Children's home run by Greenacre Care Services Limited

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC379104 1 SC379104 Registered provider: Greenacre Care Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home that is registered to provide care for up to four children who have behavioural and/or emotional difficulties.

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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 regulator received information from another agency which raised concerns. Following a risk assessment, the regulator undertook this additional inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider has failed to demonstrate that a number of the regulations raised at the full inspection in May 2017 and the monitoring visit in July 2017 are met. The majority of regulations raised in the previous report are repeated. Two compliance notices are served and Ofsted has taken steps to restrict the number of children accommodated in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Collectively, the managers and the staff team have failed in their duty to ensure that day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to meet the individual needs of children and ensure that they are effectively safeguarded. Care is not provided in line with the Interim inspection report children’s home: SC379104 2 home‟s statement of purpose.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider has appointed an independent person to visit the home once a month. The reports provided highlight shortfalls in the children‟s care and make repeat recommendations, specifically in relation to the children‟s health and well-being. The independent person informed the inspector that she receives no feedback from the responsible individual regarding any recommendations made. This approach does not demonstrate that the provider values the rigorous and impartial assessment of the home. The evidence gathered during the inspection demonstrates that shortfalls identified by the independent visitor have not been addressed by the provider. The registered manager submitted the required review of the quality of care to Ofsted. However, the time period for the last report is unclear, the report is not signed by the registered manager and the responsible individual offers no comment on the content.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The report fails to demonstrate how the feedback from the children, their parents, the placing authorities and staff working in the home has been sought. This does not reflect the required standard for this quality of care review.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home relies on a small number of staff to look after the children. The staff work long hours. Records demonstrate that staff induction is poor, and that new staff without previous experience of residential childcare are immediately on shift working with vulnerable and challenging children. Some staff have come and gone. The recruitment and vetting for every member of staff new to the home is insufficient. For example, reference checks are not taken up or verified before individuals begin working on shift. This approach is not robust and does not ensure that the most suitable people are working in the home and that children are being safeguarded.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Rotas do not consistently demonstrate which members of staff have been present in the home, and when. For example, the inspectors found that on one occasion when a member of staff left shift, there was one member of staff in the home overnight responsible for the care and supervision of the children. This compromises staff, leaves them vulnerable to allegation and does not ensure that children‟s individual needs are met and that they are protected. This is not a safe way to run this service.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Incidents in the home continue. Children shout, swear and can intimidate some of the staff when they feel like it. However, the frequency of documented incidents taking place inside the home has reduced since the full inspection. This may be because one of the children spends many nights away from the home. This arrangement does not reflect this child‟s placing local authority plan.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child with a long-standing history of going missing from residential care settings continues to go missing from this home. Risk assessments are contradictory, and there is no evidence that the risk assessments have been read by any person other than the author. For example, a child who is known to be at risk of child sexual exploitation, and who has informed staff and other professionals that she is in a relationship with an adult male and is involved in selling drugs, is assessed to be at medium risk of harm. Notifications to Ofsted indicate that the staff follow the required procedure to search for children when they leave the building without permission, and that the police are Interim inspection report children’s home: SC379104 3 notified. However, closer examination of the written records demonstrates that on some occasions it is unclear on what dates a child has actually been missing from the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are at serious risk of harm in the wider community.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

In the weeks leading up to this inspection, and on separate occasions, two members of staff were suspended. A member of staff raised serious concerns about the safeguarding practices in the home. The majority of remaining staff are new to the home and to the current children. The remaining staff do not have the required level 3 qualification. This does not ensure that the staff have the appropriate level of experience, qualifications and skills to care for children with such complex social needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child left shortly after the monitoring visit, and another child known to be at significant risk of child sexual exploitation came to live in the home, which means that two children currently live in this home. Both of the children are known to misuse drugs. Recently, the staff made a referral to another agency to seek support for one of the children; however, the child refused to engage in the process and the staff have been unable to effect change. The staff do not have sufficient influence or experience over the children‟s behaviour to meaningfully address the associated issues. The result is that a culture of acceptance and collusion has developed over time between some of the staff and the children. For example, both children smoke cigarettes and cannabis inside the home. One inspector observed cannabis in one child‟s bedroom. Records show that the staff undertake room searches, although these happen for only one child when both

