Children's home run by Derby City Council in Derby

Inspection report children’s home: SC036275 1 SC036275 Registered provider: Derby City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children and young people who need support with emotional and/or behavioural problems.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted on 31 August 2016.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC036275 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/05/2017 Full Good 04/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/06/2016 Full Good 30/09/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC036275 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

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— 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 take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; and help each 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)(i)(iii)(viii)) 31/05/2018

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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 positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; and 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)(c)(2)(iii)(v)) 31/05/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC036275 4

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The Regulation 45 report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)  Expectations of standards of behaviour should be clear and unambiguous. Poor behaviour should be challenged and discussed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.11)

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Recommendations

 Case records must be kept up to date and clear. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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improvement to be good

At this time, young people do not make positive progress in relation to their education. They often refuse to attend their education placements. Staff try hard to encourage them to attend but with very limited success. This undermines young people’s ability to learn and to move on to further education or employment. Poor engagement in education limits their life chances.

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improvement to be good

Mechanisms to monitor and track educational attendance and engagement are not effective. There is no clear sense of young people’s progress.

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improvement to be good

More work is needed to establish each young person’s educational history. This would help staff to better understand young people’s starting points and the barriers to engaging. Clear plans are not in place for those young people refusing to attend education each day.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, 10 young people have moved into and out of the home. Some young people returned to live with family members. This is a positive outcome and reflects how well staff work with young people and their families.

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improvement to be good

Some of the young people’s placements ended due to concerns about behaviour and the effect of this behaviour on others. It has been an unsettled period for young people and staff. Inspection report children’s home: SC036275 5 One young person has left the home to live independently. This move was planned well. Staff provided good support in preparing the young person for the move. Staff actively support young people to learn the skills that they will need to make a successful transition to independence.

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improvement to be good

Staff support young people to meet their health needs. Staff seek specialist support for young people, when needed, in a timely manner. Young people keep in touch with family, friends and significant others. One parent said: ‘The staff always keep me informed of relevant things for my child, which I appreciate.’

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improvement to be good

Incentive charts are used to reward young people for positive behaviour. There is very little use of sanctions, consequences or restorative approaches for concerning or dangerous behaviour. Staff and managers need to consider the effectiveness of only using incentives.

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

Clear risk assessments reflect the current and changing needs of young people. Staff respond quickly and proactively to any incidents of young people being missing or absent from the home. Staff follow protocols to ensure the safe return of young people.

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

Young people do not routinely take part in independent missing from home interviews following an incident of being missing from the home or absent without authorisation. Young people’s involvement in this process would assist staff and managers in understanding the reasons for such behaviours. Improved participation is an area for improvement, alongside a better audit trail regarding the requests made for these interviews.

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

The use of physical restraint is minimal. Staff demonstrate real skill and tenacity in supporting young people. They know the young people well. They understand potential triggers for concerning behaviours and respond sensitively.

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

Staff and managers work closely with a range of agencies and professionals. They seek advice and guidance appropriately. They invite relevant professionals to meet with young people to consider concerning behaviours.

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

Safe staff recruitment practice ensures that unsuitable adults are prevented from working with vulnerable young people. Work has been done to improve recruitment checks and procedures.

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

Managers respond well to any allegations. They understand their roles and responsibilities in this area. Records clearly reflect the actions taken to ensure young people’s safety. Staff are supported well during the process of investigations. Inspection report children’s home: SC036275 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a wealth of experience in working with children and young people who are looked after. Staff speak very positively about the support that they receive from her. She accepts that recent months have posed challenges for her and the staff team. She is keen to address the issues impacting on young people’s engagement in education and on their behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff demonstrate a detailed understanding of the presenting needs of young people. They strive to ensure that young people make positive progress. Staff participate in regular meetings with agencies to consider the changing needs of young people. Despite the limited progress for some young people, staff and managers do not give up on them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and good-quality supervision. Team meetings are also a source of support. Staff have a range of training and development opportunities. They take on lead roles, which increases their skills and competence. Staff retention is good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager monitors the service regularly. However, management reports are not clearly presented. Actions identified in these reports are not specific and are not always achievable. Improved action planning would assist managers and staff in improving the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some records do not present as clear or up to date. Care and placement plans do not always reflect the current placement and needs of each young person. The pre- admission risk assessment for one young person was not sufficiently detailed in relation to the control measures to be put in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has satisfactorily addressed the two shortfalls from the last inspection. Risk assessments now reflect the specific needs of each young person. Staff review and update them as necessary. Staff understand the need to challenge the placing authority in relation to incomplete or poor-quality pathway plans.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC036275 7 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: SC036275 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Treasurer’s Department, Council House, Corporation Street, Derby DE1 2FE

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Inspector

Tracy Murty: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC036275 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 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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