Children's Home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC020607 1 SC020607 Registered provider: New Horizons Childcare Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company that operates a number of children’s homes across the country owns this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who have social and emotional difficulties. The manager was registered with Ofsted in February 2017. She holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Date of last inspection: 5 September 2018

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit took place on 25 October 2018. Two requirements, but no further compliance actions, resulted from the visit.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A monitoring visit took place in October 2018 due to Ofsted being notified of concerns about the safety of children at the home. As a result of this visit, a requirement relating to the matching of children in the home was raised. Prior to this monitoring visit, there was a full inspection in September 2018 which judged the home to be good.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This interim inspection has identified significant shortfalls with regards to the safety and welfare of the one child who is currently placed in the home. These shortfalls include: Inspection report children’s home: SC020607 2  Failure to follow up significant child protection concerns with local authorities.  Failure to effectively manage the risk of fire.  Failure to take effective action where there are concerns about a young person’s welfare.  Failure to ensure that staff are suitably skilled in managing young people’s disclosures of abuse.  Failure to ensure that a child’s bedroom is free from hazards to health and well-being.  Failure to ensure that the health needs of a child are being positively addressed.  Failure to ensure that there is adequate monitoring and review of the home.  Failure to ensure that the views of young people are recorded when sanctions are used.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child made a disclosure of abuse. This disclosure was made to staff but not referred to the placing authority for two days. This delay meant that appropriate actions were not taken, and that the child was not supported appropriately. The registered manager did take some actions three days after the disclosure was made but these were not sufficient. Despite the severity of the disclosure, the registered manager did not actively follow up with the placing authority about the protective actions being taken. This delay has placed the child at continuing risk. The failure of staff to recognise, and respond, to the child’s disclosure means that staff lack the essential knowledge and understanding of how to effectively protect children who make disclosures.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a continuing risk of fire in the home. Despite staff having suspicions that the child may be smoking in their bedroom, there has been no change to the risk management or work completed to reduce the risk. During the inspection, the inspector observed the child’s bedroom and identified the following shortfalls:

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

 A used ashtray was in the bedroom and there were part-smoked cigarettes on the bedroom floor and dressing table.  The child’s mattress was stained.  Food and other detritus was on the floor of the bedroom.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager confirmed that staff regularly check the child’s bedroom. These checks are wholly ineffective as staff are not acting where there are concerns about the child’s room. Ofsted has notified the local fire and rescue service of the potential fire risk.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff lack the skills, knowledge and understanding to provide safe and effective care. Staff training is not up to date and staff do not know how to respond to child protection concerns. Staff also fail to promote the child’s health. The inspector read a key-working session record from 13 November 2018 which states, ‘I said that staff are happy to come outside with you when you want to go out for a cigarette.’ This means that staff are condoning the child’s smoking. This has the potential to significantly affect the health and welfare of the child.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been two restraints since the last inspection. Both were managed appropriately. Sanctions are used rarely. However, when they are used, there is not Inspection report children’s home: SC020607 3 always confirmation that the child has been spoken to about the use of the measure. This means that there is the potential for any concerns from the child to go unheard and to not be responded to.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and the registered provider have failed to monitor and review the home. Since the inspection of September 2018, there has been considerable decline in the quality of care. This means that managers and staff are not providing safe and effective care. Shortfalls in staff practice have not been effectively challenged or identified. This is negatively affecting the outcomes for the child living in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been some progress since the last inspection. The child is now attending education and the registered manager has made improvements to the home’s admission process. This follows the previous monitoring inspection. The staff team is stable, and the one new member of staff has been safely recruited. Staff are supervised by the home’s management and, aside from the child’s bedroom, the home is well presented and maintained.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/09/2018 Full Good 20/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/09/2017 Full Good 21/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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, seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (b)) 08/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met, children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 08/02/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC020607 4 (Regulation 10 (1)(a–c)) 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 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)) 08/02/2019

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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 take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(vi)) 08/02/2019

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(d)) 08/02/2019

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 08/02/2019

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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 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 08/02/2019

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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 and have a 08/02/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC020607 5 positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)) If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home 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)) 08/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 08/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c)) 08/02/2019

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: SC020607 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, 2nd Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Inspector

Peter Hylton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC020607 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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