Children's home run by Discovered Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1272209 1 Registered provider: Discovered Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This five-bedded home was registered in April 2018. It provides care for children who have experienced traumatic childhoods and require support in a nurturing, structured and therapeutic environment. The manager was registered when the home opened and is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 20 to 21 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 good

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

N/A N/A N/A Inspection report children’s home: 1272209 2

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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 make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. In particular the registered person must ensure that— medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1)(2)(b)(c)) 20/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to— HMCI; the placing authorities of children; the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (7)(a)(c)(d)(e)) 20/02/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working at the home must understand their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own initiative. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20) In particular, ensure that children receive consistent responses to matters such as smoking in the house.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, Inspection report children’s home: 1272209 3 paragraph 14.4) In particular, ensure that records are completed fully, with attention to detail and accuracy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is the first inspection since the home registered in April 2018. All the children speak positively about their home. One child who has experienced numerous placement breakdowns said, ‘It is the best placement I have been in. I love it here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

It is evident that children have progressed since moving in. They are more settled and are taking pride in themselves and their home. One child, who previously struggled to sleep upstairs, now says that he loves his bedroom because he has been involved in personalising it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are enthusiastic about their work. They have a good understanding of the children’s needs and an awareness of how the children’s behaviours are negatively affected by their past experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff quickly identify when children may be showing signs of a change in mood. This knowledge has assisted the staff to respond quickly when children are feeling low or wanting to self-harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are generally responding well to the boundaries that are being put in place by staff. However, children do not receive a consistent response from staff when they test these boundaries. This is being addressed by the manager through staff supervision and team meetings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Each child has moved into the home having previously been excluded from school, and with a history of poor school attendance. At present, none of the children have a permanent school placement. Staff are actively advocating for this to change and are arranging home tuition in the interim.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are reluctant to participate in house meetings. However, they share their views with the staff in key-work sessions and direct conversations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are building and promoting family contact arrangements. The children are supported to have difficult conversations with their families. These open and honest discussions are paving the way for improved relationships.

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

Some of the children were initially wary of going into the community. The staff are working with them so that they can enjoy free time like many children their age. This is Inspection report children’s home: 1272209 4 being sensitively managed on an individual basis. Children are building self-esteem and growing in confidence as a result.

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

Some children have taken part in introductory sessions with the therapist. The children are increasingly able to understand how they have previously been placing themselves in risky situations. This knowledge is helping them to recognise risk and to learn how to avoid similar situations.

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

The home experienced several incidents in the first few months after opening. These led to one placement ending early to ensure the safety of the children and the staff. The staff had noted when they felt a child’s behaviour might be bullying. This proactive approach enabled the staff to address the concern before it worsened.

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

There have been 12 incidents that resulted in the use of physical interventions. Each hold was brief. The need to use these interventions has greatly reduced over recent months.

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

Going missing from home episodes are rare. On the two occasions that this has occurred, children have been missing only for very short periods. The staff appropriately followed missing from home protocols and independent return home interviews were conducted. Staff undertake training courses that assist them to work with the children to minimise risk taking, involvement with crime, drug misuse and county line concerns.

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

The records of medication dispensed have some omissions. In addition to revising some of the paperwork, the manager is addressing the issue with the staff to prevent reoccurrences.

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

Although no complaints or allegations have been made, the children are aware of how to raise any concerns that they may have. The staff are familiar with the whistleblowing process and say that they would not hesitate to use it if they had any concerns about a colleague’s practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has several years’ experience in residential settings and is suitably qualified. She and her team have high aspirations for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The team is new and still forming. The managers are placing a greater emphasis on the staff receiving regular supervision. Team meetings take place regularly. The home’s therapeutic team attends some of these meetings. This ensures that the team can devise joint strategies to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has quickly forged good relationships with professionals involved in the children’s lives. A social worker and an independent reviewing officer spoke positively about how the manager advocates for the children and sensitively manages the differing expectations of children, their families and professionals. Inspection report children’s home: 1272209 5 The manager ensures that she holds other agencies to account by appropriately challenging poor decision making, poor planning or lack of resources. A social worker said, ‘She argues for what is right for the child. She’ll advocate and will criticise but can also accept criticism.’ This reflective and open approach is enhancing partnership working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent visitor completes a report about their monthly visit to the home. The reports are used to develop the service but have not been routinely forwarded to Ofsted. This prevents Ofsted having timely insight into events within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good sense of the home’s areas of weakness. She is working with the staff on the need for consistency in their responses to the children and the need for greater accuracy and attention to detail in all aspects of recording.

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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: 1272209 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4–4A Blackburn Road, Accrington BB5 1HD

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Inspector

Sonia Hay: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1272209 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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