Children's Home run by Lancashire County Council in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC039248 1 SC039248

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Lancashire 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 one of several operated by a local authority. The home has increased its number of registered beds from four to six since the last inspection. The home offers accommodation for children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home contains a mixture of bedrooms, and two built-in flats designed to give young people an experience of independence.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been in post since 2014.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on 19 and 20 June 2018, Ofsted judged this home to be inadequate. Ofsted held an urgent internal case review. The outcome of this review was that Ofsted issued an emergency suspension notice.

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This monitoring visit

An emergency suspension notice was issued to the provider on 21 June 2018. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 30 July 2018 to ensure compliance with the notice. A further visit took place on 6 September 2018. The purpose of this visit is to assess compliance with the notices issued, and to ensure that the registered person has met the specified actions within the prescribed timescales .

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This monitoring visit

At the last monitoring visit work had begun to clean and tidy the home, including work in the gardens and refurbishing the ‘education room’ for young people. Refurbishment of the home remained ongoing at this visit, including, on the day of the visit, fitting a new kitchen. The provider was unable to supply the inspectors with a schedule of works to establish what level of work remained outstanding. The registered manager and senior managers present accepted that the home was not in a condition at the time of the visit to accommodate young people.

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This monitoring visit

Evidence presented at the time of the monitoring visit was limited. Inspectors were only provided with the statement of purpose and copies of team meeting minutes Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC039248 2 that had taken place between July and September 2018. Furthermore, the action plan that was provided to Ofsted by the responsible individual prior to this monitoring visit had not been completed.

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This monitoring visit

The statement of purpose presented to inspectors detailed minimal amendments and was subject to further review during this visit to reflect the provider’s decision to reduce the number of young people that the home would accommodate and remove the provision for emergency placements. However, it became clear during discussion with the registered manager that he was unaware that the statement of purpose still stated that the home would care for young people with disabilities and would provide outreach support.

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This monitoring visit

During the period of emergency suspension, residential care staff have been dispersed to work at good or outstanding homes within the organisation. Staff have met on a weekly basis. Inspectors were informed that the intention of these team meetings was to provide staff with an opportunity to reflect on the serious incidents that had occurred at the home and which led to the emergency suspension notice being served. They were also intended to be an opportunity to think about how things could have been done better. This was not reflected in the minutes of these meetings. The minutes did not adequately describe how risk assessment procedures have been reviewed. Nor did they reflect how staff and managers have reflected on behaviour management strategies and how these will be implemented more robustly in the future to safeguard children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff development opportunities and actions to minimise risk have not been discussed in detail to ensure that lessons have been learned about behaviour management strategies and necessary actions to reduce risk. The provider has failed to give inspectors sufficient information to evidence that staff have reflected on their previous responses to issues such as aggression, violence and the use of knives.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has ensured that staff have undertaken a review of fire safety procedures to ensure that all staff are competent in this area. The manager has also reviewed the arrangements for the safe storage of medication in the home and shared the importance of this with the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

The action plan that was provided to Ofsted by the responsible individual has not been completed. The action plan detailed that the training needs of staff would be reviewed, and that individual training plans would be devised relevant to individual staff needs. The manager and senior managers present at the time of the monitoring inspection confirmed that this had not been done. This means that the provider cannot yet be satisfied that staff have the necessary skills to meet the needs of young people, that any shortfalls in staff’s training needs have been identified, and that actions are in place to rectify these shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

In addition, the provider cannot yet satisfy itself that staff are learning from the training that they have received and are able to put this training into practice in the home. Furthermore, the provider’s action plan stated that an external consultant Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC039248 3 would be used to review this area of work, but this has not yet started.

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This monitoring visit

During an interview with inspectors, the registered manager was able to demonstrate a good understanding of required notifiable incidents and what he considers to be serious. However, he was unable to provide evidence of any changes to procedures to ensure that relevant notifications will be made to Ofsted without delay in the future, when he is absent. The provider has not yet completed a review of incidents that took place at the home leading up to the suspension of registration. There is also no evidence that the provider has reflected with staff about their previous practice when the team failed to notify Ofsted about serious incidents.

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This monitoring visit

The action plan stated that senior managers would initiate monthly oversight visits of their residential homes to review and discuss notifications with staff. No evidence was provided of these visits. Nor was there any analysis of how these monthly visits have been working in the provider’s other homes to evidence how these additional visits will improve practice and ensure that this regulation will be acted on adequately by staff in the future.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, Ofsted held a case review to consider the findings of this visit and a decision was made to extend the suspension of the provider’s registration.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/06/2018 Full Inadequate 26/07/2017 Full Good 31/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC039248 4

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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

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard The health and well-being standard is that children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure support to address mental health, emotional and well-being needs, and any needs in respect of drug use. 26/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children.

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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 staff 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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. 26/10/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC039248 5 (Regulation 12 (1)(a) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessments are updated when needed, contain all current information, and have appropriate actions to reduce the risk of harm and prevent further occurrences. Where assessments and plans are in place, ensure that these are followed by staff.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard requires the registered person to ensure 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.

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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 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard requires the registered person to understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(f)) 26/10/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard requires the registered person to ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that impact risk assessments are completed before admission, with collated information of the needs of the young people and associated risks, and ensure that this is considered against the needs of other children resident in the home. 26/10/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC039248 6 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 medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child is instigated or concludes or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation must include details the matter; the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)(5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 26/10/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being to enhance, and supplement that provided by their school through Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as, but not limited to, nutrition and healthy diet, exercise, mental health, sexual relationships, sexual health, contraception and use of legal highs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC039248 7 and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Recommendations

 Where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. If no education place is identified by the placing authority, the registered person must challenge them to meet the child’s needs under regulation 5 (engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Recommendations

 As part of the policies for protection of children, the registered person should include information about whistle blowing, with clear procedures for how a staff member should report to an appropriate authority any concern they have about a child within the home being either at risk of, or already experiencing significant harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.15)

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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: SC039248 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lancashire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 78, County Hall, Fishergate, Preston PR1 8XJ

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Inspectors

Jessica Forshaw, social care inspector Marie Cordingley, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC039248 9 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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