Children's Home run by Progress Children’s Services Ltd in Sandwell

Inspection report children’s home: SC437486 1 SC437486 Registered provider: Progress Children’s Services

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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 home is operated by a large private company. It provides medium- to long-term residential step-down to fostering placements for up to three children who have disabilities and/or moderate to severe learning difficulties. The manager registered with Ofsted in 2019.

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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: 24 to 25 January 2019

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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: SC437486 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2019 Full Good 13/02/2018 Full Good 31/10/2017 Full Inadequate 14/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC437486 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 05/08/2019

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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; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff— provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. The conditions are— that the care meets the child’s needs. (Regulation 6(a)(b)(2)(b)(iv)(3)(b)) 05/08/2019

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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 into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make 05/08/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC437486 4 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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(b)) 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; and promotes their welfare. 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; ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)) 05/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(1)(a)(4)(b)) 05/08/2019

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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; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. The registered person must ensure that— within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered 05/08/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC437486 5 person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")— has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)(3)(b)(ii))

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Recommendations

 All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) In particular, ensure that internal plans are clear and up to date.

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improvement to be good

The only child living in the home since the last inspection has recently moved on to a new placement. A poorly resourced staff team and inconsistent staff practice mean that the child’s experiences and progress were mixed. The child was able to form strong and trusted relationships with some staff; however, this was not consistent. In addition, some staff did not always follow the guidance in the child’s written plans. As a result, he received care that was not in line with his needs. On other occasions, several staff from other in-house services supported the child due to significant staffing shortfalls. This inconsistent care meant that the child was often unsettled and frustrated. The child’s general health was good. Management and administration of his medication was robust. However, the child has been waiting for several months to receive a full assessment of his needs. Unfortunately, this had still to be arranged when the child

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improvement to be good

moved on from the home. The registered manager did not escalate her concerns fully on this matter. This was a missed opportunity to provide the child with specialist care in line with his needs. The registered manager and some staff invested significantly in the child. Their commitment helped the child to make some progress. For example, the child’s school attendance was excellent, and he made notable academic and social progress. Staff worked closely with teachers to offer the child seamless care. A teacher told the inspector, ‘He [child] was making some good progress. He was able to understand and take responsibility for his behaviours. His behaviours improved a lot. Staff worked closely with school and information sharing has been excellent. This worked well for him.’ The child enjoyed a range of activities and enjoyable experiences. For example, he enjoyed dancing with staff, swimming, gardening and going for walks. The child

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improvement to be good

developed some friendships at school and, while this was problematic on occasions, his confidence and self-esteem improved. The registered manager and staff supported the child well to prepare him for his move Inspection report children’s home: SC437486 6 to a new placement. A clear transition plan provided him with opportunities to visit his new home and meet staff. Sensitive key-work sessions allowed him to explore his feelings and have his queries addressed. Staff organised a leaving party for the child. This well-managed transition allowed the child to settle quickly in his new home. The registered manager has maintained contact with the child to sustain this progress. Staff supported the child to participate in decisions about his day-to-day care such as creating menus, choosing activities, and choosing equipment for the home. The child was also involved in more complex aspects of his care. For example, staff worked

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improvement to be good

alongside him when reviewing challenging incidents. The child proposed his own strategies to self-regulate. These were reflected in his behaviour management plans.

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improvement to be good

Detailed and updated risk assessments offer staff clear guidance to manage risk. However, staff shortages and inconsistent practice undermined the implementation of these plans. On several occasions, there was not enough staff on shift to safely manage risk. Furthermore, inconsistent staff practice and care heightened the child’s anxiety and triggered challenging incidents. Staff supported the child to develop and implement strategies to self-regulate his emotions. Targeted key-work sessions provided him with an opportunity to reflect and learn from challenging behaviours. Staff also involved the child in regular debrief discussions in the aftermath of challenging incidents. This helped the child to develop a greater insight into his difficult feelings and emotions. As a result, he was more able to regulate his behaviour during challenging incidents and the duration of these incidents was decreasing.

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improvement to be good

Staff promoted positive behaviour by offering rewards and praise. The child enjoyed earning ‘stars’ for his chart and was able to choose additional activities for meeting behaviour targets. In addition, the registered manager put clear structure and boundaries in place. Unfortunately, some staff did not consistently follow this guidance. As a result, the child’s progress was intermittent. Overall, the child’s incidents of challenging behaviour and restraint had reduced from his starting point. The registered manager scrutinised his behaviour patterns and used her strong analytical skills to create new plans to keep him safe. For example, she identified ‘hot spot’ times when the child’s behaviour was heightened. Unfortunately, staff shortages and inconsistent practice meant that these plans were not always implemented. In addition, some restraint records lack management oversight. This was a missed opportunity to learn from incidents and develop staff practice.

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improvement to be good

Safe recruitment practices ensure that all new potential employees are properly vetted. This protects children from unsafe adults working with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff shortages, inconsistent practice and an inability to make effective improvements Inspection report children’s home: SC437486 7 mean that leadership and management in this home is inadequate. The registered manager and some staff showed good commitment and nurture to the child. They worked excessive hours to offer the child as much consistent care as possible due to staff shortages. Unfortunately, this additional pressure meant that the registered manager was unable to fulfil other key aspects of her role. The registered manager and some staff have not received regular supervision and support. The registered manager also received a poor induction. These shortfalls are significant given that some staff are relatively new to their role. In addition, staff resilience and emotional well-being were significantly impacted by staff shortages and the child’s challenging behaviours. Some staff have left the home, while those remaining

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

felt disillusioned and isolated. Staff do not receive sufficient training. This means that their practice is not fully informed or in line with the child’s needs. In addition, the registered manager and staff were unable to fully reflect on their practice and make improvements to the child’s quality of care. This was in part due to staff shortages, frequent crisis management and the associated challenging behaviours of the child. The registered manager has some good monitoring systems in place. For example, she has some effective analytical skills and can clearly identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home. However, her ability to implement changes is restricted due to prolonged staffing shortages and her additional workload. Significant pressures on staffing resources mean that there were other shortfalls in practice. For example, some internal plans were not up to date while other records were

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

not clear. In addition, the child waited several months to undergo important health assessments. The registered manager did not fully escalate her concerns about the significant delay in this matter. The registered manager and leaders have reflected on the shortfalls since the child moved on. She has clear plans in place to improve staff practice and the quality of care that children receive. For example, she plans to deliver additional training to improve staff practice on a range of subjects such as attachment and autism. A recent recruitment drive has resulted in the appointment of new staff and there are plans to recruit further. In addition, the registered manager plans to establish and develop her staff team to ensure that previous mistakes are not repeated. To that effect, she plans to admit a child only when there are appropriate staffing resources, learning and development.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC437486 8 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: SC437486 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Progress Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Progress Childrens Services Ltd, Progress House, 127 Millfields Road, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire WV4 6JG

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Inspector

Gareth Leckey, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC437486 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 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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