Children's Home run by Kirklees Council in Kirklees

Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 1 SC033326 Registered provider: Kirklees Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a local authority. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children and young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness. Progress for young people at the home is highly variable and for some young people there has not been any progress in relation to their negative behaviours. These behaviours have included aggression towards staff and other young people, attempted assault, bullying and significant damage to the fabric of the home. The staff have employed different approaches to try to bring about positive change, without success. Some young people continue to make good progress in relation to their education and confidence in developing independence skills. Staff work hard at seeking young people’s engagement and there are good levels of support offered to promote their learning. Some young people appreciate, and benefit from, the time that staff spend with them on an individual basis.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Admissions to the home have not been planned. The last nine admissions have been made on an emergency basis. This does not provide for stable and predictable care for Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 2 those young people who already live at the home. Some admissions have been without essential information that would enable staff to offer immediate safe care. Without this information, young people and staff are put at risk. Senior managers outside the home have made decisions about some admissions. This resulted in staff offering care and accommodation to a young person who did not fall within the home’s statement of purpose. In attempting to fulfil a legal order restricting liberty, despite the home not being designed or registered for such purposes, this young person was subject to a total of 93 physical interventions over a four-month period. Some of these were ‘low-level’ in nature. During this period, other young people in the home were significantly disrupted due to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

the levels of damage caused and the sudden increase in unknown staff, who were required to manage the young person. One young person said: ‘Loads more people came into the house on different shifts. He had control over the whole house, messing around, causing problems, altercations, fights, and windows got smashed.’ This has led to some young people making formal complaints about the care they were being offered. Although these complaints have been responded to, the recording of the complaints in the home has not been updated. This is an administrative shortfall that reduces management oversight; however, it does not affect the welfare of young people. The home does not present as welcoming or well maintained. The frequency of incidents and level of damage caused mean that the home needs constant repair. The young people’s living room is stark and functional in appearance. Repairs to the walls remain as

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

bare plaster and unpainted. Some young people do not have the necessary bedroom furniture to store their belongings, and some furniture is damaged. Work to young people’s bedrooms that was carried out over six months ago is not complete. For example, plaster that was damaged has not been fully repaired. There are lapses of security in the home. Doors were found to be unlocked and visitors unchallenged as they entered the property. This compromises the safety of both staff and young people. The registered manager is aware of the shortfalls and areas for improvement. Shortages of placement choice for young people within the local authority have had an impact upon the type and frequency of emergency admissions to the home. This in turn has significantly affected the quality of home-life experiences offered to young people already resident in the home. Since the last inspection, not all of the requirements have been met. The recording of

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

physical interventions does not meet regulations. In addition, learning from these incidents is absent. Some risks assessments have not been secured from social workers, and assessment of risk continues to be formulated on a single-agency basis. Opportunities to share knowledge and insight, and therefore better manage or reduce presenting risks, are missed. In addition, some risk assessments have been significantly delayed. Although staff have addressed bullying issues in the home, there is no system for tracking these incidents. This reduces opportunities to analyse their prevalence and the approach used to manage this behaviour. Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 3 Requirements regarding staff input into young people’s pathway plans have been met. Staff are now offered appropriate levels of supervision. In addition, documentation to record return home interviews, following incidents of missing from home, has also

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/04/2017 Full Good 07/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/12/2016 Full Requires improvement 14/01/2016 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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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 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; and understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12(1) and (2)(a)(i)(v)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 28/02/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 4 within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b) and (c)) 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 fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. 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

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Requirement Due date

home’s statement of purpose; and 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 care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b) and (2)(a)(f)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; and understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable. (Regulation 11(1) and (2)(a)(iii)(xii)) 31/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31/03/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 5 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose; that arrangements are in place to— ensure the effective induction of each child in the home; and manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b) and (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii))

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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). In particular, that the home benefits from repair and decoration of previous damage, plastering work is completed in young people’s bedrooms and appropriate use is made of soft furnishings and lighting in order to reduce the institutional feel and improve the functional ambience of 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 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

Unique reference number: SC033326 Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 6 Provision sub-type: Children’s home

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 30 Market Street, Huddersfield HD1 2HG

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Inspector

Pauline Yates, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC033326 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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