expert, such as a General Medical Practitioner or prescribing dentist. 08/12/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 4 32: Fitness of workers

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff recruitment procedures are designed to ensure children’s safety; and that individuals who are employed at the children’s home satisfy the specified requirements; and that full and satisfactory information is available in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(3)(d)) 08/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered person notifies HMCI without delay of the occurrence of a significant event. (Regulation 40 (4)) 08/12/2017

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Living in this home largely has a positive impact on outcomes for young people. They receive consistent care, clear boundaries and good routines. The staff team is stable and experienced. Young people are able to develop positive and trusting relationships with staff, whom they are able to turn to in the event of a crisis. This is crucial for young people, as they need to feel safe and secure before they can begin to make progress in other areas of their life. Young people spoke positively about staff, saying, ‘I get on really well with all the staff,’ and ‘When you get to know the staff, they’re all great but different.’ Young people spoke about seeking out different staff members to meet their different needs. The staff group is diverse in relation to gender, skills and interests, which allows for this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff team are knowledgeable about the backgrounds and needs of the young people who they care for. Young people are cared for in accordance with their placement plans. Their progress is subject to regular review, and key workers focus their individual time in the best way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people move into the home in a planned way. The home does not accept emergency placements. This allows staff to prepare those living in the home for a new young person’s arrival. Staff are also able to provide the new young person with information about the home. They are able to visit and sometimes have an overnight stay before their move. In the annual Ofsted survey, one young person commented, ‘I visited the house to meet the other young people and staff before I moved in. I also went shopping for personalised items for myself and my bedroom.’ These things help to reduce young people’s anxieties about their move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work effectively with parents and families to ensure that young people maintain these important relationships, despite the difficulties that this contact brings, on Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 5 occasions, given that young people are living in close proximity to their families. They work with young people to help them understand the complexities of relationships. They will go the extra mile in order to promote those who are a positive influence. Staff facilitate contact over long distances, if this is required, and they handle new arrangements slowly and sensitively. This helps to ensure the best outcome and least disruption to the young person. One parent commented, on the annual Ofsted survey, ‘I am always made welcome and kept up to date with everything concerning [name of young person]. He settled into the home quickly and is happy there.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff want young people to enjoy ordinary childhood experiences. While they encourage and support young people to engage in activities in the community, such as horse riding and Scouts, they also encourage young people to spend time going for a walk or playing games within the home. Similarly, young people feel able to bring their friends home for tea. Staff are conscious to make a family environment in the home and not to set unrealistic expectations, which young people would be unable to replicate when they move on from here.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In the main, young people make good progress from their starting points and benefit from the good-quality care provided to them by staff. For example, there have been a number of successful outcomes in relation to education. With staff support, young people have been able to re-engage with education and now attend regularly. Staff work closely with the virtual school and pursue alternative provision for young people if this is necessary. While not all young people living in the home currently are attending education, staff are working tirelessly to address this, appreciating the significance for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff also promote young people’s physical and emotional well-being. Staff register young people with appropriate health services on their admission to the home and proactively chase appointments with specialist services. They work well with practitioners supporting young people’s emotional health; and act on advice from the council’s psychologist regarding the approach that they should take with young people. As a result, a health practitioner commented on the significant improvement that one young person has made since she came to live in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Medication is stored securely in the home, and a supply of homely remedies is available should young people require them. However, staff remain confused about what constitutes a controlled medication, as they have recorded the administration of an antibiotic in the controlled drugs book. Furthermore, staff did not administer this drug as prescribed, as the recommended intervals between doses were not adhered to and the young person failed to complete the course. Concerns regarding staff knowledge of controlled medication were evident at the last inspection, so the registered manager has completed some medication training with staff, as part of a staff meeting. However, the findings at this inspection indicate that staff remain confused, which does not ensure young people’s well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people learn age-appropriate independence skills. This will help them when they move on from the home. For example, they learn how to manage their own money and Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 6 cook a range of meals. Careful transition planning ensures that young people are best able to manage on their own successfully when they move on from the home. Many young people keep in touch with staff following their departure, demonstrating the significance of the relationships that they formed while living here.

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

Young people living in the home are safe. Staff are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities. They all attend regular update safeguarding training so that they are aware of recent developments or changes to reporting procedures. Many staff members have also attended specific training on child sexual exploitation and radicalisation, so that they are alert to early indicators of concern. This promotes young people’s safety and welfare.

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

Young people benefit from regular, focused key-worker sessions and, as a result, they are learning to keep themselves safe. The home has a CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) ambassador, who ensures that staff have a range of activities and access to online tools to use with young people. Young people know when they need to alert staff or request assistance. For example, a young person recently alerted staff when they became concerned about the actions of another young person, when they were in the community together. This demonstrated the effectiveness of this work. Staff were then able to take the appropriate action to secure the safe return of both young people.

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

Staff are clear about the standards of behaviour that are acceptable. Young people benefit from effective and preventative behaviour management practices that are successful because of the positive relationships that exist between staff and young people. Staff successfully de-escalate the majority of incidents effectively without the need for physical intervention. Physical interventions are rarely necessary. When these have been required, records clearly indicate the need for the intervention. Debriefs with staff and young people are evident, and records receive suitable evaluation by the registered manager, so that the staff team can learn from these incidents.

