Children's Home run by No. 57 Ltd in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report children's home: 1244413 1 Registered provider: No. 57 Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home accommodates up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, and is operated by a private provider.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not well protected. Their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care experiences of children and young people are poor.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: initial inspection

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1244413 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is inadequate because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Some of the young people’s bedrooms contain excessive amounts of rubbish, dirty plates and broken furniture. This is creating a health hazard and is not demonstrating to the young people that they are cared for.  The young people lack routine and purpose to their day. The young people are not always provided with consistent guidance and boundaries. Consequently they do not have clear standards to adhere to.  The house is monitored inside and outside by closed-circuit television. The reason for this continual monitoring is not clear. This is not creating a homely environment.  Not all the staff have completed safeguarding training. As a result they do not all have a good understanding of the correct safeguarding procedures to follow should a young person report an allegation of harm. This could leave the young people at risk of harm.  The Staff recruitment is not sufficiently robust because safe recruitment checks

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Key findings from this inspection

are not consistently recorded. Therefore, it is not clear to inspectors or anyone else monitoring the quality of care in the home that these have been satisfactorily obtained in all instances.  The young people’s risk assessments are poor. They do not detail ways to prevent risks and manage risk positively. This does not help staff understand how to manage risky behaviours.  The management team lack understanding of the strengths and weakness of this service.  The management monitoring of this service is poor. Because it has not identified deficits found at this inspection and is not providing sufficient challenge to the poor quality care.

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none none none

Inspection report children's home: 1244413 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 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; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; 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; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 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; and that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is

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Requirement Due date

monitored regularly. *(Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(d)(e)) 11/03/2018

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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; 11/03/2018 Inspection report children's home: 1244413 4 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; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. *(Regulation 13 (2)(a)(f)(h)) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and

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Requirement Due date

take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non- attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (2)(a)(i)(iii)(viii)) 11/03/2018

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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 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to— achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding; (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(i)(ii)) 11/03/2018

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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; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 11/03/2018 Inspection report children's home: 1244413 5 communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(2)(v)) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that arrangements are in place to— manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and that each child’s relevant plans are followed; (Regulation 14 (2)(b)(ii)(c)) 11/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if— the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance; so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 11/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

A responsible individual must— satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b)) 11/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (3)(d)) 11/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place— if the registered provider is an organisation— the organisation’s name or address changes; (Regulation 49 (e)(i)) 11/03/2018 Inspection report children's home: 1244413 6 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 care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b)(c)) 11/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice Inspection report children's home: 1244413 7

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The staff are not provided with clear expectations of the young people’s care. The young people’s care plans are not always up to date and do not fully address the young people’s needs. One young person’s bedroom is littered with rubbish and it contains dirty pots and broken furniture. This unclean environment is creating an odour in the room. It is not providing the young person with a clean and safe place to live. It is not demonstrating to the young person that the staff care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The staff team does not always have strong relationships with the young people. Consequently, they cannot always positively engage the young people and challenge them where necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The staff are not always aware of the young people’s mental health support needs. As a result on occasion, the young people miss vital health appointments. There has been some good support to promote smoking cessation which has benefitted some of the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The educational needs of children are not well-supported. One of the young people is not in an educational placement and staff are not engaging them in any routine activity. As a result this young person is not experiencing any structure or purpose to their day. Another young person is following a limited timetable for a few hours per day. The lack of personal education plans for both young people is leaving them without a clear focus for learning. Lack of education for both the young people is impacting on their ability to achieve their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The house is continually monitored by closed-circuit television both inside and outside the home. The reason for this continual monitoring of the young people is unclear. It is not documented in the children’s guide or statement of purpose to help them understand why they are constantly under surveillance in their own home. This does not create a homely environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The staff promote regular contact with family and friends. This helps young people maintain a sense of identity and develop support networks for when they leave.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The young people learn skills which will help them to be independent in later life. They learn to use public transport, cook, and budget. The young people sometimes choose to take part in activities such as shopping, biking and dog walking. This is improving their social skills and broadening life experience. Inspection report children's home: 1244413 8

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

The vast majority of staff have not received training in relation to child protection and managing allegations. Consequently, not all staff know the procedures for protecting the young people or dealing with allegations safely. This leaves the young people at risk of harm.

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

Some of the young people have recently developed their own routines. These routines are not always positive in relation to their physical safety and emotional health. Staff are not able to consistently implement positive guidance and boundaries to help them overcome their issues. The young people remain stuck in negative cycles which are detrimental to their safety and wellbeing.

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

The staff recruitment is not sufficiently robust because safe recruitment checks are not consistently recorded. Therefore, it was not clear to inspectors or anyone else monitoring the quality of care in the home that these have been satisfactorily obtained in all instances.

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

The young people’s risk assessments do not provide staff with positive ways to avoid or manage risks. This leaves young people exposed to inconsistent approaches from staff which do not meet their personal needs and does not reduce risk to them.

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

When young people go missing from the home staff follow appropriately missing from home procedures. They make attempts to contact the young people and go looking for them. The staff have had training around wider issues that the young people may face such as radicalisation. This is equipping staff with the knowledge to spot early signs of abuse.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management team does not consistently demonstrate a clear, ambitious vision for this service or for the young people. As a result the staff team mirrors this approach and the young people’s basic care needs are not always being met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The managers do not understand the areas for development or demonstrate that they know how to tackle the inadequacies. Consequently the manager’s six monthly review lacks any future actions to improve the quality of care in the home. In addition the external monitoring of the service does not fully support the management team to make improvements. Not all the shortfalls at this inspection have been identified during such visits.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management team has started to track the young people’s progress. This currently lacks the details of timescales and steps taken to make improvements. It does not provide managers with a robust monitoring tool that will help them to identify when Inspection report children's home: 1244413 9 young people are struggling. This limits the managers’ ability to take effective action where necessary to help keep the young peoples’ progress on track.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is working on building his relationships with other professionals such as social workers. He does not maintain a clear audit trail of any efforts to escalate issues with professionals that are not providing the young people with the services they need. This does not allow him to effectively assess when situations need further action. As a result young people are not receiving services that meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is not supported to continue his professional development. He is not receiving supervision and support from a qualified professional who can help him develop his care and management skills. However, the staff team stated they feel well supported by the management team. They are able to ask for assistance at any time. The staff receive regular supervision which helps them to feel valued although supervision is not helping to improve staff practice and the care that young people receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

This home is not meeting its statement of purpose. The young people are not receiving good care which meets their individual needs.

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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: 1244413 10

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Children’s home details

Provider Address: 15 Rostrevor Avenue, Stockton-on-Tees TS19 9JA

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Inspector:

Jamie Richardson, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 1244413 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 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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