Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 1 SC043697 Registered provider: Halliwell Homes 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

This is a private children’s home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to seven children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. This home offers education on site, at a registered school.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 27 to 28 February 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff know the children well, listen to them and promote their welfare.  Children benefit from care that meets their individual needs. Consequently, they continue to make good progress in all areas of their development.  Children build trusted relationships with the adults who are looking after them, Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 2 irrespective of the challenges they might present.  Children’s views are listened to. Staff actively support children to participate in the day-to-day running of the home.  Effective partnership working ensures that children access the services they need to support their welfare, safety and development.  Children access a wide range of activities and experiences that enhance their lives.  The newly appointed manager has a good understanding of the strengths of the home. A revised development plan is in place to address any weaknesses and ensure that the quality of care is maintained.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 There is little analysis or critique by managers about what practice has gone well or could be improved in relation to behaviour management strategies.  Risks for individual children are reducing over time. However, the annual health and safety risk assessment is a more generic document and does not include those risks that have emerged throughout the year.  The manager and staff make every effort to maintain the physical environment of the home. However, some communal areas give the impression of being uncared for and do not provide a real sense of warmth.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/10/2016 Full Good 28/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 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 order to meet the positive relationship standard the registered provider must ensure that staff: (xi) de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11) 09/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered provider must ensure that 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. (Regulation 12). In particular, that the annual health and safety risk assessment is updated to include those risks that have emerged throughout the year. 09/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, use monitoring and review systems to help reduce the number of restraints and promote improvements in practice. 09/04/2018

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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. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Children should be actively encouraged to read their records and to add further information to them. They should be regularly reminded of their rights to see information kept about them and be given information about how they might be supported to access their records in later life. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.6). In particular, that children’s records clearly reflect the child’s voice.

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Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from good-quality care that enables them to make good progress across all areas of their development. Often, children come to live at the home during times of crisis and having experienced a number of placement moves. For example, one child had 11 placements in nine months. Gradually, children build trusting relationships with staff, which helps to promote their sense of security. Over time, most children become settled and develop good routines, which helps to reduce their anxieties and challenging behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, staff have successfully supported two children to move on to long-term placements nearer to their homes. One child recently moved to a foster family, and there are plans for another child to move to a foster family in June 2018. Transitions are well managed with planned introductions and visits. This ensures that children are prepared for the move and helps them to settle in their new environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of issues regarding attachment and the impact of a consistent, positive parenting approach. Regular key-work sessions help children to explore their feelings and difficult experiences, so that they are better able to regulate their emotions. For example, one child was able to open up about their worries of moving to a foster placement due to the fear of it failing. Another child is settling better at bedtime since talking to staff about their worries. Staff have regular consultations with the in-house clinical team, so that they are confident in responding to the children’s presenting needs. A placing social worker commented in the home’s compliments book that ‘The child that I visit has experienced a positive life since residing here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help and support children to engage in their education. They work effectively with education providers to support children’s learning. All the children are in full-time education and have good attendance. One child has exceeded learning targets in science and English and is only a little way off his target in other subjects. The child’s deputy headteacher wrote: ‘[X] made no progress academically and was in a permanent state of anxiety and had no trust in adults. However, since transferring to [name of the home] he began to settle; of course, he continued to test the boundaries as he did with you. But what he got from you was firm, fair and loving parenting... The communication between home and school was invaluable. He knew we spoke regularly and was proud that you attended school fairs, plays and other special events. You always came to support him. The progress he began to make was wonderful to observe. He began to trust you; he is a little boy with a big heart

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views and complaints are taken seriously. The home keeps a written record of any complaints and any action taken to deal with them. Records show that the outcome of their complaints are discussed with children to ensure that they are happy with the outcome. House meetings enable children to make choices about the menu and what Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 5 activities they want to take part in. Staff also use the house meetings to raise children’s awareness of bullying and the challenges of group living. This helps children to understand the impact of their behaviour on others, and reinforces safe behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy good health and are supported to attend their health routine appointments. Staff encourage them to eat healthy foods and exercise. One child has recently started running with a member of staff. The home works closely with the looked after children nurse (LAC nurse) to ensure that children’s physical and emotional health needs are met. The LAC nurse wrote in the home’s compliments book: ‘The staff always act on any advice we offer them about signposting to other health agencies.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children participate in a wide range of social activities that promote their hobbies and interests. Examples include football, basketball, roller skating, horse riding, archery and skateboarding. One child attends a circus skills club and has taken part in two shows. Where appropriate, children are able to take part in these activities independently of staff; this helps to improve their social interactions with their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Records reflect children’s daily lives. Individual ‘All About Me’ books are a tool used to help children reflect on how their week has been and what achievements they are proud of. For example, one child’s record said that he was most proud of sleeping through the night. Each child also has a ‘My Care Plan’, which is supposed to be written from the child’s point of view. However, these are written with adult language, which makes it difficult for the child to own once completed. A placing social worker commented: ‘There’s no doubt he’s made progress.’

