Children's Home run by Barnardo’s in Oxfordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC013144 1 SC013144 Registered provider: Barnardo’s

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This residential short-break home caters for up to five children at any time. The service is provided by a national charity in partnership with the local authority. The home’s statement of purpose states that most of the children using the service have complex needs or have an autism spectrum disorder and may have associated challenging behaviour.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC013144 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2018 Full Good 19/06/2017 Full Good 09/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC013144 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 may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if— the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(d)) 10/07/2019

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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 kept under review and, if necessary, revised. (Regulation 21 (c)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that any surveillance arrangements are kept under regular review to ensure that they are justified and proportionate. 10/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(ii)) 10/07/2019

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Recommendations

 Where there is a possibility that a child will run away or go missing from a children’s home placement, their placement plan should include a strategy to minimise this risk. If the child is looked-after, their care plan (arranged by their placing authority) should include such a strategy (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9,24). In particular, ensure that each child has an individualised risk assessment relating to going missing from home that includes steps to minimise this risk.  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety Inspection report children’s home: SC013144 4 legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9). In particular, ensure that children’s bedrooms are maintained to a good standard and are personalised as much as is practicable for the children’s short stays.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who stay at this home have fun, enjoy social interactions and experience new opportunities. Child-focused care is central to staff practice. As a result, the children feel safe and respond well to the high-quality care they receive from the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respond thoughtfully to the individual needs of the children. Staff recognise that some of the children communicate their feelings through their behaviour. Staff understand the importance of listening to, involving and responding to the children. They are able to pick up on the smallest of signals from the children and respond accordingly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff treat children with dignity and respect. Staff communicate sensitively with the children and respond with clear boundaries that define what is safe. Children are supported to participate in the local community. This helps develop their life skills. Staff notice and celebrate the children’s achievements, however small. Consequently, the children take part in day-to-day decisions and develop confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to follow their own interests and encourage new opportunities. For example, a group of children has been involved in a music project with a local school. The children performed live and are now looking forward to taking part in a music workshop. Staff recognise that involvement in the arts breaks down barriers and provides a positive message to the children that they can achieve.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

One parent said that safety is at the heart of everything that the staff provide for her child. Staff have good understanding of the home’s policies for responding to concerns about the safety of children. There are good procedures in place to help staff safeguard children. Staff use detailed daily handover meetings, body maps and observation forms. The open communication between the staff and managers is an additional protective factor for the children. As a result, risks for the children are reduced.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff rarely use physical intervention and are skilled at identifying potential risks and triggers. De-escalation strategies are specific to the needs of each child. However, on some restraint records there has been a delay before the manager’s review. This indicates that practice is not always scrutinised in a timely way to ensure that it is safe Inspection report children’s home: SC013144 5 and proportionate.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

No child has gone missing from the home. A written policy is in place for children who are missing or absent without permission. However, guidance about what staff should do if a child goes missing, relating to their specific needs, does not form part of individual risk assessments. Although this has not had an impact on the children’s welfare, it does not provide staff with helpful direction about what to do if this should occur.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The home uses fixed visual monitors in the children’s bedrooms, which can be viewed by the staff in the office. This is for ensuring the children’s safety and well-being, such as when children experience potential seizure activity. Individual risk assessments set out arrangements with appropriate consents, but they lack detail of the specified purpose and the arrangements for review. The use of monitoring in one child’s bedroom was not justified or proportionate to his needs. This means that his right to privacy was compromised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is efficiently led by the registered manager, supported well by the team managers. There are sufficient staff and a longstanding core team. Several volunteers are linked to the home, and this enhances the support available to the children. Vetting arrangements, induction and support for volunteers are excellent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers use learning from practice and feedback to improve the quality of care. Complaints are addressed, and appropriate action is taken. The registered manager and leaders actively promote the children’s participation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported and receive regular supervision. Supervision is child centred and provides staff with appropriate support and development. A wide range of training is available. The management team ensures that the staff have the necessary skills to meet the specific needs of the children. As a result, the staff are empowered to perform their roles diligently and with confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders, managers and staff have effective links and partnerships with the local authority and outside services. This has a positive impact on children, who benefit from the engagement and involvement with community-based activities. Staff attend children’s school meetings and liaise with parents and teachers. This helps staff to provide consistency of care between the home and school.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is a warm and welcoming environment. There are well-maintained amenities for the children, such as a Snoezelen, jacuzzi and sensory garden with play equipment. Bedrooms are kept purposefully simple to aid the children’s sleep. However, a refurbishment of some of the bedrooms is required to improve standards. Children should have the opportunity to personalise their bedrooms, for example, by having their own set of bedding. Inspection report children’s home: SC013144 6

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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

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: SC013144 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 13A, Silver Fox Way, Cobalt Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne NE27 0QJ

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Inspectors

Anne-Marie Davies, social care inspector Daniel Healy (shadowing), social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC013144 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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