Children's home run by YCPG Services Ltd in Walsall

Inspection report children’s home: SC392492 1 SC392492 Registered provider: DMR Services Limited

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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 owned by a private company. It is registered for four young people. The home provides care for young people aged 11 to 17, who have had adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours. The registered manager was registered with Ofsted in November 2015.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected, or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC392492 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 29/06/2017 Full Good 28/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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; and seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5(c)(d)) 20/08/2019

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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 full potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child; and enable each child to participate in 20/08/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC392492 3 the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i)(ii)) The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. In particular, help each child to understand how the child’s

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Requirement Due date

views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child. (Regulation 7(1)(c)(2)(a)(iii)(e)) 20/08/2019

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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; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. 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)(b)(2)(a)(i)) 20/08/2019

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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 arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is a risk of harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(iii))* 15/08/2019

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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 and promotes their welfare. 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; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(c)(d)(h))* 15/08/2019

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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 20/08/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC392492 4 home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)) The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16(1)(3)(a)) 20/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home, (b) the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25(2)(b)(2)) 15/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development; receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b)) 20/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— a description of the measure and its duration; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv)(vii)(b)(i)(c))* 15/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37(1)(2)(a)(b)) 20/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)) 20/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Inspection judgements

Inspection report children’s home: SC392492 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Lack of management oversight and shortfalls in safeguarding practice leave young people at risk of harm and do not promote their welfare.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Managers do not properly assess the suitability or compatibility of new admissions to the home. As a result, managers are unable to clearly show whether the home can meet these young people’s needs or whether they pose a risk to other young people already resident. For example, a decision was made in relation to one young person coming to live at the home without an impact risk assessment being completed. The young person moved on earlier than expected because staff could not safely meet his needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

When young people raise issues or make requests to the manager, she does not always provide young people with a satisfactory and personalised response. For example, one young person received the same message several times in response to repeated requests to participate in different activities. This lack of a suitable response does not help young people to understand why they may not be allowed to do something and gives them the sense that their views and wishes are not valued and taken seriously.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Managers and staff do not adequately promote some young people’s health needs. For example, staff have not helped to ensure that a recommendation about how to support a young person’s emotional well-being has been followed up. In addition, they have not escalated this to the young person’s placing authority as a concern. This delay has the potential to compromise a young person’s mental health and limit their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people live in a home that is not well maintained throughout. Only the lounge offers a comfortable and homely environment. Other communal areas of the home are bare, cluttered and unwelcoming. Some aspects of the home are institutionalised. For example, there are locks on kitchen cupboards, without good reason, and numbers on young people’s bedroom doors.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Despite the shortfalls identified at this inspection, young people have very positive relationships with some staff. Young people recognise that the positive care they receive from these staff helps them. For example, one young person told the inspector about how a member of staff had really helped him to see something from a different point of view, and this helped him in his relationship with his mum.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people have ample opportunities to participate in activities that support their interests, such as golf and swimming. The young people and staff are preparing for a summer camping trip, which they are all looking forward to. New experiences and different leisure activities promote young people’s self-esteem and confidence and help them to develop new skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Most young people have good school attendance and engage well with their learning. As a result, young people make good progress with their education. Inspection report children’s home: SC392492 6

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

Managers and staff fail to identify and adequately assess risk. Risk assessments contain information about general risks that are not specific to each young person. This makes it difficult for staff to focus on and prioritise particular risks, which has the potential to undermine young people’s safety.

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

Although managers and staff review and update risk assessments, these documents do not reflect the current risks related to some young people. For example, one young person’s risk assessment does not reflect the current risks of him becoming affiliated in gang culture and his vulnerability to criminal exploitation. Failure to identify and assess risk means that managers and staff are not clear about the level of risk posed to young people and do not take sufficient action to manage the risk.

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

Staff do not follow a good parenting approach and get to know who young people’s friends are. This is despite having concerns about the potentially negative influence that some friends can have on some young people at the home, including concerns about drug misuse and criminal behaviour. Furthermore, managers and staff could not show inspectors that they have shared their concerns about potential drug dealing activity with the police. This inaction leaves young people at risk of harm.

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

Managers fail to ensure that physical intervention records contain full and accurate information. Some records do not detail the duration of the restraint and managers do not routinely provide debriefings to staff. These shortfalls show that managers do not review restraint incidents effectively to ensure that these are safely managed and staff practice is appropriate.

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

Managers do not notify Ofsted of all serious incidents that occur in the home. This means that the regulator cannot review whether the action taken in response to these incidents is appropriate and lessons have been learned to reduce the risk of the same thing happening again.

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

The home is poorly maintained and there are hazards to young people’s safety. For example, the young people’s bedrooms had broken window restrictors. In addition, gaps in fire doors mean that these are less effective in the event of a fire.

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

Young people do not often go missing from the home. When they do, staff act quickly to try to locate the young people and work well with the police and the placing authority to consider ways to reduce risks and prevent young people from going missing again.

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

A specialist worker employed by the organisation carries out work with young people to help them to understand the dangers associated with gang culture, carrying knives and drug misuse. This work forms part of a model of intervention that the home uses to educate young people about such risks. However, some staff do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the programme to follow up on this direct work and to support young people well. This limits the effectiveness of this work to keep young people safe. Inspection report children’s home: SC392492 7

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Poor leadership and ineffective monitoring and oversight mean that managers do not identify and act on shortfalls to improve young people’s safety, progress and experiences. As a result, managers do not fully understand the strengths and needs of the home and the impact that the quality of care has on young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not know about serious incidents that have occurred in the home. Not knowing about these events means that she has not taken follow-up action that is necessary to protect young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers expect staff to work excessive hours and this has now become culture and practice. For example, some staff work for 14 hours, followed by a waking night shift until the following morning. Managers told inspectors that when staff had worked in the day, they can get some sleep during the night on the couch in the lounge. This contravenes the level of care required to be provided to young people during the night, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. Staff working excessive hours constitutes unsafe practice and has the potential to compromise young people’s safety and welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers did not challenge another professional effectively when they considered their actions fell short of acceptable standards and had the potential to compromise a young person’s safety. For example, when one professional made an inappropriate comment affecting a young person’s care, managers did not challenge this individual or share their concerns with the placing authority. As a result, they did not act in the young person’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive regular practice-related supervision. As a result, staff do not have the opportunity to discuss their performance and learning needs. In addition, they do not review and develop their practice to better support young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Most staff do not hold appropriate qualifications for their role, but they are working towards these. There are gaps in mandatory and supplementary training programmes for staff. This means that staff do not have the necessary skills and knowledge to support young people well and meet all their needs.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC392492 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

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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: SC392492 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 102 Queslett Road East, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham B74 2EZ

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Inspectors

Patrick McIntosh, social care inspector Jackie Line, regulatory inspection manager. Inspection report children’s home: SC392492 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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