Children's home run by CareTech Community Services Limited in Hertsmere

Inspection report children’s home: SC407326 1 SC407326 Registered provider: CareTech Community 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 for up to three children who have experienced trauma. A private organisation operates this setting. The on-site school provides education for children up to the age of 16.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, the interim manager applied for registration but has resigned before the process was completed. At the time of the inspection, the home has been without a registered manager for 25 weeks.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The improvement noted at the last inspection has not been sustained and the quality of this service has significantly declined. This decline has resulted in shortfalls that leave children at serious risk of harm, an incident that could have led to a fatality and one child’s placement breaking down. The manager has given notice of her resignation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staffing arrangements, managerial oversight and decision-making leave children at risk and have contributed to serious incidents. In an incident on 21 July 2018, a child stated Inspection report children’s home: SC407326 2 her intent to get onto a very busy dual carriageway road near to the home. During this incident, a new, inexperienced and unqualified member of staff attempted to restrain the child to prevent the child from coming to harm. Additional staff support was needed to manage the situation when the restraint was unsuccessful. Despite this, the same new, unqualified member of staff, who had experienced difficulty managing the child the previous day, was left alone with the child on 22 July 2018. The child was noted as still agitated from the previous day’s incident, had again threatened to go missing, had had her phone removed earlier in the day, had just had a difficult contact with her family and

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

had been aggressive. Neither the member of staff nor the child should have been left in that highly vulnerable position. There were clear and explicit indicators that the child was unsettled and that leaving the child with one member of staff, let alone a new member of staff, was ill considered and high risk. During the incident on 22 July 2018, the child ran from the home and attempted to get onto the dual carriageway. Not only did the incident almost result in serious injury or fatality to child and staff, it ended with the child’s placement breaking down.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is little evidence of any critical evaluation of the incident or support to the member of staff involved. There is no evidence that management decision-making about staffing arrangements has been reflected on or reviewed. In addition, the incident that took place on 21 July 2018 has not been shared with the child’s placing authority. This amounts to a lack of transparency and affects the local authority’s ability to understand and evaluate what has happened to inform future placement planning.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The inexperience of staff puts children at risk. Since the last inspection, there has been significant staff turnover. Five staff have left since May 2018. Concerns about staffing include:

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

■ There are only two members of staff who have worked at the home for over a year. ■ There is only one member of staff who has worked at the home for over 18 months. ■ Only two of the seven staff (not including the manager and the deputy manager) have a level 3 qualification. ■ Five of the nine staff are in their probationary period. ■ From 16 July 2018 to the day before the inspection, there were 12 shifts out of 29 (41%) during which there had either been no level 3 qualified member of staff on duty or all staff on the shift had been in their probationary period. ■ The planned rota from the day after the inspection to the end of August 2018 has nine of 17 shifts (53%) with either no level 3 qualified member of staff on duty, or all staff on shift in their probationary period.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children’s risk assessments are of poor quality. They are not sufficiently updated in response to incidents that should have triggered a review. For example, one document stated that there have been no sexual exploitation concerns for a child. However, such concerns have recently arisen. The missing from home protocol states that there was no Inspection report children’s home: SC407326 3 identifiable evidence to suggest that another child will place herself at risk on the road. There have now been two incidents, which show that this risk exists for this child. Despite this, the protocol has not been updated. Thus, significant risks are not accurately reflected or assessed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some of the measures identified to manage risks are unclear. As already noted, a child has recently succeeded in accessing the nearby road. However, this child’s risk assessment does not make clear what staff should do if they believe that the child is intending to access the road, and distraction and discouragement have not worked. Staff are not provided with the clarity and guidance that they need to manage significant risks.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some of the identified measures to mitigate risks are not consistently monitored or enforced. A child’s risk assessment states that staff should be trained in managing ligatures. However, no records of any training exist. Senior managers are unaware of who has had this training and whether the rota consistently includes trained staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

An impact risk assessment was overly optimistic, included contradictions and inaccuracies and did not sufficiently consider known risks explicitly outlined in the supporting paperwork. As a result, the child was placed without full consideration of her needs, the likely effect that she may have on other children and the effect that they may have on her.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Management oversight and monitoring are ineffective. During this inspection, some records could not be located or were inaccessible. The absence of managers meant that information could not be accessed by staff, the inspector or the senior managers on site. There was a lack of access to personnel records, complaints and supervision records. The management team has not ensured that the rota provided a clear or accurate record of who had worked at the home on two occasions. The provider operates a system whereby staff are expected to sign to confirm that they have read and understood important documents. In numerous instances, there was only one signature on these documents. Thus, the management team lacks assurance that these have been read and understood.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Feedback from one local authority was positive about the initial progress that a child made. However, this progress was cut short when the placement broke down after less than a month.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff and manager have supported a child to make a complaint about the service that they received from their placing authority.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection identified the following in response to the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection:

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

■ The management team has overseen some improvements to the general decor of the home. This work is ongoing. ■ The location risk assessment is still not a full or accurate appraisal of the risks Inspection report children’s home: SC407326 4 associated with the location of the home. For example, it makes no reference to the camping that takes place on the nearby farm. The location risk assessment has not been updated since the full inspection, despite a requirement being made to update it and consult with relevant people. ■ The manager has updated and submitted the statement of purpose to Ofsted. No detailed checks of the content were undertaken at this inspection. ■ The quality of restraint records has improved. ■ The quality of information regarding contact arrangements remains poor.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Due to the serious concerns identified at this inspection, the provider is likely to be subject to enforcement action.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2018 Full Good 24/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/07/2016 Full Inadequate

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular regard to ensuring that placing authorities 28/08/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC407326 5 are fully apprised of incidents at the home. 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— that staff—

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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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular regard to ensuring that children’s individual and missing from home risk assessments are accurate, clear, comprehensive, known to staff and promptly updated in response to incidents. 23/08/2018

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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— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii)(vi)) 28/08/2018

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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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular regard to ensuring that impact risk assessments are thorough and accurate, and to sufficiently considering the history of any child being placed at the home. 31/08/2018

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 14/09/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC407326 6 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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(d)) 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 fulfil their 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 31/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)) 28/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner—

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Requirement Due date

records of complaints (see regulation 39). (Regulation 38 (l)) 28/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). 14/09/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC407326 7 When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2))

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the arrangements for contact and any contact details (telephone numbers etc.) are included in plans agreed between the registered person and the child’s placing authority and updated regularly. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.15)  Ensure that any records kept electronically enable information to be easily accessed by anyone with a legitimate need to view it and, if required, be reproduced in a legible form. (‘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’.

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Children’s home details

Unique reference number: SC407326 Inspection report children’s home: SC407326 8 Provision sub-type: Children’s home

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: CareTech Community Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: CareTech Community Services Limited, 5th Floor Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Ashley Hinson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC407326 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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