Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC390576 1 SC390576 Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A large provider of children’s services operates this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in 2017.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place in response to concerns raised in safeguarding notifications and by a placing authority.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found cause for serious safeguarding concerns and weaknesses in leadership and management, which place children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has failed to respond rigorously to a child’s allegations. Although she took some steps to reduce risk, these were not sufficient. The registered manager has not reviewed all children’s risk assessments following the allegations. The risk assessments that have been devised since the allegations were made lack detail and clarity to guide staff about the actions they need to take to reduce the risk of harm. In addition, the quality of staff recording is poor, and it is unclear what actions staff take to safeguard children.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has not shared information about the allegations with the placing authorities of all other children who live at the home. Consequently, placing authorities are unable to accurately assess the risks that may affect the children that they have placed at the home and make decisions about the children’s safety and welfare.

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This monitoring visit

Bedtime routines mean that staff do not adequately check on children from the time children go to bed until the morning. Staff do not go upstairs to settle children to sleep or to confirm that they are in their own bedrooms. This approach does not Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC390576 2 provide children with nurturing or safe care.

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This monitoring visit

One hour after children go to bed, the electricity supply to the electrical sockets in their bedrooms is cut off. This means that their televisions, music systems and bedside lamps are turned off. This institutionalised practice does not promote positive relationships between staff and children or enable staff to promote children’s welfare.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager did not notify Ofsted of an additional serious incident in the home when the police recovered weapons, drugs and drugs paraphernalia from a child’s bedroom. Staff were unaware that the child felt the need to carry weapons or that he had brought them into the home.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager and staff were aware that one child smoked cannabis. However, they did not sufficiently assess and respond to this risk, which left the child at continued risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager and staff do not recognise risk and minimise potentially risky situations. Managers and staff lack sufficient knowledge, understanding and professional curiosity about a range of behaviours. Consequently, they do not adequately identify, assess and manage risk, and this leaves children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Although two children no longer live at the home, serious concerns remain about the capacity of managers and staff to protect children. Ofsted held an urgent case review, and a notice restricting the accommodation of any further children to the home was served, along with a compliance notice.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/07/2018 Full Outstanding 12/12/2017 Full Good 17/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC390576 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets 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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Requirements Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirements 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.

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Requirements Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessments are accurate and up to date. Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i))* 03/04/2019

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Requirements Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirements Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(vi)) 03/04/2019

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Requirements Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that—

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Requirements Due date

the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(b)) 03/04/2019

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Requirements 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—

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Requirements Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirements Due date

promotes their welfare. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)) 03/02/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC390576 4 The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirements Due date

understand the children’s home overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirements Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare. (Regulation 6(2)(b)(ii)) 03/04/2019

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Requirements Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. (Regulation 19(1)) 03/04/2019

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Requirements Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 03/04/2019

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Recommendations:

Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. In particular, case records should be accurate and detailed (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC390576 5

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Inspector

Rebecca Quested, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC390576 6 to 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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