Children's Home run by Stanfield Care Services Limited in Norfolk

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC451152 1 SC451152 Registered provider: Stanfield Care Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned by a private organisation.

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness. At the full inspection, six requirements and one recommendation were raised. Of these, four requirements have been met and two requirements have been raised again. The assessment of new children coming to the home against the existing group is not clearly evaluated. Placement decisions are not based on a comprehensive risk assessment of the impact that a new child will have on the existing children. The risk assessment document fails to include the impact and there are sections that are not filled in. Although new admissions have not yet posed a risk to the children, the rationale for the decision to admit is unclear. Additionally, the children’s individual risk assessments detail known risks but categorisation of these risks is poor. A child who has

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

a history of high-risk criminal behaviours has been deemed as at low risk in the community despite being new to the home. This lack of accurate assessment could have an impact on the children’s safety. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC451152 2 Two of the children are from another county, which means that they are living a considerable distance from their homes and families. The home has no vehicle of its own, and this means that staff are reliant on their own cars. Contact with friends and families takes place. Some families travel to the home and, when required, the staff drive the children to contact. Given the scope and distances involved, this reliance on staff using their own cars fails to provide care that fully meets the children’s needs. A serious allegation made by a child in November 2017 resulted in a suspension of a staff member and a joint investigation by the manager and the designated officer. The

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

manager has managed the allegation and follow up well. A timeline of all of the actions taken shows that the management of the allegation is in accordance with the home’s safeguarding policy. The investigation resulted in the allegations being unfounded. The period of investigation was over six weeks, during which core staff worked extra shifts to cover the staff unable to work at the home. This protected the child who had made the allegation and provided minimal disruption to the children during the investigation period. The staffing has improved. A recent recruitment drive has reduced the need to use agency staff. Consequently, a core team of staff is able to provide better continuity of care for the children. The reference checks for new staff are undertaken remotely and managed by the organisation’s human resources department some distance away from the home. Evidencing the employment checks is difficult. The human resources data system is not

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

accessible by the deputy manager and this makes viewing the records slow and difficult. Lack of access to the system prevents the deputy manager from having easy oversight of the checking process in the absence of the manager. The maintenance and upkeep of the home are adequate. The poorly kept areas identified at the last inspection have been improved. The kitchen appliances have been replaced and the kitchen is clean and hygienic. Food storage has improved, left-over food is systemically labelled and covered. The garden is tidy and the smoking area is clean and has no debris or litter. Better care of the home encourages the children to respect and take care of their environment. There has been a steady number of incidents of children going missing, one of which was overnight. Some of the children are at risk of sexual exploitation. The staff work closely with a local project to educate and support the children. Return interviews are

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

always carried out and the staff work closely with other agencies to help the children to reduce risk-taking behaviours. The staff are vigilant and responsive to these incidents. For one child, these incidents had increased; the child has since moved on from the home. The other children have had fewer incidents, with overall numbers reducing. One of the children has a college placement. Attendance is sporadic, but there are reasons for this in that the child is under external pressures. The staff understand the impact of these pressures and are working with the child and the social worker to reduce barriers to attendance. One child is new to the home and has no identified education provision. This child has been out of school prior to being placed at the home. The staff are working with the virtual school headteacher to identify a provision without delay. In the interim period, school work is being provided to and undertaken by the child. This

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

gives a purpose and structure to the day in preparation for being back in school. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC451152 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/08/2016 Full Requires improvement 16/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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 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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)) In particular, implement robust impact assessments that consider group dynamics, risks of influential behaviours and the risks pertinent to each child. 30/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

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 aspire 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 home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(a)) This is in regard to providing a vehicle for the home. 30/07/2018 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC451152 4

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Recommendations

 Some records may be kept electronically (regulation 38) provided that this information can be easily accessed by anyone with a legitimate need to view it and if required be produced in a legible form. Electronic records should be held at the individual home in accordance with data protection principles. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.2)

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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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC451152 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stanfield Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 57 Newbury Road, Newtown Community Centre, Birmingham B19 2SW

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Inspector

Deirdra Keating, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC451152 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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