Children's Home run by Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd in Dudley

Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 1 SC483958 Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately operated children‟s home is registered to provide care for three young people who have social and emotional difficulties, and who may also have learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There was no registered manager in post at the time of inspection. The current manager has resigned and is currently working his notice.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection in May 2018. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been no registered manager since May 2018. Since August 2018, a new manager has been in post. However, he has recently resigned and is currently working his notice. The absence of a registered manager has left young people and staff without leadership and management from a person who has successfully been registered with Ofsted to manage the home.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, three requirements were raised. Two of out of these three requirements have been addressed. This has resulted in staff now receiving regular supervision, and improvements being made to the safe recruitment of staff. However, insufficient action has been taken to meet the requirement to improve the statement of Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 2 purpose. As a result, the statement of purpose still has inaccuracies and Ofsted has still not received a copy of the document.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

As a result of this inspection, five new requirements and three recommendations have been raised.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been several changes of young people living at the home. Six young people have been admitted and four young people have moved out. Three of the young people only stayed at the home for a brief period of time while more appropriate placements were identified. Young people are often admitted quickly to the home and staff are not always prepared for the levels of behaviour and risk that young people present. This means that staff are not always able to keep young people safe.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all areas of the house are welcoming and homely. For example, in the living room the walls are covered in bare plaster and are damp, and there is no television. The door to the office is broken. A light in one young person‟s bedroom has neither a working light bulb nor a lampshade and in a second bedroom the curtain rail is not attached to the wall. Several areas of the home need redecoration to repair the damage that has been caused by young people during incidents.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not always follow procedures that help them to keep everyone safe in the home. During the inspection the cupboard that holds sharp knives was found unlocked. On occasion, young people have been able to spend time with each other unsupervised. Consequently, they have put themselves at risk.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

One member of staff has not attained the level 3 diploma in residential childcare within the set time period. Two other members of staff have not received sufficient training in using the home‟s approved method of physical intervention.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a lack of secure storage in the home. Consequently, young people‟s care records and confidential staff records are not stored securely.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are shortfalls in the responses to complaints. For example, managers have not recorded a recent complaint raised by a parent in the complaints‟ log. For some historical complaints there are no outcomes or details of the investigations recorded.

p.2

and young people since the most recent full inspection

When young people go missing from the home, staff do not complete records in detail. For example, staff miss out details such as the date and time of the missing-from-care episode, and how the child was returned home. Managers do not ensure that return home interviews take place. This creates a missed opportunity to understand more about the reasons why a young person has put themselves at risk.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 3 20/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/11/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

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)) 29/03/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.3

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home‟s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 29/03/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and 29/03/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 4 notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.3

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

p.4

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

p.4

Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32(4)(a)(b)) 29/03/2019

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

p.4

Requirement Due date

securely in the children‟s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(2)(c)(d)) 29/03/2019

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI‟s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39(1)(3)(5)) 29/03/2019

p.4

Recommendations

 Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36, schedule 3(14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child‟s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff, or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 46, paragraph 9.31) This is with particular regard to ensuring that staff fully complete missing-from- Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 5 care documentation.  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes

p.4

Recommendations

should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph 9.30) This is with particular regard to ensuring that independent return home interviews are offered when children return after being missing or away from the home without permission.  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home‟s Statement of Purpose. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 49, paragraph 9.57)

p.5

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.

p.5

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.

p.5

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‟.

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 6 Registered provider address: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd, 3 Churchill House Queen Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1SN

p.5

Inspector

Debbie Holder, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7