Children's home run by Pine Forest Homes Limited in Cannock Chase

Inspection report children’s home: SC057688 1 SC057688 Registered provider: Pine Forest Homes Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private company owns and operates the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

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 declined in effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager who was in post at the last inspection left the company soon after. A new manager started work at the home in October 2017. She is in the process of submitting her application to Ofsted for registration. The home has been without a registered manager for over 26 weeks. At the full inspection in July 2017, several shortfalls in the quality of care and functioning of the home were identified. Nine requirements and one recommendation were raised. This inspection identified that significant shortfalls affecting young people’s well-being and in the leadership and management of the home remain. Five requirements from the last inspection are repeated, one new requirement and a new recommendation are raised. Some improvements have been made. The stability of the staff team has improved, with Inspection report children’s home: SC057688 2 a core of permanent staff now employed. Members of staff are now receiving more

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

supervision, which allows them sufficient time to consider their practice. Rotas show who was working on which shift and this provides greater transparency should these records ever be needed in the future. Planning for young people’s independence is better recorded and evaluated. This helps to ensure that staff and managers have a greater understanding of young people’s readiness to live independently. Young people’s records, such as risk assessments, now more accurately describe known risks and provide staff with better guidance about how to meet young people’s needs. Notifications to Ofsted about significant events have been received as required. This means that the regulator has a better understanding of significant events that occur at the home. However, the impact of improvements made have been undermined by the continued poor functioning of the home. The new manager has not yet developed a good enough

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

understanding of the strengths and needs of the home. Although the manager has conducted a review of the quality of care, this review does not identify that the shortfalls found at the last inspection have not been addressed sufficiently. In addition, the report has not been submitted to Ofsted as required. This affects the regulator’s ability to monitor the care provided. The home does not have an effective system for consulting with and gathering the views of young people, their parents, placing authorities and staff. This is a missed opportunity to understand how other people view the quality of care provided, and use this information to inform the development of the home. The functioning of the home has not improved enough to ensure that children are having positive experiences and are experiencing the best care possible. This indicates that leadership and management arrangements, and arrangements for monitoring the quality

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

of care provided in the home, are inadequate. One child rarely leaves the home and, as a result, remains in the home for several days at a time. Consequently, the child is inactive and is missing opportunities to engage with the wider world. The child is currently tutored for several hours a day at home, which means that the child is not leaving the house to attend school. Staff have not developed skilled and competent care practice to put in place an effective routine to encourage the child to leave the home. Staff have not helped the child understand the importance of remaining active. This puts the young person’s physical health and emotional well-being at risk. At the last inspection, bullying and volatile relationships between children living at the home were identified as having an impact on their safety and welfare. Although the frequency of bullying incidents has decreased, one child remains particularly at risk and

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

has experienced physical assaults and intimidation from other children since the last inspection. Action taken by the manager and staff has been ineffective in helping children to understand that bullying is unacceptable. Furthermore, staff have failed to foster positive relationships between children. Not all members of the core staff team have had training in anti-bullying. This means that children are cared for by adults who may not have the skills to identify and act on incidents of bullying appropriately. This calls into question how the home can meet children’s individual needs and keep them safe. As a result of difficult relationships in the home, one child had to be moved from the home quickly in order to safeguard others. Subsequent to this, and after further bullying incidents, a child asked their placing authority for an emergency placement Inspection report children’s home: SC057688 3 move. The child moved the day after the inspection.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, a shortfall was identified in the recording of an allegation and its outcome. The same shortfall was identified at this inspection. Following an allegation against a staff member, safeguarding procedures were followed and all relevant parties were informed. However, there is a lack of recording to show exactly what actions were taken, when and by whom. This lack of transparency compromises young people’s safety. The home is undergoing a programme of refurbishment. Both bathrooms have recently been redecorated. However, the home’s refrigerator has been damaged. The door is significantly dented. This detracts from the homely environment that staff try to create. A glass window pane is cracked in a bedroom currently used as a staff sleep-in room. This presents a health and safety issue.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/05/2016 Full Requires improvement 19/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.3

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

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)) 22/04/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The positive relationship standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, trusting and respectful 22/04/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC057688 4 relationships. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them;* understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable;* and each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11(1)(2)(a)(iv)(ix)(xii)*(xiii)*(b)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered

p.3

Requirement Due date

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— 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)(a)(2)(f)(h)*) 22/04/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered provider must prepare and implement a policy which sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular provide for records to be kept of an allegation and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34(1)(b)(2)(d)) 22/04/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45(4)(a)) 22/04/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC057688 5 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 system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(2)(b)(5)) 22/04/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.5

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)

p.5

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.5

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.

p.5

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’.

p.5

Children’s home details

Inspection report children’s home: SC057688 6 Unique reference number: SC057688

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pine Forest Homes Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ballance & Lowbridge Accountants, 65 Market Street, Hednesford, Cannock, Staffordshire WS12 1AD

p.6

Inspector

Catherine Honey, Social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC057688 7 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.6

Inspector

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7