Children's home run by Searchlight Care Services Ltd

Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 1 Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for one young person who has emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private provider owns and operates this service.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 February 2018

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 2

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

This children‟s home is inadequate because:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Recruitment practice is weak and this puts the young person at risk of harm.  Poor safeguarding practice does not protect the young person‟s welfare.  Staff do not adequately assess the young person‟s risks and vulnerabilities, or ensure that suitable strategies are in place to manage and reduce these.  The registered manager and staff do not work in partnership with other agencies or professionals. Consequently, the young person is unable to access the services needed to support her development and progress.  Staff do not meet the young person‟s health needs. They do not access suitable health services when required, to ensure that the young person receives necessary medical attention.  Staff do not ensure that the young person can access suitable educational resources or facilities.  Staff do not encourage the young person to take responsibility for her unacceptable actions or behaviours. This limits the young person‟s personal

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

progress and development.  The registered manager does not monitor or evaluate effectively the quality of care provided by the home.  Staff lack the suitable skills, qualifications and experience for their roles. As a result, the young person does not work with staff who are able to meet her needs and protect her from harm.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Staff provide practical support to facilitate family visits for the young person.

p.2

Recent inspection history

This is the home‟s first inspection since registration in August 2017 Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child‟s needs; and seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate, having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children‟s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (b)(d)) 30/03/2018

p.3

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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— protect and promote each child‟s welfare; and provide personalised care that meets each child‟s needs, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans, taking account of the child‟s background. (Regulation 6(1)(b)(2)(b)(ii)(iv)) 30/03/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children‟s care and welfare and their lives. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; and regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home‟s care. (Regulation 7(1)(c)(2)(a)(ii)(iv)) 30/03/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 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 30/03/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 4 barriers; maintain regular contact with each child‟s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child‟s education and training and to maximise the child‟s achievement; and 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(1)(2)(a)(iii)(vi)(viii)

p.3

Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to— develop the child‟s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9(1)(2)(a)(i)) 30/03/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met; and children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10(1)(a)(b)) 30/03/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on an understanding about acceptable behaviour. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; encourage each child to take responsibility for the child‟s behaviour, in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding; and help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child‟s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful. (Regulation 11(1)(b)(2)(a)(ii)(iii)(vi)) 30/03/2018

p.4

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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; 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 30/03/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 5 are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(vii)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the

p.4

Requirement Due date

children’s home that 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 home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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 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(1)(b)(2)(a)(c)(f)(h)) 30/03/2018

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. (Regulation 32(1)) 30/03/2018

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) 30/03/2018

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI‟s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39(3)(5)) 30/03/2018

p.5

Requirement Due date

Ensure the registered person notifies HMCI and each other relevant person without delay of all events outlined within this regulation. (Regulation 40(4)(a)-(e)) 30/03/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 6

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The day-to-day and overall experience of the young person living at the home is inadequate. Staff do not provide the young person with personalised care or support. Internal care plans do not reflect the aims and objectives of the placing authority. This is because staff do not ensure that the young person‟s case files include all necessary information. Staff do not regularly or accurately review and update internal plans and they do not sign or date these documents. Consequently, these records do not show any progress that the young person makes. Furthermore, when the placing authority specifies actions for the staff to take following the young person‟s statutory review, staff do not ensure that they undertake these tasks. For example, staff have failed to deliver the internet safety sessions that they were instructed to provide. The young person does not benefit from comprehensive or integrated care and support because of these

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Relationships between the young person and staff are generally poor. Staff do not encourage the young person to express her wishes or feelings, or seek her feedback on the quality of care that the service provides. This lack of consultation means that the young person is not willing to engage with staff. As a result, the one-to-one sessions that staff try to undertake with the young person are superficial and ineffectual. These sessions do not support the young person‟s development, address risk-taking behaviours or help the young person to make progress.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not help the young person to develop new interests or hobbies. Although the young person attends one sports club, staff do not encourage her to participate in other activities, or provide alternative suggestions to stimulate her interests. The young person reports that she is „often bored‟. This is a missed opportunity for staff to support the young person to develop her social interaction skills and embrace positive social and community activities.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The registered manager does not appropriately record or address complaints. When these relate to staff performance or practice, the registered manager does not report or refer these concerns to relevant agencies. The registered manager disregards the validity of any concerns raised by the young person and does not investigate these issues. Consequently, he is unable to supply Ofsted with the required summary of complaints made about the service. These failures are detrimental to the young person‟s safety and well-being.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff fail to support the young person‟s engagement with education because they do not address or try to overcome the emotional or practical barriers that the young person faces. They do not build effective links or relationships with learning providers or college placements. When the young person experiences difficulties in maintaining a suitable education placement, staff take no effective action to prevent the breakdown of these Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 7 placements. Furthermore, when the young person is unable to attend education, staff do not provide a structured routine in the home. They do not assist the young person to access educational support or alternative learning resources. As a result, the young person does not receive appropriate help, support or encouragement to further her education.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The young person does not receive care or support that meets all of her emotional, psychological or physical health needs. This is because staff do not work in partnership with external health services or agencies. In addition, they do not seek to involve health services that will be beneficial for the young person. Consequently, the young person does not have access to specialist or pertinent health support and advice. Furthermore, the staff do not consistently seek appropriate medical attention for the young person. This failure is detrimental to her welfare and well-being, and places her at risk of significant harm.

