Children's Home run by Investing in Children CIC in Sunderland

Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 1 Registered provider: Investing in Children CIC

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Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children and/or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural issues. The home was registered in May 2019 and the manager was registered at that time. The home is operated by a private provider.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home is subject to a restriction of accommodation order. There are concerns that regulations are breached; areas of concern include whether monitoring by leaders and managers is effective, if recruitment practice is safe and whether risk management is effective.

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This monitoring visit

In order to evaluate the progress that has been made in addressing these concerns, a monitoring visit was undertaken on 1 October 2019. Consequently, the restriction of accommodation order will remain in place. Additionally, two compliance notices are served to address areas identified as significant shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection, progress has been made in some areas where concern had been identified. The views and wishes of children have been captured and this information used to develop individualised care plans. This helps children to understand that they are important, which raises their confidence and self-esteem. Links between relevant care-planning records showed that these documents are used and understood by staff. This enables the staff to provide care for children that is consistent, which helps children have continuity.

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This monitoring visit

A behaviour management policy had been developed but not implemented. Individual behaviour management plans had not been completed due to this being the wishes of children. This is not appropriate practice; when boundaries are not Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 2 sufficiently maintained, this undermines the authority of the care team, which can make children feel insecure.

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This monitoring visit

An assessment of the home had been completed to identify and reduce environmental risks. However, there were not risk assessments in place for individual children that considered all their known vulnerabilities. Without these assessments, it is not possible to know whether risk is managed or if strategies are in place to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

The leadership team arranged for an independent audit to take place since the last inspection to assist in their understanding of their shortfalls. Plans to address areas such as administration had not been fully implemented, therefore gaps in some records and policies, as identified in the previous inspection, remained. When policies had been created, they had not been circulated to the care team. If policies are not known, they cannot be embedded in practice.

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This monitoring visit

Recruitment does not follow safe-caring guidelines; necessary checks are not always in place prior to employment of staff. This exposes children and young people to the potential risk of harm. Supervision of staff was found to be ineffective in recording a follow-up of issues discussed. This means that ensuring that the team is working effectively is not a high priority.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is supported by a leadership team whose members recognise that there are shortfalls that require attention to improve this service. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 4

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11(1)(2)(a)(i)(ix)(xiii)) 15/11/2019

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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; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(vi)) 15/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in 15/11/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 5 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— 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

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Requirement Due date

child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13) 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 home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set

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Requirement Due date

out in the home‘s statement of purpose. 15/11/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 6 (Regulation 14(1)(2)(a)) A person may only manage a children’s home if (b) having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (i) the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. * (Regulation 28(1)(b)(i)) 15/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. * (Regulation 32(1)) 15/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which— is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular— provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home; provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located; provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged

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Requirement Due date

abuse or neglect occurred; provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response; describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. The registered person must prepare and implement a policy for the prevention of bullying in the home, which must in particular set out the procedure for dealing with an allegation of bullying. The registered person must prepare and implement a policy 15/11/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 7 (“the missing child policy”) ) setting out— the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to

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Requirement Due date

a child who is, or has been, so absent. Before implementing, or making an amendment which the registered person considers to be substantive to, the missing child policy, the registered person must— consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person; and have regard to any relevant local authority or police protocols on missing children. The registered person must keep under review and, as necessary, revise the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 34) 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 keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

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 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 15/11/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 8 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

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Requirement Due date

person to do so (“the a uthorised person”) )— has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; 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. Paragraph (3) does not apply in relation to restraint that is planned or provided for as a matter of routine in the child’s EHC plan or statement of special educational needs. (Regulation 35) The registered person must maintain records (“ca case records”) ) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)) 15/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 9

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 10

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Inspector

Paula Kelly, social care inspector Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: 2522240 11 to 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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