Children's home run by Worcestershire County Council in Worcester

Inspection report children’s home: SC037471 1 SC037471 Registered provider: Worcestershire County Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This short-break home is owned by the local authority. It provides regular, planned short breaks for up to four children and young people aged five to 18 who have a learning disability and/or challenging behaviour. The registered manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2008. She is currently not at work and interim arrangements are underway.

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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 good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 23 January 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC037471 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/01/2018 Full Outstanding 01/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/08/2016 Full Outstanding 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC037471 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure 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. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to making sure that risk assessments for children are regularly reviewed. 07/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

This regulation applies to a child who is not looked after by a local authority. The registered person must keep under review and revise the placement plan as necessary. The registered person must so far as is reasonably practicable ensure that the placement plan is consistent with any plan for the child’s care prepared by the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 18 (1)(7) and (9)(a)) 07/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to behaviour management plans and supervision records. 07/12/2018

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Recommendations

 It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4) Inspection report children’s home: SC037471 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, improvements have been made to the garden. There is a new sandpit and trikes for children to enjoy and explore. Wooden furniture, including carved mushrooms and animals, has been painted in bright colours. A garden project took place over the summer. Sunflowers, herbs and vegetables were grown with donations from the local garden centre.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Over the holiday period, staff worked tirelessly to host a summer fete full of exciting activities, food and music. As a result, children had fun socialising and playing with friends. Parents and carers were able to share their experiences and further enhance their relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have excellent links with the local community and work hard to ensure that children access an array of positive experiences, including sailing, visiting local parks and museums, spending time with animals and visiting theme parks, the cinema and local restaurants. As a result, children experience new and diverse opportunities, in line with other children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents speak exceptionally positively of the service provided. This is because staff provide a safe and nurturing environment for children to flourish and meet friends. Professionals speak highly of the staff’s skills and the effective communication that they have with staff. This ensures that a really good quality of care is maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Short-break care plans are very well written. They are focused on the individual needs of each young person, including their health and communication needs. Routines, as well as the likes and dislikes of each child, are well understood and recorded. However, two short-break care plans sampled during the inspection had not been reviewed. Up-to-date statutory care plans for children were not available. This could mean that the needs of children are overlooked if aims are not clear and reviewed appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children make progress with their challenging behaviours, eating habits and personal care. This is because of well-written behaviour management plans and the skills and experience of staff in caring for children who have a disability. However, some behaviour management plans observed during this inspection were not signed and dated by staff. This could mean that changes to behaviour are not being properly monitored or recorded.

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

Staff keep children safe during their short-break stays. There have been no serious safeguarding concerns or complaints since the last inspection. There have been three incidents of physical restraint. These are generally well recorded and reviewed within necessary timescales. Inspection report children’s home: SC037471 5 There have been no medication errors since the last inspection. A new system for monitoring medication has been implemented to ensure that this is maintained.

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

Staff spoken to during this inspection demonstrated a thorough knowledge of safeguarding practice. They were confident in local authority processes and have an excellent understanding of the risks associated with some children’s challenging behaviours.

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

However, risk assessments sampled during this inspection for children were overdue. This could mean that some children’s behaviours pose a risk to other children and staff if assessments are not properly updated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has not been in day-to-day charge since July 2018. The assistant manager has been covering in her absence and interim registration arrangements are underway. The staff team feels well supported at this time. Senior managers have close oversight and input, which has alleviated concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team members speak positively about the assistant manager and senior residential support workers. The staff team is highly experienced and consistent. This ensures that a very high level of care continues to be provided to children. Monthly team meetings provide opportunities for learning and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, and they shared during this inspection that they feel well supported by senior staff. However, some supervision notes could be improved by more detailed recording, including outcomes. In addition, notes sampled were not signed or dated. This could pose future challenges if an accurate and clear record of supervision is not maintained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are up to date with mandatory training and receive a variety of specialist and appropriate training to meet their individual needs. This includes training on safeguarding, autism spectrum disorder, signalong and equality and diversity. Staff feel that there are a wide range of training opportunities available that help to improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has produced an excellent report about the quality of care provided. She has demonstrated that there are effective monitoring processes and the views of children are central to the care provided. The staff ensure that care is provided in line with the statement of purpose. Therefore, children enjoy and achieve as a result of the care provided to them at this short-break home.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC037471 6 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: SC037471 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Worcestershire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Spetchley Road, Worcester, Worcestershire WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Anna Gravelle, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC037471 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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