Children's Home run by In Safe Hands Care Ltd in Doncaster

Inspection report children’s home: 1232171 1 Registered provider: In Safe Hands Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is owned and managed by a sole provider. It provides care for children and young people whose plan is for them to live in medium- to long-term residential care. The qualified and experienced manager has held registered manager status at this home since May 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 25 to 26 September 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1232171 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/12/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: 1232171 3

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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 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

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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))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that decisive action is taken to meet the above and:

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Requirement Due date

 take prompt action to ensure that individual risk assessments include all the risks and strategies identified

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Requirement Due date

 review the dog risk assessment to include the breed and the nature of the potential risks and any reduction strategies

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Requirement Due date

 risk manage all the windows in the home and install window restrictors arising from the risk assessment

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Requirement Due date

 ensure that all safeguarding notifications to Ofsted contain a full and accurate account of incidents

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Requirement Due date

 ensure that any inappropriate and offensive language is responded to without delay and the outcome of the discussion and learning is recorded

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Requirement Due date

 amend the statement of purpose to avoid repetition of 07/12/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1232171 4 information about the registered manager’s background (pages 10 and 11), avoid the use of ‘residents’ when referring to children and young people and ensure that Ofsted’s contact details are accurate.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1)(4)(b)) 07/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 07/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the registered manager receives appropriate supervision and that all staff receive self-harm training. 07/12/2018

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Inspection judgements

Inspection report children’s home: 1232171 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit immensely from the care and protection provided by the stable and dedicated staff team. Young people are growing up in a nurturing home and want to remain. One young person said, ‘It’s good… it feels like a home.’ Progress for young people has been mixed. For one young person, notice was given on his placement because of safeguarding concerns. The suspension of any new placements prioritises the current young people’s needs and offers them permanency.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The high levels of care and support to the young people increased further following the fatal accident of a staff member. This is helping them to grieve. The staff team’s handling of this traumatic matter is commendable. The excellent bonds and affection shared between the young people and the staff are evident.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some young people who were not in school at the last inspection have resumed their education. The bespoke learning is meeting their needs. The staff team works constructively with education providers to ensure that all young people have access to education. This is despite the current resistance from some young people who refuse their education programme.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people participate in activities and hobbies that interest them. They enjoy activities in places close to home and trips away. This provides them with hours of distraction, relaxation and positive memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s access to health services supports their physical and emotional well-being when they attend appointments. Close communication between the staff team and healthcare professionals maintains a focus on the young people’s health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team’s support of family contact is strong. Consequently, some fractured relationships between the young people and their families are improving, which bodes well. One parent said, ‘She is a delight to spend time with, she is really maturing.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff advocate robustly for the young people. It ensures that their voices are heard when they think that no one else is listening to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are learning how to do more for themselves, which is promoting their independence, compatible with their ages, abilities and current limitations. Positive and interactive relationships between the staff team and families and professionals promote the team around the child. A professional said, ‘I’ve nothing but praise. I would welcome working with them again.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1232171 6

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Protecting the young people from abuse and other forms of significant harm is central to team practice. Trained and experienced staff have sound safeguarding knowledge and a thirst for continued development. Consistent staffing levels, a compatible group dynamic and risk management make for a safe abode. Consequently, young people become increasingly safe as their risky behaviours reduce. One young person rated their safety ‘10 out of 10’.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Missing from care episodes have ceased compared to the frequent incidents several months ago. Staff tirelessly follow the missing from care protocols. This includes contacting the young people, carrying out local searches, and calling on known associates to secure their safe return. Strategies to manage and minimise the risks are shared within the multi-agency arena. It has been effective in minimising the risks associated with child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The young people identify staff with whom they can talk about any worries. The unconditional warmth and nurture makes them feel valued and secure. Professionals and independent visitor reports consider the young people to be safe. One parent considered their child ‘very safe’.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Clear boundaries and behaviour management strategies support good parenting and role models. Positive incentives and praise promote good behaviour and young people are responsive. However, on one known occasion, the use of written offensive language has gone by without challenge. This does not teach young people about the social and legal implications of using such language and does not reinforce that it is unacceptable.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff know the young people sufficiently well to identify any triggers that may result in behavioural outbursts and unrest. They skilfully divert the young people through de-escalation techniques. This enables them to self-regulate, which has avoided the use of restraint.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Risk assessments and strategies support the young people’s care and protection. However, not all the risks are identified and recorded in sufficient detail to ensure a consistently robust system. The risk assessment for the visiting dog would benefit from further details confirming the breed of the dog and the nature of the potential risks and strategies to minimise harm.

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be good

A suitably qualified and child-focused manager runs the home. He holds a visible presence and is accessible to the young people and staff. An efficient deputy contributes to a reliable and compatible management team. Staff enjoy their role and feel supported. One staff member used terms, such as ‘fair’ and Inspection report children’s home: 1232171 7 ‘consistent’ to describe the current leadership.

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be good

The close-knit staff team is grieving over the fatal accident to a significant and highly valued colleague and friend. The way the staff team members have supported each other, and the young people, is testament to their unwavering commitment despite their personal sadness and loss. One staff member said in memory of their colleague, ‘He’d be very proud of us.’

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be good

The registered manager strives to continually improve. He is realistic about the progress made so far. He has met the several requirements raised at the last inspection. However, the reviewed statement of purpose needs some minor amendment. This is with respect to avoiding repetition of the registered manager’s background, changing use of ‘residents’ to ‘children and young people’ and providing accurate contact details for Ofsted.

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be good

Frequent supervision and mentoring of staff enables them to reflect on their practice. However, the registered manager has not received any formal professional supervision. All staff are appropriately qualified. They continue to develop their learning and expertise to fill any gaps. Self-harm training for all staff should improve their knowledge of the extent and impact of this risky behaviour.

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be good

Although the reports completed by the independent visitor are informative, they do not clearly state that the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. Furthermore, the registered provider sends the reports to Ofsted instead of the independent visitor. This does not make for a transparent system.

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be good

Missed opportunities to include information in written risk assessments have not threaded through into the direct work with the young people. Premises checks have not considered the potential risk of not installing window restrictors in parts of the home, which could present a health and safety and security risk for the young people.

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be good

One notifications sent to Ofsted has not included the details of when self-harm has been threatened. This omission inhibits Ofsted’s safeguarding oversight.

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be good

The shortfalls have not currently had an impact on the young people’s good progress and outcomes but left unattended they could be detrimental. Inspection report children’s home: 1232171 8

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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

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: 1232171 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: In Safe Hands Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Peter Wray Accountancy Services, 48-50, Wakefield Road, Pontefract, South Yorkshire WF7 7AB

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Inspector

Jacqueline Malcolm, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1232171 10 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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