Children's Home run by Care Perspectives Ltd in Walsall

Inspection report children’s home: 1263977 1 Registered provider: Care Perspectives Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This private home provides specialist care for up to eight young people who have mental health and/or behavioural issues. The home was registered in December 2017. The registered manager is experienced in residential care and qualified at level 5.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not applicable, this is the home’s first inspection

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1263977 2

p.1

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.2

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 6 (1)(2)(a)(b)(i)) 14/09/2018

p.2

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met, and children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(i)) 31/08/2018

p.2

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— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(c)) 31/08/2018

p.2

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected; children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and 31/08/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1263977 3 any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises— is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(3)(d)) 31/08/2018

p.2

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 28/09/2018

p.3

Recommendations

 Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  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

p.3

Recommendations

9.30)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13) Inspection report children’s home: 1263977 4

p.3

improvement to be good

All young people have detailed plans regarding their placements. However, some plans do not clearly show the most up-to-date information about how young people are being supported to achieve positive outcomes in relation to their mental health. This could cause confusion for staff. The home is developing a clinical team to meet young people’s mental health needs more effectively, and staff liaise well with external health professionals. Young people are consulted through different forums. However, the management team fails to respond to the majority of house meetings minutes. This does not encourage young people to contribute fully to the meetings or to the development of the home. Young people are aware of the complaints process. When complaints are made, they are fully recorded and responded to. Young people have appropriate relationships with staff and they enjoy a wide range of activities together. This develops young people’s self-esteem and encourages a healthy

p.4

improvement to be good

lifestyle. Young people describe the improvements that they have made since moving to the home. This includes improved education attainment and a decrease in challenging behaviours. All young people attended education prior to the summer holidays. Although this was not on a full-time basis, this is progress from their starting points. Staff help young people to keep in touch with the people that are important to them. One young person is now having contact with a family member that they had not previously had a positive relationship with. This is due to the work that has been completed by staff. The home is a pleasant, homely environment. Young people are encouraged to personalise their rooms. This makes them feel more at ease. The arrangements for admissions into the home are good. Detailed assessments of need are completed (as well as impact assessments for those young people already in the home). Young people are visited in their previous placements by the registered manager

p.4

improvement to be good

and staff, who share information about the home. Young people also visit the home, supporting a smooth transition.

p.4

improvement to be good

Systems are in place that promote the health and safety of young people. These include regular building checks and fire drill practices. No young people can leave the building without staff permission. One young person highlighted this as a positive feature of the home, as it decreased their anxiety about how they may behave in the community. However, risk assessments outlining the rationale for this restriction for each individual Inspection report children’s home: 1263977 5 young person are not adequate, nor have placing authorities consented to the use of this measure. Consequently, it is possible that young people’s liberty is being restricted without due cause. The registered manager does not always ensure that employees’ recruitment files contain adequate information. One staff member has a different application form that does not include a full record of their previous posts. The registered manager has, on

p.4

improvement to be good

one instance, failed to show sufficient ‘professional curiosity’ to make sure that references are pertinent to the role and are obtained from recent positions. This shortfall does not protect young people from potentially unsafe adults. The registered manager responds well to safeguarding concerns. Records show that the registered manager records events fully and that professionals linked to the young person have been involved in any decision-making. Plans are in place to decrease risks for young people, especially in relation to going missing or self-harm. These individualised plans guide staff in the expected responses. When incidents occur, staff respond quickly, events are well recorded, and all professionals involved with the young person are informed. However, young people are not always offered discussions with an independent person on their return from being missing. This prevents young people from having an opportunity to talk about the

p.5

improvement to be good

reasons for their absence or raise any concerns that they may have. Behaviour assessments and management plans are good. They link well to young people’s placement plans and give information about possible triggers and the preferred responses for staff. Consequences are appropriate and recorded well. Young people are positive about the rewards that they have achieved, such as having a manicure in recognition of a decrease in concerning behaviours.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager holds the appropriate level five qualification and has a good range of experience in residential care. She has been the manager of the home since its opening in December 2017. Most staff are working towards the required level 3 diploma. However, one of the primary services offered in the home’s statement of purpose is therapeutic support to young people. Neither the registered manager nor the staff have a clear understanding of what this therapeutic support entails. Not all staff have completed training in either mental health or therapeutic techniques. Consequently, the registered manager has failed to ensure that staff have the skills to provide the services outlined in the statement of purpose. In addition, although staff complete a range of mandatory training, the training matrix is not up to date and does not include all online training. Consequently, it is unclear if all staff are sufficiently skilled in other areas.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has an overall awareness of the way that the home is working, the young people’s development and the way that the staff team works together. Good monitoring systems include the independent visitor’s reports, and these are responded to swiftly. A good staff meeting was recently held to examine the staff team’s strengths and Inspection report children’s home: 1263977 6 the areas that require improvement. Staff are supported in their role and receive regular supervision. The six-monthly review of the home highlighted concerns about staff turnover. As a result, there is a new staffing structure and staff are increasingly supported by the clinical team to develop their emotional resilience. However, the responsible individual has not been sufficiently involved with the home over the previous months. Consequently, the registered manager has not received adequate formal supervision. Staff keep in contact with a range of professionals to support the young people. One

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

social worker highlighted that they, ‘Get a lot of information from the home, verbally through phone calls and a lot of emails. Care plans are also well personalised.’ The registered manager challenges different professionals to ensure that young people receive the support that they need, especially regarding their education and health. The management team is aware of the need to notify Ofsted of significant events. Reports are detailed and generally show that staff respond to events quickly, involving a range of other professionals. However, some significant events are not reported within 24 hours. Subsequently, in these cases, professionals are not made aware of events in a timely way.

p.6

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.6

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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1263977 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Perspectives Ltd

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Prusinski & Co Chartered Accountants, 18 Frederick Street, Loughborough LE11 3BJ

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: John Branchflower

p.7

Inspector

Andrew Hewston, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1263977 8 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.7

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8