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

Despite their good progress, children’s difficulties in relation to their traumatic histories have not disappeared. They often express their feelings of upset through anger, aggression and violent behaviour, as they struggle to recover from their past experiences. There has been a general decline in the number of incidents for most children; however, the numbers of incidents remain high for others as their painful experiences resurface.

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

Often children need to be held in order to protect them or those around them, and to help them to calm down. Staff practice regarding the physical management of children is proportionate. The manager and staff are good at identifying the reasons for cyclic patterns of incidents, and address children’s emotional stresses effectively. However, as part of the home’s ongoing development, the manager should continually review the measures of physical intervention against alternative measures. This will help staff to improve their own practice, and increase children’s ability to regulate their own behaviour.

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

There are no missing-from-home incidents. This is due to the children’s ages and the high levels of staff supervision. Staff have a good understanding of the protocols to follow should a child go missing from the home. Records show that incidents of bullying are identified and appropriately addressed. Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 6 The actions taken by staff to identify, address and improve children’s welfare and safety are effective. Staff receive suitable safeguarding training as part of their induction. This ensures that they have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting vulnerable children. The manager has established effective links with the local designated officer, who confirmed that there is good communication about safeguarding concerns relating to staff.

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

Staff do manage children’s individual risks well. However, not all environmental risks are clearly identified. For example, the annual health and safety risk assessment is a generic document that does not assess levels of risk; instead, it identifies general control measures in and around the home. This document is reviewed by the organisation’s health and safety manager and not the home’s manager. It does not include those risks that have emerged throughout the year, such as the scaffolding and broken windows.

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

Staff recruitment systems are strong and staff do not commence employment prior to satisfactory checks being completed. All visitors to the home are asked for identification and required to sign the visitors’ book. This promotes the welfare and safety of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home’s registered manager left to take up a new post within the organisation in December 2017. A new manager has been appointed and she has submitted an application to register with Ofsted. Staff spoken to during the inspection were very positive about the new manager and how she will drive the home forwards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There has been a period of staff turnover, and a number of new staff have joined the team. It is evident that the team has gelled and is offering stability to the children. A number of the staff team have a suitable childcare qualification, with arrangements in place for new staff to achieve this within the required timescale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Members of the staff team receive regular supervision, and their performance is annually appraised. Staff spoken to during the inspection confirmed that they feel supported by the manager and colleagues. Practice is supported by effective induction, training and development to ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. Monthly monitoring visits are undertaken by an independent person, they review the home’s performance and identify any areas for improvement. However, more could be done as some aspects of the manager’s monitoring are not used to best effect. For example, there is little critique or analysis of the high numbers of incidents involving children being held or allegations against staff. This is a missed opportunity to reflect on what has worked well or not, and if any lessons can be learned to assist in improving practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager and staff work cohesively to promote positive outcomes for children. They have established effective links with placing social workers and other professionals Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 7 involved in the home. Staff participate fully in care planning and contribute to review meetings and meetings with schools. Staff support family contact where appropriate to ensure that spending time with their families is a safe and positive experience for children, and promotes their sense of identity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

For the most part, the home operates in line with its statement of purpose. However, whereas it states that all rooms are furnished to a high standard and are pleasantly decorated, this is currently not the case. Children’s bedrooms reflect their personalities and interests, but the communal areas give the impression of being uncared for. For example, the play/chill room has undergone damage, there were no soft furnishings or curtains and there was a large stain on the carpet. Inspectors spent time with the children and staff on day one of the inspection. During the evening meal, inspectors observed a shortage of forks, which meant that some children and staff had to eat their meal with a spoon. Following feedback from the inspectors, the manager began to make some positive changes to the environment. This went some way towards making it feel more homely and welcoming.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The two requirements made at the last inspection have been met. The missing spindles from the stair case have been replaced and the gate to the front of the home is in good working order. As stated earlier, staff undertake key-work sessions with children following incidents to help them understand the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others. A child’s progress report captures the progress they are making in thinking about others’ feelings.

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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: SC043697 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Tape Street, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 1BB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Karen Mitchell-Mellor

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Inspectors

Michelle Bacon, social care inspector Denise Jolly, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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