Children's Home run by Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) in Leeds

Inspection report children’s home: SC001531 1 SC001531 Registered provider: Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds)

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to seven children or young people who have a range of emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, who may have experienced abuse, neglect or exclusion.

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Information about this children’s home

The staff provide care and support to children and young people who present with a range of issues, such as substance misuse, attachment difficulties and challenging behaviour.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the service is an experienced and qualified leader who has worked for the organisation, providing care for children and young people in residential settings, for over 10 years. She was registered with Ofsted in February 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 10 to 11 December 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 outstanding

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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: 26 September 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC001531 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2017 Full Good 14/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/11/2016 Full Outstanding 04/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC001531 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, the 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—

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Requirement Due date

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)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that impact risk assessments completed prior to placement contain further information gathered from the placing authority and a full evaluation of how the home intends to meet the needs and mitigate risks in order to safely accommodate children and young people. 31/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 31/01/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC001531 4

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Recommendations

 Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12) In particular, to continue with plans to develop the skills and knowledge of staff in relation to safeguarding risks posed by criminal exploitation and gang culture.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how staff should support the child on return to the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people have developed close and trusted bonds with a stable, experienced and nurturing staffing team. One young person said: ‘This is a good care home, the staff are all good.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people who have experienced disruption to their education prior to coming to the home have been successfully reintroduced to education routines. Staff celebrate the educational achievements of children and young people and encourage ambition and a healthy work ethic. This will help children and young people to achieve economic well-being in adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Healthcare is excellent. Children have routine healthcare assessments and are registered with local services. One child has achieved improved sleep routines, which has resulted in a reduction of his medication. One healthcare professional said: ‘Staff are proactive and will involve me to encourage healthy lifestyles and choices for the young people in their care.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are helped to develop hobbies and interests. A variety of activities are on offer, both inside and outside of the home. This helps to enhance their self-esteem and encourages improved emotional well-being. A social worker said: ‘When [name of young person] arrived he took no interest in anything, but he has developed interests in skateboarding and scootering and has said that he would like to try photography. This is really good to see.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take children and young people on holidays. This broadens their experiences and provides them with enjoyable and life-enhancing opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team ensures that children and young people maintain contact with people Inspection report children’s home: SC001531 5 who are important to them. When possible, families are welcomed into the home and are able to visit children and young people. One parent said: ‘The staff are brilliant. The home is fantastic.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The physical environment in the home is well maintained and welcoming. Two communal areas were found to be locked, following night-time routines. A requirement is made to ensure that these areas are only locked with a valid safeguarding reason and that this is recorded and regularly reviewed.

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

Children and young people have been admitted to the home with very challenging and complex needs. Leaders completed impact risk assessments on the basis of information provided. Some placing authorities did not share all appropriate information prior to placement.

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

A more assertive approach to information-gathering and evaluation prior to the point of placement may have altered the original placing decisions. A requirement is made to enhance this aspect of practice.

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

Some young people have left the home following significant safeguarding incidents. Those incidents have been very well managed. The staff worked with other agencies to support young people appropriately to move on from the home in a positive manner.

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

Physical interventions are rare and only occur in order to keep children and young people safe. Incidents are recorded and debriefed with young people and staff to ensure continuous learning from these events.

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

Risk management plans identify all known risks and contain strategies for staff to reduce the level of risk to children and young people. Children and young people are becoming increasingly safe at this home. One social worker said: ‘[Name of young person] clearly feels safe, perhaps for the first time in a long time.’

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

Some children and young people were admitted to the home with concerns relating to gang culture and use of weapons. Staff have worked in partnership with other agencies to deliver appropriate direct work to children and young people, which has had a positive impact and has reduced the likelihood of recurrence of this behaviour.

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

The staff team has had safeguarding training. Further enhanced courses are planned to enhance the staff team’s understanding and practice in relation to criminal exploitation and gang culture. A recommendation is made to ensure that this work continues, as these matters are particularly relevant at this home.

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

Children and young people are rarely missing from home. They have individual missing from home protocols. The staff understand how the strategies differ for each child or young person. The plans could be enhanced to include those individual strategies in children’s and young people’s records. Inspection report children’s home: SC001531 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and the two deputy managers form a highly competent, experienced and inspirational leadership team. There is a culture of very high aspiration for children to achieve in their education and to provide them with life enhancing experiences at every opportunity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision is regular. Staff have accessed recent supervision training to introduce more opportunities to reflect on practice and individual skills and capabilities. Staff report that the service is extremely well managed and the environment in the home is supportive and encouraging.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders are highly creative with resources. Staffing levels are plentiful to give the children and young people the best possible opportunities and experiences. This includes holidays overseas, regular activities and providing ongoing support to young people who have left the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leadership team advocates strongly for children and young people. An advocacy professional said: ‘Often, I find they have already been advocating for the young person and will then approach our service with the young person’s consent.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and staff work closely with other agencies to achieve the best possible outcomes for the children and young people in their care. One healthcare professional said: ‘Staff are helpful and flexible. They encourage and support young people to engage and participate.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Placing authorities and other partners have provided highly positive feedback about this service. One social worker said: ‘I couldn’t be happier with the care [name of young person] receives at the 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 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. Inspection report children’s home: SC001531 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 11 North Grange Road, Leeds LS6 2BR

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Inspector

Nicola Thomas: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC001531 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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