Children's Home run by Leeds City Council in Leeds

Inspection report children‟s home: SC033723 1 SC033723 Registered provider: Leeds City 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 provides short- and medium-term care for up to four children or young people aged between 11 and 17. The home accommodates children and young people who may have behavioural difficulties and/or emotional dysregulation. The home aims to provide stability and teach the children and young people skills that will allow them to move back to the family home, into foster care or into independent living. The manager is qualified and has been registered with Ofsted since November 2015.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 17 to 18 September 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 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: sustained effectiveness

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC033723 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/07/2018 Full Good 30/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC033723 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, the Children’s s home (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s s home 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 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— the name of the child; details of the child’s s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result 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”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within five 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)(b) and (c)(iv)) In particular, ensure that all those involved in an incident receive a debrief. This must include how the individual is feeling and an evaluation of action taken, both prior to and during the incident. 15/11/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC033723 4

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Recommendations

 Notifications: Examples of incidents that are likely to be considered serious affecting the welfare of a child include: a child being the victim or perpetrator of a serious assault; a serious illness or accident; a serious incident of self-harm, or serious concerns over a child’s missing behaviour, particularly where the child is considered to be at grave risk due to age or vulnerability or where they have been missing for a considerable period of time and their whereabouts is unknown. This is not an exhaustive list and homes must assess each case individually taking into account any patterns of behaviour or unusual behaviour which may indicate an increased risk to the child. Homes should also consider the frequency of incidents and judge whether their cumulative effect makes notification appropriate even if in isolation each event would not warrant this. It is for the registered person to judge whether the incident is sufficiently serious

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Recommendations

to make formal notifications and, if it is, which other relevant persons may be notified, for example, the police, probation service, health professionals, the local authority for the area the home is located in (if this is not the child’s placing authority) and others involved with the care or protection of the child. (‘Guide to the children’s s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.11 and 14.2)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have built positive relationships with staff. Children are able to communicate their needs and wishes and these are listened to. This promotes the children to feel valued and respected. The upcoming change in remit and numerous staff changes have affected the children. For one child, the home will no longer be suitable and therefore his long-term plan has changed. This change has resulted in an increase in the child’s s anxiety and has resulted in some incidents, which have been proactively managed by the staff team. The children and staff need clarity around timescales to minimise further anxieties. All the children have progressed to attending school full time and are on track to achieve qualifications. The manager has worked hard to build positive relationships with schools to provide support to the children. The quality of these relationships has enabled the schools to work positively with the children and successfully promote learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s s health needs are being met. Therapeutic consultation is taking place with the team which is enabling them to support the children manage their emotions. Work has begun for all of the children to develop their ability to express their emotions, but this is not yet embedded in the home’s approach. The staff team has been successful in developing and implementing a specific programme to improve children’s s hygiene. This has been disseminated around the local authority and the programme will be expanded across local services. Inspection report children‟s home: SC033723 5 Children are supported to explore their own and other cultures. These cultures are embraced by the staff who access resources and source events for the children. This enhances the children’s s sense of belonging and identity. Staff are proactive in supporting children to see their family and friends in line with the children’s s wishes and risk assessments. For some children, issues have occurred when

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

seeing their family and this has resulted in changes to the plans to keep children safe. This has enabled the children to maintain positive relationships with staff, as well as improving the relationships with family.

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

Children are aware of how to report any concerns and complaints. Complaints are acted on and the children receive additional support from external professionals. This maintains the safety of the children and ensures that their voice is heard. When children are missing from home, there are clear plans in place for staff to follow to ensure the safety of the children. Staff are confident in assessing if there is an increased risk and escalate the procedure when needed, for example phoning the police when significant risks were evident. This way of managing incidents has kept the children safe and reduced the occurrence of missing from home. Detailed risk assessments are in place for the children. However, for one child the risks on admission were not adequately considered and full preventative measures were not put in place. However, following an incident, the preventative measures were evaluated and risk assessments quickly updated. No further missing from home incidents have

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

occurred and the safety of the child has improved. The manager has developed positive relationships with external professionals. The relationships include the police and child sexual exploitation officer. These contacts have influenced risk assessments and improved the support the staff are able to give the children. The main areas of the home are well maintained and personalised to meet the children’s s needs and wishes. One room currently has no purpose and the upstairs area of the home lacks personalisation. The manager has plans for these areas to be renovated soon. Maintenance issues are reported and fixed quickly to maintain a safe environment for the children. The staff team is consistent in its approach despite the numerous staff changes. The consistency is supported by a clear system of boundaries which have been developed with the children. The boundaries provide structure for the children and maintain their

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

sense of safety. Numerous key-work sessions are carried out with the children around a range of subjects including respect, risks, and positive relationships. The children have engaged in the key- work sessions and plans put in place to support their development. The children have the skills to engage with others and to keep themselves safe. Inspection report children‟s home: SC033723 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to the children and has high aspirations for their progress. The manager supports the team to understand and share these high aspirations. This has resulted in positive outcomes for the children. It is evident that, despite the current uncertainty, the management team is remaining focused on the children in placement and incorporating the talents of newer members of staff. This has brought positive changes to the team which is more open in its communication, and the staff are becoming more innovative in the way that they work. The improved way of working has provided the children with further opportunities and has reduced the number of incidents in the home. Reflective supervisions take place in line with company policy. The management team has quickly provided additional support when needed. The quick response has supported the staff and safeguarded the children. The manager ensures that the staff complete their level 3 diploma in the required

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

timescales. She is also proactive in sourcing additional training and uses team meetings to help the staff develop further. This gives the team additional skills to help the children. The manager has a good oversight of the home. However, evaluation of staff actions and discussions on how staff are feeling do not always take place immediately after incidents or physical interventions. While this is discussed during supervisions, it is not in timescales relating to physical intervention. The lack of quick evaluation could extend the time taken to adapt strategies. At this time, the children have not been affected. Notifications are submitted when it is clear that they are needed. However, the manager has not submitted some notifications which are considered to be serious. This could potentially put the children at risk. The manager has listened to advice and is aware of the guidance around this. Overall, the management team is positive in its approach and

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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 s home (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s s home regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children‟s home: SC033723 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Merion House, 7th Floor West, Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8TU

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Inspector

Debra Boldy, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC033723 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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