Children's home run by West Sussex County Council

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 1 SC037452

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West Sussex County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by the local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children. Its statement of purpose says that the home provides care to children in a group-living environment that aims to support children who have had difficult experiences, many of whom have experienced significant trauma and attachment difficulties. The home adopts a multi-agency approach towards supporting children to overcome difficult issues and enable them to thrive and reach their full potential.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager at this home. The post has been vacant since 30 April 2018.

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This monitoring visit

A full inspection of the home was undertaken on 26 and 27 June 2018. The home was judged to be inadequate due to serious concerns regarding the standard of safeguarding practice and the effectiveness of leaders and managers. A restriction of accommodation notice was issued on 3 July 2018 and two compliance notices were issued on 11 July 2018. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to judge whether the restriction of accommodation notice is being adhered to and whether the steps outlined in the compliance notices have been met.

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This monitoring visit

A notice was issued on 3 July 2018 to restrict accommodation at the home under section 22B of the Care Standards Act 2000. The requirement imposed by the notice is as follows: The notice is in effect from 3 July 2018 until 25 September 2018 inclusively. No children have been admitted to the home since the restriction notice was issued.

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This monitoring visit

A compliance notice was issued on 11 July 2018 under regulation 12(2) (a)(i)(iii)(vi)(vii), requiring action to be taken to ensure that children are protected from harm and are enabled to keep themselves safe. The steps in the compliance Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 2 notice specified that action should be taken to improve the standard of risk assessment and risk management; to ensure that managers and staff are competent to recognise when a child is at risk of harm and take appropriate action; to review and amend children’s plans when necessary; and to ensure that staff are competent to act in accordance with the home’s child protection policy and procedure. The timescale for meeting these steps was 3 August 2018.

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This monitoring visit

Effective action has not been taken to improve the standard of risk assessment and risk management. Significant information is not always taken into account in risk assessments. This includes information relating to children’s unsafe behaviours and information regarding children being bullied in the home. The strategies to mitigate against identified risks are weak. In one case, there are no clear, specific strategies to manage a child’s behaviour in relation to fire lighting.

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This monitoring visit

The actions taken to ensure that managers and staff are competent to identify when a child is at risk of harm have not been effective. Refresher safeguarding training has not yet been provided, and staff have not yet undertaken training in relation to working with children with sexually harmful behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

Significant failings were identified regarding the effectiveness of actions taken when a child is known to be at risk of harm. Staff failed to risk assess whether it was safe for one child to stay overnight at a friend’s house, and no action was taken when a child reported that he was concerned by another child’s behaviour towards him.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are still failing to consistently update children’s plans following a significant event. The plan relating to the use of physical intervention for a child was not updated to reflect that the child had recently suffered a serious leg injury. No anti- bullying plan has been put in place for a child who has been the victim of bullying behaviour for over a month.

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This monitoring visit

A staff ‘mapping meeting’ held on 18 July 2018 identified that not all staff are clear or confident about a consistent approach to escalating safeguarding concerns. The actions to address this were minimal. Staff were sent a link to the safeguarding children board’s child protection procedures, and a decision was taken to create a flow chart for escalating safeguarding concerns. This flow chart has not yet been finalised. Staff were reminded of their responsibilities for keeping their knowledge of child protection policies and procedures up to date. Leaders and managers have not monitored whether staff have taken action to update their knowledge.

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This monitoring visit

Effective action has not been taken to meet the steps in this compliance notice, and children remain at risk of harm. This compliance notice is not met.

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This monitoring visit

A compliance notice was issued on 11 July 2018 under regulation 13(2)(a)(c), requiring action to be taken to ensure that the home delivers the outcomes set out in the home’s statement of purpose. The steps in the compliance notice specified that action should be taken to ensure that there is an effective admissions process; that staff have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of each child; and that Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 3 leaders and managers identify gaps in the staff team’s knowledge and take action to address these. The timescale for meeting these steps was 3 August 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The admissions process has been reviewed and responsibilities have been clarified. The manager was able to describe the process that she would go through when assessing whether it was appropriate to accept a new child into the home. This step in the compliance notice has been met.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills needed to meet the needs of all children in the home, because they have not ensured that training has been delivered in key areas of practice. Leaders and managers did not ensure that there was a detailed and planned response to staff reporting that they lack the knowledge and confidence to escalate child protection concerns.

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This monitoring visit

An audit of the training staff that have undertaken has commenced but is not yet complete. This has identified serious gaps in the training that staff have undertaken. Training has been arranged in safeguarding and working with children with sexually harmful behaviours, but no action has been taken to ensure that other relevant training is delivered in a timely way. This includes first-aid training and fire-safety training. There have been three occasions in the last two months when no qualified first aider was on duty at the home. It is a significant concern that only six out of 16 staff have up-to-date fire-safety training.

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This monitoring visit

Key areas where significant numbers of staff have not completed their training include substance misuse, child sexual exploitation and internet safety.

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This monitoring visit

Only one of the steps in this compliance notice has been met. Overall, the compliance notice is not met.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring inspection, three new requirements are being made. These relate to managing bullying behaviour, fire safety and ensuring that there is always a person on duty with a first-aid qualification.

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This monitoring visit

The failure to meet the compliance notices indicates that leaders and managers have not taken effective action to keep all children safe. The failings identified at this monitoring inspection are so serious that Ofsted believes that urgent action is needed to prevent children from coming to harm. Therefore, a notice to suspend the registration of the home was issued on 9 August 2018. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 4

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/06/2018 Full Inadequate 01/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/07/2017 Full Good 23/11/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 5

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10(1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that all options are explored to meet children’s health needs in a timely way. 03/12/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

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(2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(vii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must ensure that children’s 03/12/2018 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 6 individual risks are assessed and managed effectively, that staff can identify and act upon safeguarding concerns and that all staff practice is in accordance with the relevant child protection policies. Electrical appliances in children’s bedrooms must only be used when it is safe to do so.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to their full potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the admissions process, as described in the statement of purpose, must ensure that impact risk assessments are completed before a child is admitted to the home, that staff are competent to meet the needs of all children, that there are sufficient staff to ensure consistent care for all children and that effective monitoring systems identify areas for improvement in a timely way. 03/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that— medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as 03/12/2018 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 7 prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the designated person in the local authority is notified when a child makes an allegation that they have been harmed by a member of staff. 03/12/2018

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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 -

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Requirement Due date

(a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and (c) positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11(2)(a)(xiii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that there are personalised and effective anti-bullying plans for children who are being bullied by their peers. 03/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

make arrangements for persons working at the home to receive suitable training in fire prevention. (Regulation 25(1)(c)) 03/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31(2)(a)) 03/12/2018 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 8

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Recommendations

 Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care sets out the steps local authorities and their partners should take to prevent children from going missing and to protect them when they do go missing. Children’s homes should have regard to the relevant aspects of this guidance. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.25)

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Recommendations

Specifically, managers and staff should have regard to paragraph 28 of this guidance, which refers to professionals taking a supportive approach when a missing child is found.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: West Sussex County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Director of Social Services, County Hall, Tower Street, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1QT

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Inspectors

Stephen Collett, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC037452 10 to 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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