Children's home run by Social Care Services Limited in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC357133 1 SC357133 Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) 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 run children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 15 November 2017

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home required improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The two young people who were living at the home at the time of the last inspection have recently moved. One young person has moved to a safer placement which is more suitable to their needs. Another young person has moved nearer to their family home. There are currently no children or young people living at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has taken action to address the requirements and good practice recommendations made at the last inspection. However, one requirement and three recommendations are repeated. The provider has reviewed their impact risk assessment and is giving greater consideration to the appropriate mix of young people prior to accepting a new placement. However, no young people have been admitted to the home since the last inspection in order to test this out. Therefore this requirement is repeated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following the last inspection, there is a mixed picture in terms of the progress and experiences for the two young people. The registered manager had served notice on one young person’s placement. However, the young person started to engage in the home, Inspection report children’s home: SC357133 2 so the registered manager retracted the notice. However, the young person’s engagement was short lived and despite the best efforts of the staff, they were unable to effect positive change for either of the young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previously placed young people smoked cannabis. Staff have a good understanding of the risks associated with drug misuse. Records of key-work sessions demonstrate that they spoke to the young people about the dangers of this. At the last inspection, a requirement was raised in relation to the young people smoking in their bedrooms. There was an expectation that the young people handed their lighters and cigarettes in at bedtime, and this was linked to a rewards system. This helps to reduce the potential fire risk linked to young people smoking in their bedrooms.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, staff have continued to work tirelessly to motivate the young people to engage in their education. Staff provided some learning opportunities for one young person who was excluded from school, for example visiting a museum. Prior to moving, another young person had an interview at a training college. However, young people’s continued lack of engagement in their education is likely to impact on their future life chances.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff team has been deployed to other homes within the organisation. Records of supervision sessions confirm that staff are receiving regular supervision. The registered manager has made some progress in developing a workforce development plan. However, this is still in its infancy, so the recommendation is repeated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of the records requires further improvement. For example, the missing from care record logs have pages that are torn and coming loose. This does not ensure that all records relating to young people are well maintained. The registered manager has reviewed the locality risk assessment to ensure that it is current and up to date.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are suitably trained in behaviour management. Staff, where possible, use a restorative approach, in that they help young people to think about the choices they make. This means that the use of sanctions and restraint are kept to a minimum. The registered manager monitors the use of any disciplinary measure imposed. However, young people’s comments are not consistently recorded to confirm their thoughts on the measures imposed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The six-monthly review of the quality of care still does not identify any actions for improvement for the next six months. This continues to limit the progress the home can make in improving the service provided. This recommendation is therefore repeated. Inspection report children’s home: SC357133 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/07/2017 Full Inadequate 07/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/05/2016 Full Good

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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 care planning standard is that children— (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) 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; (b) that arrangements are in place to— (i) ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; (ii) manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and (iii) plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14) 29/03/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff - including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including quality Inspection report children’s home: SC357133 4 standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the review of the quality of care report clearly identifies any actions required for the next six months and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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Recommendations

 Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38). This specifically relates to ensuring that young people’s comments are recorded in the home’s sanction and restraint records.

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Recommendations

 Regulations 35–39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3). This relates to ensuring that the home’s records are well maintained.

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC357133 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Social Care Services Group, 31 Shaw Road, Stockport SK4 4AG

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Inspector

Michelle Bacon, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC357133 6 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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Inspector

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