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

Inspection report children’s home: SC035492 1 SC035492 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

This is a local authority children’s home. It provides short-break care and accommodation from Friday until Monday. At any given time, the home can accommodate up to four children and young people, including one emergency placement. The staff also provide outreach services for children, young people and their families. The aim of this service is to prevent admissions into care and to support and improve family relationships. This home is managed by a registered manager who was registered by Ofsted in November 2018.

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Date of last inspection: 19 December 2018

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Judgement at last inspection: good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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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 sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people make progress by staying for short breaks in this home. There is evidence of improvement to young people’s lives due to the quality of care provided. For some young people, the support that they have received from staff has strengthened family relationships and helped them to remain with their families. Inspection report children’s home: SC035492 2 Transitions are managed well. When young people are admitted in an emergency, staff ensure that they have all the relevant information about the young people before they are admitted. The manager considers the impact on the young people already in the home. Staff support young people to move on from the home by continuing to offer outreach support if this is necessary.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff listen to young people’s views. For example, they consider young people’s preferences about the bedrooms that they want to stay in for their short break. This ensures that young people’s views are central to their care and that they get the most out of their stays at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one missing from home incident since the last inspection. Staff followed the correct protocol by reporting the young person as missing to the police. However, the recording of missing from home incidents does not demonstrate that staff have followed actions in young people’s missing from home risk assessments, for example searching for young people. Furthermore, recording does not show that there was any manager’s evaluation of the incident. This limits the opportunity to identify any gaps in staff practice or to identify what worked well.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work well with agencies such as local authorities and their social workers. This ensures that young people receive a multi-agency approach to their care. Professionals are complimentary about the service and how its work contributes to good outcomes for young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff receive a good range of training to support them in their roles. The manager needs to ensure that staff have access to training on self-harm so that they have the necessary skills to support young people who may demonstrate this behaviour.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has acted to address the recommendations made at the last inspection. The manager has provided suitable challenge to inappropriate placements since the last inspection and this has minimised the cancellation of planned admissions.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provider does not ensure that the reports of the independent visitor are sent to HMCI, in line with the regulations. This hinders the regulator’s ability to monitor the quality of care provided in the home .

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2018 Full Good 17/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/10/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC035492 3

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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 ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (1)(4)(a)(b) and (7)(a)) 30/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Recommendations

 Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. The registered person should ensure that skills in safeguarding are gained, refreshed and recorded in the home’s workforce plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12) In particular, staff should have training in relation to, and an understanding of, self-harm.  Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record or retain evidence of what worked well. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31) Inspection report children’s home: SC035492 4

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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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider : Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

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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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Inspectors

Sarah Billett, social care inspector Sarah Oldham, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC035492 5 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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