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

Staff understand and implement the local missing from care protocols. Partnership working with the police and other safeguarding agencies is effective. When young people do go missing from the home, staff do not give up on them. They work hard at locating them, through contact with family members and known associates. The number of incidents has decreased significantly for some young people, as they want to spend time in the home. However, others struggle with living in close proximity to family members and feel compelled to return to them. The registered manager monitors incidents closely and has appropriately requested strategy meetings on these occasions. Young people also benefit from receiving independent return interviews on their return to the home.

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

The quality of young people’s risk assessments is variable. While specific risk assessments on an issue pertinent to a young person, such as self-harming, are good, Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 7 they have not always been updated when practice has been amended. For example, one assessment indicated that staff were to perform daily room checks, although this was no longer taking place. In addition, risks identified in young people’s pre-placement information are not routinely included in their individual risk assessments. Consequently, the necessary safeguarding strategies may not be in place. Furthermore, while impact risk assessments are completed, they do not fully consider the impact that the new arrival may have on those already living in the home. Strategies that staff could employ to alleviate any identified concerns are not clear.

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

Staff recruitment processes are not yet sufficiently robust to ensure the safe recruitment of staff. Verification is not always sought as to why an individual left previous employment with children or vulnerable adults. Furthermore, inconsistencies in employment dates between an individual’s application and dates given by referees have not been identified during the recruitment process. Consequently, there has been no further exploration with the applicant or referee. This does not ensure the integrity of those employed to work in the home.

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

The home is well maintained and has undergone some refurbishment since the last inspection. A new kitchen, tiling and flooring have significantly improved the environment.

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

Regular health and safety checks ensure the safety of the premises. Fire evacuation drills take place regularly, so that young people are familiar with how to exit the building in the event of an emergency.

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

There is a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager in charge of the home. She has managed the home for the majority of the last eight years, although did leave for a short period, returning in January 2017. She knows the home well and has the respect of staff and young people. She is enthusiastic about the ethos of the home and is an approachable and visible leader.

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

While elements of leadership and management are good, management auditing has not successfully identified the issues raised at this inspection. Furthermore, two of the six requirements raised at the last interim inspection have been repeated once again, to ensure their completion. This applies to risk assessments and medication. However, action has been taken to satisfactorily address the remaining issues. For example, the registered manager is now completing internal monitoring reports, and staff employed for over 12 months have now received a performance appraisal.

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

There have been very few staff changes since the last inspection. The staff team is well established, providing good continuity for young people. The vast majority of the staff team members have the necessary minimum level 3 qualification, and senior staff have a management qualification. Staff receive regular supervision, which enables them to reflect on their practice. One staff member commented, ‘Self learning and reflection in Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 8 supervisions helps me to continue to develop my practice and experience working with young people.’ Staff also take the lead on certain duties in the home; this ownership ensures the completion of tasks in a timely way.

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

Staff have access to a wide range of training opportunities that help to ensure a good skill base in the home. However, a number of staff require update training in fire safety and physical intervention. In addition, they have not received any formal training in the handling and administration of medication. The registered manager has already acknowledged gaps in this area but has been unable to source the training required from the council’s training department.

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

The home’s statement of purpose reflects the aims and objectives of the home. The ethos of the home is based on good relationships and mutual respect. Staff focus on positive outcomes for young people and enabling them to learn from new experiences. For example, staff took young people on holiday to Wales in the summer.

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

Liaison with other agencies is effective. Positive relationships exist between managers and other professionals. Comments from professionals involved with the home include, ‘Communication is excellent and I am well informed by telephone and email about any issues,’ and ‘I have no concerns about being kept up to date; staff work in partnership with me.’ Social workers value the contribution that staff have made to effect positive change to the outcomes for young people. They also find the monthly progress reports that staff produce to be a helpful way of monitoring their progress.

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

The registered manager makes appropriate challenge to social workers and other professionals when required. She demonstrates a clear commitment to the young people in her care. For example, the home is not currently at full capacity given the needs and demands of the current residents. Any further admission would be likely to have a negative impact on the current residents. The registered manager has highlighted this to senior managers, who have in turn agreed with her position. This helps to ensure the stability of young people’s placements.

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

Staff take appropriate action in the event of a significant incident in the home, ensuring that they contact other safeguarding bodies in a timely way. However, not all such incidents have been subject to a notification to HMCI, as required by regulation. Management monitoring has not successfully identified such incidents, despite this issue also being raised at the last inspection. Consequently, this has resulted in a requirement on this occasion, as without such notification Ofsted is unable to monitor the home’s safeguarding practice.

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

Similarly, despite the registered manager having oversight of the staff recruitment process, omissions in this area have resulted in a requirement on this occasion. In total, five requirements are raised at this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 9

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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: SC033432 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Municipal Building, PO Box 50, Blackpool FY1 1NF

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Inspector

Mandy Williams, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033432 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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