Children's Home run by New Roots Children’s Services Limited in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 1

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New Roots Children’s Services

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who exhibit emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is currently vacant, as the previous registered manager resigned following the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on 11 and 12 February 2019, the home was judged inadequate. Several shortfalls were identified, including the lack of awareness and understanding of serious safeguarding matters by managers and staff, notably that managers and staff did not recognise, assess and respond appropriately to serious allegations made by young people. The lack of robust safeguarding practice compromised young people’s welfare and safety.

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This monitoring visit

Additionally, the poor quality of care, unsafe practice and ineffective management of the home impacted adversely on the quality of care and support provided to young people. The ineffective monitoring of the service did not identify the poor quality of care and protection provided by the staff team. Two compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000; regulation 12, the help and protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

On 28 March 2019, Lisa Mulcahy social care regulatory inspector completed an unannounced monitoring visit. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to assess the progress made by the provider regarding the two compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager resigned from her post following the inadequate full inspection and the responsible individual has taken over responsibility for the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 2 running of the home until a new manager is appointed. The responsible individual has taken sufficient steps to improve safeguarding practice at the home. Allegations have been referred to the local authority designated officer, and risk assessments are more robust and now identify more clearly the full range of young people’s needs and vulnerabilities. The revised risk assessments provide staff with improved guidance on what action they must take when a young person is at risk of significant harm, for example from being missing from home, or heightened anxiety and self- harm.

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This monitoring visit

Placement plans have been improved and include details of young people’s individual needs, the strategies to meet their needs and the aims and objectives of the placement. Placement plans demonstrate young people’s background and journey from their starting point when they moved into the home. Young people have been involved in formulating their placement plans and their voice is incorporated throughout the plans.

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This monitoring visit

Staff provide the young people with regular support that is targeted to their needs, for example to help manage relationships, to cope with exam pressure and to have coping strategies and hopes and dreams. The young people benefit from improved key-work sessions with staff and they are learning how to keep themselves safe. One young person commented that he now feels safe and able to talk to the staff about any worries he may have. Consequently, the young people now feel valued and listened to.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received additional training, including equality and diversity, autism spectrum disorder and Asperger’s syndrome, managing complaints, compliments and comments, and training in how to respond and support a young person who may self-harm. This range of training is helping to enhance their knowledge and skills. Some staff have completed local authority designated officer training, and those who have not yet completed this training are enrolled on future sessions. Additionally, all staff have received quality supervision with the responsible individual and attended a team meeting that has enabled them to reflect on their practice, the shortfalls identified at the inadequate inspection, the action required to make the necessary improvement and the needs of the young people. Consequently, staff feel better supported and more confident in providing a good quality of care.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has taken suitable action to address the shortfalls in recruitment practice. All references for staff have been re-verified and include information confirming that all staff are suitable to work with young people. Furthermore, gaps in education and employment history for staff have been explored. This demonstrates safer recruitment practice.

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This monitoring visit

Improved monitoring systems are helping the responsible individual to identify and act to address shortfalls. Management audits of case files, medication and looked after children documents have been introduced. Additionally, staff receive clear management direction and support. A new independent person has been appointed to complete the monthly independent monitoring of the home to ensure a rigorous Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 3 and impartial assessment is made about the home’s arrangements to promote the welfare of young people. As a result, the quality of and consistency in care have improved.

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This monitoring visit

The two compliance notices have been met. No further enforcement action is planned. However, a further inspection will take place to review how these improvements are being embedded into the home’s practice and to ensure that the home’s ongoing development is sustained.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/02/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(viii)) 05/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; 05/04/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 5 understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(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—

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Requirement 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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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)) 25/03/2019

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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 children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and 25/03/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 6 skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b)(2)(a)(c)(f)(h)) The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(2)(a)(c)) 05/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it and 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)) 05/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1)(2)(c)) 05/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

A record is kept of the administration of medicine to each 05/04/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 7 child. (Regulation 23 (1)(2)(c)) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(3)(a)(b)(d)) 05/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

and receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 05/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 05/04/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 8 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure;

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 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)(a)(b)(c)) The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 05/04/2019

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Recommendations

 Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care sets out the steps local authorities and their partners should take to prevent children from going missing and to protect them when they go missing. Children’s homes should have regard to the relevant aspects of this guidance. Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.25 and page 46, paragraph 9.31)  For children’s home to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 9 arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Roots Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 139 Stoney Lane, Merseyside L35 9JY

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Inspector

Lisa Mulcahy, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1277656 10 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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