p.7

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff help the young person to remain in contact with family members and by providing practical support to facilitate pre-arranged visits. As a result, the young person is not isolated from those who are important to her.

p.7

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

The young person‟s safety is not promoted and staff do not take appropriate action to protect her from harm. This is because their understanding of internal and statutory safeguarding procedures is inadequate. Staff lack a basic awareness of their responsibilities for the safety and welfare of the young person. Furthermore, they do not work in partnership with specialist police teams or child protection services, or refer safeguarding concerns to other agencies. This failure means that the young person does not benefit from a multi-agency approach to protecting her from harm. As a result, there have been incidents when the young person has been missing from the home for long periods. In these circumstances, the young person‟s risk of sexual exploitation increases. This is because staff do not consider this factor or work with other professionals to reduce this risk. The young person faces significant harm because of these failures.

p.7

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

Staff do not appropriately establish or assess the young person‟s individual risks, or introduce effective strategies to manage and reduce these. This failure places the young person at high risk of potential or actual harm. Staff produce basic internal risk assessments. These highlight some of the challenging and unacceptable behaviours that the young person presents. However, they do not detail strategies that staff should use to manage these risks. Staff do not regularly review or revise these risk assessments following all incidents of concern. As a result, staff are unable to manage the young people‟s risk-taking behaviours and fail to take appropriate action to address concerns about the young person‟s safety. Furthermore, staff do not work with the young person to help her to recognise the possible consequences of her risky behaviours, or help her to understand how to keep herself safe. As a result, the levels of risk the young person

p.7

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

The young person takes little responsibility for her unacceptable actions and behaviours. Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 8 This is because staff do not consistently challenge these behaviours or help her to understand why these are unacceptable. Staff do not support the young person to develop socially acceptable or socially aware behaviours. When the young person‟s behaviours are unsafe, dangerous or place her and/or others at risk of harm, staff do not instil clear boundaries. They do not undertake good quality one-to-one sessions to support the young person to recognise the detrimental effect that these behaviours have on her development, her own safety and the safety of others. Records of these sessions show that discussions with the young person are solely reactive. As a result, the young person does not learn to take responsibility for her actions.

p.7

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

Staff do not work with the young person to help her to build suitable, sustainable or appropriate relationships with others. When relationships between the young person and others are detrimental to her safety, welfare or emotional resilience, staff take no action to support her to disengage from these relationships. They do not help her to develop a sense of self-worth or self-confidence. As a result, the young person does not recognise when her relationships with others may be harmful or damaging.

p.8

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

The registered manager does not ensure that staff working in the home are safe to do so. This is because he does not follow recruitment procedures designed to protect young people. There are occasions when recruitment checks identify possible warnings that may question the suitability of an employee. In these circumstances, the registered manager does not adequately consider the potential risk this poses to young people‟s safety.

p.8

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

During this reporting period, there have been a number of serious incidents that are detrimental to the safety and welfare of the young person. These events include allegations about staff, incidents that require police involvement and situations and circumstances that place the young person at an immediate risk of harm. The registered manager fails to recognise the significance of these incidents, and consequently does not inform Ofsted of all of these events.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ofsted registered the home in August 2017. This is the first inspection of the service since registration. The registered manager has experience of working with young people and holds relevant qualifications for this role, including a level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not work in partnership with the placing authority or other agencies. These relationships are generally poor. Other professionals raise concerns about a lack of professionalism from staff and a failure by the manager to address this issue. Furthermore, the registered manager does not seek to build relationships with other agencies. This is a missed opportunity to secure the input of specialist services to support the young person‟s development. As a result, the young person is currently unable to access the services required to meet her needs.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The statement of purpose details the ethos of the service. However, the registered Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 9 manager does not embed this ethos into the culture of the home. This is because he does not prioritise the needs of the young person or have regard for how the service has an impact on her progress and development. For example, when staff do not devise appropriate risk assessments, the registered manager does not associate this with failing to protect the young person from harm. Consequently, he does not lead the service effectively to meet the aims and objectives of the statement of purpose.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has been operational for six months and the registered manager states that he is in the process of reviewing the quality of care that the service provides. However, at this time there are no adequate monitoring systems in place. As a result, the registered manager is unaware of the strengths and weaknesses of the service, or how these have an impact on outcomes for the young person. Consequently, he is unable to devise action plans to address practice shortfalls or to demonstrate the capacity for the service to improve.

p.9

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff receive regular formal supervision. However, most staff do not hold appropriate qualifications for their roles. They lack the experience they need to support the young person and to promote her development. This is because the registered manager does not adequately assess the skills and abilities of the staff, or consider what further learning or training they require to meet the young person‟s needs. This means that staff do not understand fully the young person‟s complex needs and behaviours. This shortfall inhibits the young person‟s progress.

p.9

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.

p.9

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: 1249118 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Searchlight Care Services Ltd

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Marcus House Estates, Marcus House, Stoke-on-Trent ST3 5XA

p.10

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Denver Underwood

p.10

Inspectors

Jo Stephenson, social care inspector Sarah Junor-Fitzpatrick, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1249118 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.

p.10

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11