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

children are known to be involved in misusing drugs. There was no explanation provided for this inconsistent practice, and this further demonstrates that the staff do not work effectively as a team.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records demonstrate, and the staff confirm, that the children eat an excessive amount of takeaway food. This does not ensure that children maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. Allowing children to receive a poor diet is likely to lead to health problems that may significantly impact on their well-being. This raises serious concerns that the home‟s management and staff have allowed children to command what food they receive.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children have routinely received, on a weekly basis until 29 January 2018, £80 cash in their hand to spend with no meaningful expectation that this money was to be accounted for. The children were asked to return with receipts. Sometimes the children would provide receipts, and other times they would not. The financial records that should demonstrate what cash has been provided to children were wholly inadequate. When the current home‟s managers were asked if they could provide examples to evidence what money had been given to the children, or what they had spent the money on, they could not provide any evidence. Financial records held in children‟s files had no information contained in them. Providing cash to children who are showing and telling the adults who are responsible for them that they misuse drugs and, in the case of one child, are involved in the selling of drugs, places children who are already vulnerable at

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff do not routinely take one of the children out on trips or activities, nor do they monitor what either of the children spend their money on. One child‟s bedding is of Interim inspection report children’s home: SC379104 4 insufficient standard, and their bedroom walls are marked and damaged. There is no evidence to support how the home‟s management and staff are supporting effectively one child‟s independence plan. The managers and staff have failed to be effective in discharging their responsibilities to help this child develop the necessary skills to prepare for adult life.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child is attending some education, and this is an improvement since the last inspection. The other child is not attending education. This child refuses to engage with some of the staff and spends a lot of daytime in their bedroom. The home‟s management and staff have been ineffective in taking appropriate action to help this child to engage in any meaningful way with either tutors or local authority support staff who come to the home. This does not help children who are already disadvantaged by circumstance to overcome barriers to learning.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some staff say that they have brought their concerns to the responsible individual‟s attention, specifically in relation to the children‟s misuse of drugs and the extent to which some of the staff share personal information with the children. Records show that team meetings have been inconsistent. The staff can access some training online and so staff have completed some training, for example in Prevent and child sexual exploitation. However, the staff have not had access to training on behaviour or conflict management. This does not adequately equip the staff with the skills required to safely care for these children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider did commission a consultant to provide some supervision to staff. However, staff report, and records show, that staff supervision has been intermittent. One member of staff said, „I can‟t remember the last time I had supervision.‟ This does not provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on their practice or their relationships with the children.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/07/2017 Monitoring visit No judgement 18/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/04/2016 Full Good Interim inspection report children’s home: SC379104 5

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children‟s home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‟s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose and to ensure that staff understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose, provide personalised care that meets each child‟s needs as recorded in the child‟s plan, taking account of the child‟s background, help each child to develop resilience skills that prepare the child to live independently, and make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(iv)(vi)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular ensure that the staff implement the independence plan agreed with the placing local authority. 16/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers, and help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 8(iii)(x)) 16/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met, children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being and that children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 16/04/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC379104 6 (Regulation 10(1)(a)(b)(c)) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on mutual respect and trust, an understanding about acceptable behaviour and positive responses to other children and adults. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)) 16/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to 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, help each child to understand how to keep safe, have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm, understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person, take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare. 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; that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child‟s health.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(d)) *02/03/2018

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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 helps children to aspire to their full potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home‟s statement of purpose, ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate, ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child, ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child, understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of the care provided in the home, demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received, and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) *02/03/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC379104 7 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. The requirements are that full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation o the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(3)(d)) 16/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 16/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must implement a policy (“the missing child policy”) setting out the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. (Regulation 34(4)(b)) 16/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37(2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular regard to a copy of the staff duty rota of persons working at the home, and that a record is kept of the actual rotas worked. 16/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children („a quality of care review‟) at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children, the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of the care they receive in it and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of the care provided for children. The system must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1)(2)(5)) 16/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The provider should refer to the non-statutory advice about visits by independent persons: Children‟s homes regulation amendments 2014: Advice for children‟s homes providers on new duties under regulations that came into effect in January and April 2014. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 66, paragraph 15.10)

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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 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC379104 8 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 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: Greenacre Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 57 Copperfield Gardens, Brentwood, Essex CM14 4UD

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Inspectors

Rosie Davie, social care inspector Cathy Russell, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC379104 9 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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