Children's home run by Oracle Care Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 1 SC378464 Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered for three children who require care, education and clinical support.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 21 to 22 November 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children‟s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 12 December 2017

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/12/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 31/05/2016 Full Good 08/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v) 20/12/2018

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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.

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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 the child‟s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(2)(c)) 20/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all the fire doors meet fire safety regulations. 23/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if— 14/12/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 4 the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2;

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional; and

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Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual‟s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual‟s duties. (Regulation 32 (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(8))

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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)(a)(b)(c)) 28/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person 20/12/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 5 or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular regard to the sanctions and restraints.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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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 (1)(3)) 20/12/2018

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Recommendations

 A record must be kept of all observations in bedrooms to ensure that children are not subject to unnecessary invasions of their privacy.(„Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 19, paragraph 3.36) This is in relation to ensuring that children‟s views are sought following a room search.  Ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, and that information regarding the child is recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.4) In particular, ensure that children‟s records are well maintained and clearly filed.

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improvement to be good

Children‟s records are not comprehensive. One child does not have his placing authority‟s care plan on file, and his care plan lacks important information. The plan gives no details of the current contact arrangements and provides no evidence of the attempts being made to resolve any difficulties. The lack of information could confuse the staff and hinder the child‟s progress.

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improvement to be good

One child was assaulted at school by a peer. Despite this, the daily recordings report that he had a good day and no follow-up support work could be found. This fails to show whether any emotional support was provided following a significant event for the child.

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improvement to be good

Children know how to make a complaint. Their views are gained through meetings and Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 6 key-working sessions. However, these are not always recorded appropriately, and the children are not aware of the outcomes. This could discourage children from sharing their opinions.

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improvement to be good

Before coming to the home, the children did not attend school regularly. Both are now achieving high attendance at the organisation‟s school. Staff support the children to attend. This builds good routines and increases their life choices.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage and support the children to engage in a range of activities in the community. The children enjoyed a summer holiday at the seaside with staff. These trips and activities enable children to increase their social skills.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to learn independence skills in line with their age, understanding and ability. Detailed pathway planning includes budgeting, housekeeping tasks and cooking skills. Work is consistent, and a child is making progress in these areas. This helps children to learn valuable future life skills.

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improvement to be good

Social workers reported that the children are happy. One said, „He is happy living in the home, has made progress in education, his presentation has greatly improved, and he has very good relationships with staff.‟ A parent said, „He listens to me more. I believe this is due to the work that has been done with him. He is as good as gold now.‟

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improvement to be good

Some of the staff‟s responses to safeguarding incidents have not been good enough. Staff failed, on three occasions, to escalate safeguarding concerns to the appropriate professionals. This practice does not ensure that children are safeguarded.

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improvement to be good

Records of physical restraint are recorded. However, children and staff are not always debriefed after the incident, and the records do not always include the manager‟s commentary on the effectiveness of the intervention used. This does not provide good oversight of these interventions.

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improvement to be good

Sanctions are fair and proportionate. However, the children do not comment on the sanction and the manager has not consistently commented on or evaluated their effectiveness. This does not provide a fair and open approach.

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improvement to be good

Staff carry out room searches when necessary. These are recorded. However, children do not have the opportunity to comment or sign to have their views recorded afterwards.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment checks are not comprehensive. These do not include the reason why staff have resigned from their previous post. This does not provide good background checks for new staff. Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 7 Risk assessments are comprehensive. These are reviewed and updated when necessary. These support the staff to safeguard the children.

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improvement to be good

Children said that they feel safe in the home because they can talk to staff if they are worried or upset.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been several managers in post since the last inspection. This has had an impact on the home. The current manager is not registered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have not received regular supervision. Some recordings of supervision are poor and lack information on decision-making or actions for staff following discussions. This does not support the staff in working with the children or encourage reflection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are staff appraisals due that have not been carried out. This does not support staff with their personal and professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The monitoring of the environment is poor. None of the children‟s bedroom doors are self-closing. This means that they will not protect children in the event of a fire. Checks failed to identify this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Children‟s care plans are not always provided by social workers. This fails to fully inform the staff working with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Some recordings lack clarity. Staff do not always follow up incidents with children to gain their views or feelings. This means that some staff will be unaware of incidents and therefore cannot support the child.

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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 Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 8 children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 54, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS

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Inspectors

Trish Palmer: social care inspector Lynne Drage: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC378464 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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