Children's Home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Sandwell

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC437486 1 SC437486

p.1

Progress Children’s Services

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This service offers short breaks for up to five children and young people. The service is available to children and young people who have a learning disability, a physical disability and/or sensory impairment. This service is managed by an independent provider that operates other social care services.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This home was inspected in October 2017 and judged to be inadequate. Four requirements were made at this time. This monitoring inspection took place to check the progress against these requirements.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The provider has met three of the four requirements raised at the last inspection. Staff now better understand how to assess and manage risk for young people’s activities. Staff training has taken place in addition to regular discussions in the home about care practice expectations. Similarly, some aspects of young people’s records have improved. These now contain clear plans for providing consistent and agreed care. The provider has taken appropriate steps to ensure that placing authorities agree with these revised plans. Not all placing authorities have responded, to date, but the provider continues to seek these assurances.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The arrangements for medication have improved since the last inspection. A new system has been put into place and this has had a marked impact on preventing errors and providing clarity for staff. The provider has followed further advice from medication providers and is planning on making more changes to the system. This increased vigilance has resolved the concerns raised at the last inspection. The provider has also made extensive improvements to the home environment. Redecoration has taken place and unsafe areas have been made safe. This means that young people now live in a home that better meets their needs. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC437486 2 The provider has failed to use monitoring and review systems to identify and make improvements. While there has been progress in other areas of the home, increased attention to these areas has meant that some records have not been reviewed as

p.1

This monitoring visit

required. For example, staff are tasked with completing weekly checks of the fire safety measures in the home. These have not taken place since 30 November 2017. The acting manager confirmed that the staff member responsible for these checks has not been in work. The failure of the acting manager’s checking and contingency planning means that this shortfall has gone unnoticed. Similarly, young people’s evacuation plans are not sufficiently detailed and in one instance, contains the name of another young person despite these plans being individualised. The inspector confirmed that all staff know how to safely evacuate young people in the event of an emergency. Risk assessments, recorded separately for young people, do make clear how to safely support young people.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The inspector found that a fire exit was obstructed by refuse bins. Furthermore, the same fire exit was also affected by two locked gates. The home’s fire risk assessment states that this is a fire exit. Immediate steps were taken by the provider during the inspection to ensure that this fire exit was made safe and functional. A young person’s bedroom door does not close correctly. This door is a fire door and does not provide effective protection in the event of a fire. This shortfall was again remedied by the provider during the inspection. However, staff in the home have not been vigilant in maintaining an environment that promotes fire safety. All staff have been trained in fire safety but this training has not been sufficient. In addition to raising requirements in relation to these shortfalls, Ofsted has also contacted the local fire and rescue service about these concerns.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The provider has met three of the four requirements from the last inspection. The one remaining requirement relates to the provider not yet having a system that can effectively monitor and review the care provided or any improvements needed. Further to this repeated regulation, two further regulatory requirements have been made in relation to fire safety and staff training.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 31/10/2017 Full Inadequate 14/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/08/2016 Full Good 14/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC437486 3

p.2

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.

p.3

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 promotes children’s welfare. 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 (1)(b)(2)(h)) 26/01/2018

p.3

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 promotes children’s welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(b)(2)(c)) 26/01/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home, the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect to the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 26/01/2018

p.3

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.3

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC437486 4

p.3

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progress Children’s Services

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Progress Children’s Services Limited, Progress House, 127 Millfields Road, Wolverhampton WV4 6JG

p.4

Inspector

Pete Hylton, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC437486 5 to 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.

p.4

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.5

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.5