Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report children‟s home: SC1229534 1 Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children‟s home registered for up to seven children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home offers education on site at a registered school. The home has been without a registered manager since 31 January 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 Inadequate

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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: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 3 July 2018, Ofsted completed a full inspection that judged the home inadequate. Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice and two compliance notices under Regulation 12 and Regulation 13.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit undertaken on 13 August 2018 found that managers had taken Inspection report children‟s home: SC1229534 2 appropriate action to address the shortfalls outlined in the compliance notice under Regulation 13. However, managers had not taken sufficient action to ensure that all the shortfalls outlined in the compliance notice under Regulation 12 had been met. A second compliance notice relating to Regulation 12 was issued.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit undertaken on 24 September 2018 found that managers had taken appropriate action to address the shortfalls outlined in the compliance notice under Regulation 12. The restriction of accommodation notice was lifted.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC1229534 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 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 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)(iv)) In particular, ensure that the use of alarms on bedroom doors is kept under review. 30/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry (Regulation 36 (1) (a)(b)(c)). In particular, the registered person should ensure that copies of young people‟s local authority care plans are on file. 30/12/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Recent decoration of the home has ensured that communal areas of the home are now warm and pleasant spaces in which young people can spend time. Soft furnishings, pictures and photos provide a homely feel. These improvements are ongoing. For example, during the inspection, maintenance workers were decorating bedrooms ready for potential new arrivals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have managed young people‟s transitions out of the home well. For example, Inspection report children‟s home: SC1229534 4 staff supported one young person to visit his new placement on several occasions to prepare him for the move. Celebratory meals and activities before his departure meant that he left feeling positive and ready for the next stage of his life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The personalised care provided by staff ensures that young people make good progress. One young person‟s confidence and ability to communicate with staff have improved significantly. Specifically, a young person who did not use words to communicate with staff now attends weekly sessions at Scouts. This is a fantastic achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff links with the on-site school are well established. This means that staff communicate successfully with their education colleagues. As a result, there is seamless support during young people‟s transition from home to school. The one young person who is currently resident at the home is making steady academic progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have implemented new initiatives to understand young people‟s views and wishes. Every evening, staff spend time reflecting with young people on how their day has gone. This provides the opportunity for young people to talk to staff. Staff use these talks to give young people positive praise for the day. In addition to this, monthly reviews are completed with young people to enable them to have an input into the care they receive.

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

Since the last inspection, the home has experienced a stable and settled period, during which the number of missing incidents and physical restraints have reduced greatly. There are many reasons for this change, although staff‟s increased confidence and consistency of approach appear to be key factors in this.

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

The staff have recently introduced new behaviour management approaches, which are dynamic and responsive to the individual needs of young people. For example, a lucky dip rewards box provides one young person with instant recognition for his positive behaviour.

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

The staff have a good understanding of young people‟s vulnerabilities. Regularly reviewed risk assessments provide staff with clear guidance on how to keep young people safe.

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

The staff take proactive steps to safeguard young people. For example, a grab bag is now in place with items that include high visibility jackets and torches. This means that staff are ready and prepared to act swiftly should a young person go missing or there is an unexpected emergency.

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

The managers have introduced new health and safety monitoring systems to ensure that the home environment is safe. This includes appropriate measures to maintain and review fire safety. Inspection report children‟s home: SC1229534 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has operated without a registered manager since 31 January 2018. Until recently, the provider‟s attempts to secure a permanent registered manager have been unsuccessful. The lack of a registered manager over the last 10 months has meant that there has been no stable leadership for an extended period. However, a new manager has now been appointed. The post-holder has applied to Ofsted to be the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home‟s length of time without a registered manager means that leadership and management is judged inadequate, however, there are emerging strengths in this area. An additional manager and deputy manager have been appointed. The bolstered and refreshed leadership team presents as enthusiastic and well motivated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The managers have implemented significant changes since the last full inspection. Staff training and development have been at the heart of these initiatives. Staff have benefited from a wide range of targeted workshops aimed at ensuring that all staff understand their roles and responsibilities. As a result, staff now have the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff receive a good level of support in order to help them undertake their roles. For example, staff receive regular supervision and attend team meetings. The outcome is that staff are increasingly consistent in the care that they provide to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has an appropriate understanding of the home‟s areas of strength and weakness. Despite this, one requirement from the last full inspection has not been addressed. Specifically, the manager has not sufficiently reviewed the use of bedroom door alarms to ensure that they meet the individual needs of young people. A new requirement has been raised following this inspection. The manager has not ensured that copies of young people‟s care plans are on file. The impact of these shortfalls on young people‟s welfare and progress is limited. Inspection report children‟s home: SC1229534 6

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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: SC1229534 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Tape Street, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 1BB

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Karen Mitchell-Mellor

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Inspectors

Paul Robinson: social care regulatory inspector Michelle Bacon: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC1229534 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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