Children's home run by Pine Forest Homes Limited in Cannock Chase

Inspection report for children‟s home monitoring visit: SC373693 1 SC373693

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Pine Forest Homes Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people aged eight to 17 years. The home provides both short- and long-term placements for young people who may have faced adverse childhood experiences, trauma, and placement and family breakdown.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not currently have a manager in post. The home has been without a registered manager since December 2015.

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This monitoring visit

This children‟s home was judged inadequate at the last two full inspections on 3 and 4 July 2018 and on 2 and 3 October 2018. A notice of restriction issued on 11 July 2018, to prevent any further young people from being admitted to the home, was reissued on 3 October 2018. At the time of this monitoring inspection, the home was subject to two compliance notices, both of which were issued following the full inspection in October 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has continued to comply with the restriction notice, as no further young people have been admitted to the home. There was one young person living in the home at the time that the monitoring inspection was conducted.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this inspection was to review the action taken to meet the two compliance notices. All the requirements raised at the inspection in October 2018 remain within the timescale for completion. Consequently, this visit has considered the level of progress being made by managers in meeting these requirements.

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This monitoring visit

At this monitoring inspection, inspectors found that some progress had been made. One compliance notice and four requirements have been met. Inspection report for children‟s home monitoring visit: SC373693 2 There has been progress in relation to education. The young person is now regularly attending a work placement, and staff communicate with education colleagues to maintain oversight of this. In addition, staff have been working with the young person to help him to develop the skills that he will need in adulthood. This has included sessions looking at healthy eating and meal planning, which have positively impacted on the young person‟s diet.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have updated the home‟s statement of purpose to ensure that this now accurately reflects the correct conditions of registration for the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have acted to ensure that the home conditions are safe and well maintained. This has included redecoration of some areas of the home and work to improve the outside space.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have now undertaken food hygiene training and, as a result, food storage at the home has improved.

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This monitoring visit

Despite these improvements, the rate of progress remains slow and the action taken by managers has not always been effective. For example, managers have introduced new risk assessments that are focused on the specific needs of the young person. Managers have completed group and individual work with staff to ensure that staff understand these risk assessments and how they are to implement them. However, on a further three occasions in the past month staff failed to follow the risk assessments. On two occasions, these failures resulted in delay in the young person being reported missing from home. Managers are now considering whether formal action is required in response to incidents of continued staff failure.

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This monitoring visit

Most staff have undertaken the range of core training required by the organisation. However, a member of staff who at the full inspection in October had not completed an induction has still not done so. Despite this, this staff member continues to work alone on shift. This continued omission fails to ensure that staff have the essential skills and the knowledge that is required for them to take sole charge of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have sought learning opportunities for staff to develop their understanding of criminal exploitation and „county lines‟, devising their own workshops when formal training has not been available. However, staff have still not undertaken training to increase their understanding of the risks for young people associated with gangs. The responsible individual told inspectors that this was because this was no longer considered to be a risk for the young person living at the home. This view fails to ensure that staff have the necessary understanding of the risks faced by young people in the wider community.

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This monitoring visit

There is no manager in post at this home. The responsible individual has assumed day- to-day management oversight of the home while a new manager is recruited. The home has now been without a registered manager since December 2015.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, one new requirement has been raised. One compliance notice has been issued in relation to staff training. Inspection report for children‟s home monitoring visit: SC373693 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/10/2018 Full Inadequate 03/07/2018 Full Inadequate 13/03/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 14/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children‟s home monitoring visit: SC373693 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff 

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‟s or a relevant person‟s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child‟s needs are met in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who engage with them.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to express views, wishes and feelings. (Regulation 7(1)(b)(2)(a)(ii)(b)) 30/11/2018

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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 in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b), (2)(c))* 12/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children‟s home if there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider is an organisation or a partnership; does not satisfy regulation 28; or is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of 

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and the date on which 30/11/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home monitoring visit: SC373693 5 the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27(1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii), (2)(a)(b)) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children‟s home if full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1), (2)(a), (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to verification, as far as reasonably practicable, of the reason why employment or position ended where the applicant has been previously employed in a position involving work with children or vulnerable adults. 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

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)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; and there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(b)(e)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45(1), (2)(a)(b)(c), (3)) 30/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and 30/11/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home monitoring visit: SC373693 6 suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children‟s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in Regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(1), (2))

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 An individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home‟s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home‟s care („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 65, paragraph 65)

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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.

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Children’s home details

Inspection report for children‟s home monitoring visit: SC373693 7 Unique reference number: SC373693

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pine Forest Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ballance & Lowbridge Accountants, 65 Market Street, Hednesford, Cannock, Staffordshire WS12 1AD

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Inspectors

Tracey Coglan Greig, social care inspector Debbie Holder, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home monitoring visit: SC373693 8 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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