Children's home run by Oldham Children’s Social Care in Oldham

Inspection report children‟s home: SC387671 1 SC387671 Registered provider: Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is a six-bedded short-break service for disabled children. The home is within the Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council boundary and is for children from the Oldham and Rochdale area. In addition to the six beds available for planned admissions, another bed is retained for emergency accommodation for children who have additional and complex needs, to help families through real crisis periods, or for safeguarding reasons. The duration of short breaks can vary from day care-type provision up to a maximum of 17 days. Referrals must be assessed as requiring such a service by the respective children with disabilities social work teams and ratified through the referral and admissions processes of Oldham and Rochdale. The registered manager has been registered since March 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC387671 2

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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. Since the last full inspection, there have been three safeguarding incidents which have been reported to the regulator. Because of the first safeguarding concern, a monitoring visit was undertaken during the evening on 23 October 2018. At the monitoring visit, it was identified that there were ten breaches in regulations. The monitoring report has been published and the manager and responsible individual completed a detailed action plan to address the shortfalls. This inspection was to identify how the manager and staff have addressed the breeches in regulation and to make sure that safeguarding practice has improved. The manager, along with senior managers, has held meetings with staff and organised additional training and development for the staff team. Staff receive supervision each

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

month and also attend team meetings. This enables them to discuss and reflect on their practice. Staff recognise the importance of these meetings. One staff member said, „We are working better as a team and there are clear lines of accountability in place. Shift leaders make sure we know exactly who we are providing care and support to and what the desired outcomes for the young people are.‟ Young people‟s files have been reviewed and updated and contain greater information with short- and longer-term goals in place. The home is operating in accordance with the statement of purpose and no young person is staying at the home on a permanent basis, and are receiving short breaks in accordance with regulations. In October, the home was being used by other agencies to support a young person. This was outside the aims and objectives of the home, but this has now ceased. Short breaks are offered following considered impact assessments to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

make sure that the needs of the young people are clearly identified. Staff rotas reflect clearly the staff who are on duty and demonstrate that the level of staffing is in accordance with the assessed needs of the young people accessing the home. Of the 10 breaches in regulation at the monitoring visit, seven have been addressed. Further work is required in ensuring that the remaining three requirements are met in full. These include the completion of the review of all risk assessments for young people to clearly identify how risks will be managed and detail any new risks and the management of these. The deputy manager confirmed the ongoing review of all risk assessments which are currently being updated. Although management oversight has improved, further scrutiny of records needs to be continued, including detailed recording of the individual outcomes for each young person, as well as using research to further develop the service. This is particularly so

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

considering the registered manager is leaving the service later in March. Staff vacancies Inspection report children‟s home: SC387671 3 are being advertised and filled through dedicated bank workers to provide continuity to the young people. Following a medication error, staff have undertaken additional training on the storage, management and administration of medication. Shift leaders are responsible for ensuring that medication is administered in accordance with the individual young person‟s health care plan. Door alarms are fitted to all external doors. Staff check three times a day that the alarms are working and records are maintained to confirm that the checks have been undertaken. The manager is supported with monitoring the service by an external independent visitor who undertakes a monthly visit to the home, thereafter completing a written report. However, these reports have not been submitted to the regulator to enable oversight of

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

how the service is functioning. In addition, the six-monthly management report has not been sent to Ofsted as required by regulation. As a result, requirements have been made in relation to this. The manager submitted a delayed notification to the regulator of a safeguarding concern involving a young person. Although appropriate action was taken in informing the designated safeguarding leads, the manager did not demonstrate an understanding of the importance of ensuring that the regulator was informed of a child protection concern and the action taken. Following the inspection, five breaches in regulations have been identified. Timescales are in place for the service to address these shortfalls.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/04/2018 Full Good 16/08/2017 Full Good 01/02/2017 Full Good 25/10/2016 Full Inadequate Inspection report children‟s home: SC387671 4

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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 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— 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; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare; are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child protection policies (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(I)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)) 21/04/2019

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set in the home‟s statement of purpose; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child 21/04/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC387671 5 and use this understanding to inform the development and quality of care provided in the home; demonstrate that practice is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways the needs of

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Requirement Due date

children are best met; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(d)(f)(g)(I)(h)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each relevant person without delay if— There is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation40(4)(c)(e)) 21/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‟s home at least once each month. The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person‟s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether— Children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person‟s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44 (1)(4)(a)(b) and (7)(a)) 30/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review 30/04/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC387671 6 report").

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b) and (5))

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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: SC387671 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham OL1 1UT

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC387671 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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