Children's Home run by Durham County Council in Durham

Inspection report children’s home: SC035137 1 SC035137 Registered provider: Durham County Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a local authority and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to three children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Since the last inspection, the registered manager has been absent. An acting manager had been in place since March 2019. A newly appointed acting manager has been appointed as of 17 June 2019.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: SC035137 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/04/2018 Full Good 16/05/2017 Full Good 19/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC035137 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people living in this home are well cared for. However, the inspector found shortfalls that require improvements to be good relating to leadership and management. The home has not had a stable manager since the last full inspection. This means there has been an inconsistent approach in how the home has been run on a day-to-day basis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Placement plans are individualised and regularly updated to reflect changes and progress. They are written in a way that is helpful for children and young people to see how they will be supported on a day-to-day basis. Children and young people contribute to their care planning and identify how they wish to be cared for. This enhances children’s and young people’s experiences and helps them to make good progress in most areas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people access a range of support services, including in-house therapeutic support, as well as support from external agencies. Consultations with other services help to inform behaviour management strategies as well as care planning. Placement plans do not include a baseline. This means it is difficult for children and young people to see how they are making progress, taking into account their starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

For children and young people who are not in full-time education, alternative educational provisions are well supported by the staff team. A professional commented, ‘This has got to be one of the best homes I have worked with. They are great with the kids. I have never had an issue with them. [Name of child] is always up and prepared for his day; he has never missed a day of education. He’s doing really well, making real progress.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The health needs of children and young people are well supported. Healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle are high on the agenda for key-working sessions. The wide range of activities that children and young people access helps them to stay active and promotes good health. Skate parks, swimming and trampolining are a small sample of activities on offer that children and young people engage with.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, there have been two admissions to the home. Both were in October 2018. There is an inconsistent approach to considering new admissions. Impact risk assessments have not been completed for all children and young people. Therefore, the needs of all children and young people are not sufficiently considered. Consequently, there have been bullying incidents. Inspection report children’s home: SC035137 4 The home has shown signs of wear and tear and is in need of decoration and refurbishment. At the time of the inspection, work was being carried out. This included bedroom furniture being purchased, and painting around the home. The acting manager had a clear plan to address maintenance issues in the home.

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

Where safeguarding incidents have occurred, the relevant agencies have been notified without delay. The inspector found several incidents that involved police assistance to help manage behaviours within the home. These were not notified to HMCI. Additionally, the inspector found one incident where the local authority designated officer had not been consulted in respect of an allegation. The matter was resolved without the need for a formal process, but there were no arrangements in place for the manager to initiate appropriate oversight of allegations against people who work with children and young people. This means allegations are not sufficiently monitored to help and protect children and young people.

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

Missing-from-home episodes have significantly reduced. Where there are missing-from- home episodes, action is taken to aid the safe return of children and young people. Return home interviews with an independent visitor are requested by the staff team. This means children and young people benefit from talking to someone independent of the home.

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

Bullying incidents have been a concern with the current mix of young people. Risk management strategies are effective at following individual risk assessments. In the main, bullying incidents have been recorded and appropriate action taken. The inspector found one significant incident that had not been recorded as a bullying incident. This provides children and young people with conflicting messages about acceptable and non- acceptable behaviour.

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

Children and young people develop positive and trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. Consequently, the use of physical interventions has significantly reduced for children and young people currently living in the home. The positive behaviours of children and young people have been widely recognised. Compliments have been received via a range of professionals, as well as people within the local community, regarding children’s and young people’s improved behaviour. This supports children’s and young people’s integration within the community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last full inspection, the registered manager has had a prolonged period of absence. This means there has been no formal leadership or management in the home for a period of time. On 13 March 2019, an acting manager was appointed for three months. He has taken steps to address the shortfalls, in the absence of a registered manager. His input has been limited in regard to driving improvements forward, as the organisation has had a further structural change and another acting manager was due to commence the role on 17 June 2019. The former registered manager and acting Inspection report children’s home: SC035137 5 manager will take up responsibilities to assist with other residential homes in the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

During this inspection, the inspector identified shortfalls that require improvements to be good. The former acting manager shows an understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. His audit of the documents and files has led to a clear action plan being devised to help drive improvements forward. The effectiveness is not known, as some plans are in the earliest stages of being implemented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been no serious or widespread failings that have affected the quality of care provided to children and young people. Inconsistent management oversight has prevented a consistent approach. The previous acting manager provided a supportive environment for the staff team via individual supervisions, team meetings and training opportunities, which had not been prioritised in the absence of a registered manager. Ensuring that supervisions and training take place has boosted staff morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been some staffing issues, due to the absent registered manager and staff being on leave for varying reasons. The acting manager has drawn on the support of the staff team to minimise the use of agency staff or staff from other parts of the organisation. This means children and young people receive consistent care from adults with whom they have a relationship.

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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 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— that staff—

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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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)) 17/07/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 17/07/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC035137 6 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

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). (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(d)(e))

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Recommendations

 The relevant plan may include a strategy for a particular type of care, treatment or intervention (for example therapy relating to neglect or abuse). The care staff will need to understand the purpose of any such care and the way in which the past experiences of abuse or neglect may manifest itself in the day to day life of the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.15) In particular, ensure that placement plans provide a baseline to help measure progress from the child’s or young person’s starting point.  Each local authority should have clear arrangements in place for the management and oversight of allegations against people that work with children. The relevant officer or teams within the local authority should be informed promptly of all allegations that come to an employer’s attention or that are made directly to the police. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.18)  Staff should understand what they must do to prevent bullying of children by other children or adults. Staff should be able to recognise and address different types of abuse such as peer abuse, cyber-bullying and bullying in day to day relationships in the home. Registered persons must ensure that procedures for dealing with allegations of bullying are in place and staff have the skills required to intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively. (See regulation 34(3) on the policy for the prevention of bullying.) (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16) In particular, ensure that there is a consistent approach to recording and responding to bullying incidents.

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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: SC035137 7 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: SC035137 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Durham DH1 5UL

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Inspector

Jacqueline Tate, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC035137 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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