Children's Home run by Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd in Dudley

Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 1 SC483958 Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since May 2018. There is a new manager in post who is yet to submit an application to register with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 30 April to 1 May 2019

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2019

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/05/2018 Full Good 20/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 3

p.2

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 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; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(2)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) 14/06/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure 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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 14/06/2019

p.3

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)) 14/06/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained the Level 3 14/06/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 4 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)) Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI‟s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding 12 months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (1)(3)(5)) 14/06/2019

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child is instigated or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 14/06/2019

p.4

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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 report”). 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 14/06/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 5 placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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)(5))

p.5

Recommendations

 Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child‟s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff, or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 46, paragraph 9.31)

p.5

Recommendations

This is with particular regard to ensuring that staff maintain a full record of all missing-from-care episodes.

p.5

Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

p.5

Recommendations

This is with particular regard to ensuring that independent return home interviews are offered to children when they return after being missing or away from the home without permission.

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home‟s statement of purpose. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 49, paragraph 9.57)

p.5

Recommendations

 Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home‟s records as „living documents‟ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 6  Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

p.5

improvement to be good

The overall experience and progress made by young people is variable. For example, one young person has made significant progress regarding their school attendance. However, another young person‟s school attendance has declined.

p.6

improvement to be good

On occasion, young people are admitted to the home without managers having a full history of their needs. This results in staff not being aware of all the needs of the young person or their presenting risks. This has resulted on occasion in the staff not being able to keep young people safe.

p.6

improvement to be good

Since the last inspection in February 2019, the home has been redecorated and further work is planned. Young people have been able to personalise their bedrooms, and both young people enjoy having their own pets.

p.6

improvement to be good

Staff ensure that young people are supported to maintain links with the people who are important to them. Staff work closely with social workers and family members to promote contact.

p.6

improvement to be good

Managers and staff do not always provide sufficient evidence of how they ensure that young people are helped and protected. For example, when young people go missing from the home, staff do not complete detailed records. Staff miss out details such as the date and time of the missing-from-care episode, and how the young person was returned to the home. Managers also do not ensure that return home interviews are offered to young people. This creates a missed opportunity to understand more about the reasons why a young person decided to put themselves at risk.

p.6

improvement to be good

Documentation relating to incidents, complaints and safeguarding are not completed in sufficient detail or follow procedures set by the organisation. When young people make allegations against members of staff, notifications that need to be sent to external agencies are not always made.

p.6

improvement to be good

Staff use de-escalation and distraction to help to keep the young people occupied and to Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 7 reduce the need for any physical intervention. Staff are able to notice changes in young people‟s behaviour and respond appropriately to offer support that helps to defuse situations. However, not all staff are up to date with their training in the organisation‟s approved method of physical restraint and therefore do not have the necessary skills that might be needed if a young person did need to be physically held by staff. Furthermore, records relating to physical restraint are not always sufficiently reviewed.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been no registered manager in post since May 2018. A new manager started at the home in March 2019 and intends to apply to register with Ofsted.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of staff training is not good enough to ensure that all staff are appropriately trained. For example, one member of staff has not attained the level 3 diploma in residential childcare within the set period. All members of staff are out of date with some elements of their mandatory training, such as child sexual exploitation, safeguarding children and fire safety.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There continues to be a shortfall in response to complaints. For example, managers have not recorded the outcomes of investigations or how decisions have been reached.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There have been periods of time when staff have not received supervision in line with the home‟s procedures. This creates a missed opportunity to enable staff to have their practice regularly appraised.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not ensured that six-monthly quality assurance reports are submitted to Ofsted in line with regulation. This reduces regulatory oversight of the quality of care between inspections.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have accepted some young people‟s referrals without adequate matching and impact assessments. This has resulted in young people being admitted before adequate assessment of their needs has been considered, including determining if there is a suitability match against other young people already living in the home.

p.7

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. Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 8 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

p.7

Information about this inspection

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: SC483958 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Churchill House, Queen Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1SN

p.9

Inspector

Debbie Holder, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC483958 10 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.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10