Children's Home run by Future In Mind Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 1 SC063653 Registered provider: Future in Mind

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to two children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours. Children are engaged in a therapeutic programme. The manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2017 and is working towards a qualification in leadership and management. The manager is also the registered manager of another of the organisation’s homes.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 26 November 2018

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/11/2018 Full Good 10/01/2018 Full Good 22/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 09/08/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that— staff provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably and ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. Regulation 6(1)(a)(2)(b)(vii)(c)(i)) 20/05/2019

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— 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)(viii) 20/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10(1)(a)(2)(a)(i)) In particular, ensure that children’s health plans contain all relevant information about children’s specific needs, including guidance to staff about how to meet these needs. 20/05/2019

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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 20/05/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 4 into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; that 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; 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)(a)(i)(b)(d)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the

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Requirement Due date

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 out in the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(h)) 20/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises— is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate, is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 20/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that— the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. 20/05/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 5 (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(b)(d)) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by

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Requirement Due date

the relevant date, the individual has attained the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. The relevant date is in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. Regulation 32(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 20/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out— how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home. (Regulation 35(1)(a)) Specially, ensure that behavioural management plans are updated and reviewed. 20/05/2019

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Recommendations

 Ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) In particular, ensure that the frequency of supervision aligns with that set out in the statement of purpose for new staff and that staff receive consistently good supervision.  Ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care to inform and support continued improvements in the quality of care provided. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon, (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11) In particular, ensure that children receive personalised feedback to see the action taken regarding their wishes and feelings. Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 6

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improvement to be good

There are currently two children living in this home. Although children have made some good progress since coming to live at the home, this is not always maintained.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not encourage the children to spend time together, and children are occupied separately inside and outside of the home. This is because of the impact that the two girls have on each other’s behaviour. As a result, children are not encouraged to develop positive and healthy relationships with each other, and the atmosphere in the home can be unsettled.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand some of the children’s anxieties and emotional vulnerabilities. Staff give children praise and show them appropriate affection. Children develop some positive relationships with some staff.

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improvement to be good

Children’s educational progress varies. For example, one child is supported to attend school; she has excellent attendance and is making good progress. However, another child’s progress at school has deteriorated and she is now being educated at home. While this is a temporary measure, it means that the child is not receiving adequate education, and this compromises the child’s learning and progress. The registered manager is aware that this situation cannot continue and is taking some steps to address this.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always follow children’s health plans effectively. For example, staff told the inspectors that they do not follow menu plans that are in place to encourage healthy eating. This means that the children are not always receiving a healthy diet. Furthermore, a child’s health plan does not contain sufficient detail and guidance for staff to follow about this child’s health condition. This has the potential to compromise children’s health and well-being.

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improvement to be good

Some children benefit from an in-house therapeutic programme. This provides children with individual and focused care. For example, one child’s self-regulation has improved at school, and there are fewer behavioural incidents.

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improvement to be good

Staff regularly seek children’s views through key work sessions and children’s meetings. However, when children express their views or interests these are not always followed up by staff. For example, one child showed an interest in a garden project. However, this had not been followed up six weeks later. This means that children do not see that their views are valued and acted on.

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improvement to be good

The children are supported and encouraged by staff to maintain positive relationships with those who are important to them. When necessary, contact plans are reviewed and arrangements modified to support children’s individual needs. Staff understand the importance of children spending good-quality and meaningful time with their birth family Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 7 and manage this well.

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improvement to be good

Staff have developed positive working relationships with professionals and parents, who are pleased with the care provided by staff and the impact that this has on children. One parent told the inspector, ‘[My daughter] has made more progress in the last three months than in the past three years she has been in care.’

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments lack clarity and they are not routinely followed or regularly reviewed by managers and staff. For example, despite one child’s risk assessment stating that they should not be left unsupervised in the kitchen, inspectors observed the child preparing their own meal. Not following risk assessments has the potential to place children at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Staff have implemented restrictions in the home in an effort to manage a child’s self- harming behaviour. This includes restricting access to certain areas of the home to keep the child safe. However, this practice is not subject to regular review. For example, additional staffing is now in place to support the child, and so restricting her access to certain areas of the home is no longer proportionate.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that each child has their own behaviour support plan. However, these are not kept up to date and do not provide staff with sufficient information to enable them to always manage behaviour effectively. Sometimes, staff struggle to manage the children’s behaviour, and this has resulted in them calling police to the home. Although no formal action has been taken by the police to date, police intervention increases the risk of children being criminalised.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager has not ensured that staff who work in the home are safely recruited. For example, the registered manager has not always verified references before new staff have started work. This places children at risk from potentially unsuitable adults.

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improvement to be good

When staff are required to physically intervene to safeguard a child, these incidents are largely well documented. The registered manager provides oversight to help staff learn from incidents that happen. Although debriefs with staff occur, work is ongoing to ensure that these are recorded thoroughly.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond well when children go missing from the home. They follow the children into the community and inform the relevant professionals such as the police and the placing authority.

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improvement to be good

Managers respond appropriately when concerns are raised about staff practice. This means that issues are addressed and any potential risks arising from these concerns are minimised. Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 8 When children make disclosures of historical abuse, staff respond promptly. They share information with relevant partners so that the disclosures can be investigated and children supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not help children to maintain their bedrooms to an acceptable standard. Despite inspectors raising concerns about this during the inspection, the registered manager did not take prompt action. Poorly maintained bedrooms do not help children to feel valued and invest in their home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home does not provide a homely environment and needs new furnishings and decoration throughout. Furthermore, not all risks relating to the environment have been adequately assessed and acted on. For example, potential ligature risks in a child’s bedroom have not been fully assessed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of supervision that staff receive is variable. Although some staff receive good-quality, regular supervision, others do not. Furthermore, the registered manager does not always use supervision effectively to monitor staff progress or training objectives. This does not promote staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has failed to ensure that staff who work in the home have the necessary qualifications to meet the complex needs of the children who live there. Only three out of seven staff are qualified to level 3 in caring for children, and this includes the manager and the deputy. In addition, one member of staff has not completed their level 3 qualification in residential childcare within the required timescale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff rosters show that new staff who are not experienced and skilled enough to meet children’s needs well work together. Therefore, children’s behaviours are not being managed effectively, and staff feel unequipped and overwhelmed. This leaves new staff in situations that they are not equipped to manage. Furthermore, night time staffing arrangements are not wholly effective, and this has the potential to leave children at risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not always use monitoring and review systems to support her oversight of the home. For example, the registered manager was not aware of recommendations raised by the independent visitor in a recent report. This prevents the registered manager from identifying areas for development and acting to address these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home’s statement of purpose has not been updated to accurately reflect changes to the staff team.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 9 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

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: SC063653 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Future in Mind, 65 Market Street, Hednesford, Cannock, Staffordshire WS12 1AD

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Inspectors

Patrick McIntosh, social care inspector Annemarie Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC063653 11 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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