Children's Home run by Inspire Care (UK) Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1271234 1

p.1

Inspire Care (UK) Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home was registered on 11 April 2018. The provider describes in its statement of purpose that the home provides care for children with social and emotional difficulties. The home is registered to provide care for up to three young people aged from eight to 17 years. The home aims to provide a period of stability and respite, to allow young people to reflect on their difficulties and to develop, thrive and fulfil their potential.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This inspection was undertaken due to concerns raised through safeguarding notifications and complaints.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The home was registered in April 2018. Since then, two young people have lived at the home. When one young person was admitted, he was initially fairly settled. The registered manager then admitted a second young person. Although some matching was completed. This was not sufficiently detailed to ensure that both young people‘s needs could be safely met.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Young people have placed themselves at risk of harm through substance misuse, criminal activity involving drugs and staying with adults who pose a risk. One young person‘s placement was ended following an arrest after taking a car from the home. This has placed both young people at risk of harm and resulted in one young person experiencing a placement breakdown.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The registered manager does not develop effective risk assessments to ensure that young people are safeguarded. For example, the risk assessment regarding substance misuse does not provide any guidance for staff about seeking medical advice or increasing the monitoring of young people who have misused substances. Staff‘s records of young people‘s presentation when they have misused substances Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1271234 2 are also unclear. This does not support staff or managers to assess the risks that this behaviour poses.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Young people have been able to access the home‘s car keys and attempt to drive off in the car. Managers and staff were aware of attempts by young people to try to access the keys and monies in the home. However, despite knowing this, the car keys were not stored securely.

p.2

This monitoring visit

In one incident staff did not show that they always treat young people with dignity and respect. For example, the staff member used demeaning language. This does not reflect an understanding of young people‘s experiences of abuse and neglect.

p.2

This monitoring visit

There have been several complaints received in the short period that the home has been open. These complaints have not been promptly recorded, such as by noting the details of the action taken. This does not provide complainants with a satisfactory outcome or enable managers to monitor and learn from complaints. There are no systems in place to record and review the use of restraint by staff. Although there has been only one physical restraint, staff failed to make an appropriate record. Staff did not make a log to show that the young person was offered a debriefing. The absence of detail also means that it is not possible to see if there has been sufficient managerial oversight. This does not safeguard young people or staff or enable managers to improve behaviour management strategies. In addition, when safeguarding concerns have been identified and notified to the local authority designated officer there is no record of the actions and outcomes of these

p.2

This monitoring visit

concerns in the home. This does not ensure that the actions to protect young people are captured or monitored or that the impact on young people is evaluated.

p.2

This monitoring visit

When serious incidents occur in the home, the registered manager has not ensured that Ofsted is informed in a timely manner. There are delays in notifications being submitted and, on one occasion, when there was a referral to the designated officer this was not notified to Ofsted. This prevents the regulator from being able to monitor practice in the home. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1271234 3

p.2

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 quality and purpose of care standard

p.3

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand the children‘s home‘s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.3

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‘s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect. (Regulation 6(2)(b)(iii) 31/08/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

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(2)(a)(i) 31/08/2018

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 31/08/2018 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1271234 4 registered person to ensure—

p.3

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)) The care planning standard

p.4

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children‘s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14(1) 31/08/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

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 of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34(2)(d) 31/08/2018

p.4

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.4

Requirement Due date

details of the child‘s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.4

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (―the user‖), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.4

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered 31/08/2018 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1271234 5 person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (―the authorised person‖)—

p.4

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 31/08/2018

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.5

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; or

p.5

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)(c)(e)) 31/08/2018 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1271234 6

p.5

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the practice in the children‘s home. This is the first inspection of the home by Ofsted.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Inspire Care (UK) Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Keystone Chartered Accountants, 263 Nottingham Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG7 7DA

p.6

Inspector

Rebecca Quested, social care inspector Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 1271234 7 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.

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 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: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7