Children's home run by Cruckton Hall Limited in North Kesteven

Inspection report children’s home: SC401364 1 SC401364 Registered provider: Cruckton Hall Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is also a residential special school. It offers an integrated residential education and care package for 27 boys, aged between eight and 19 years, who have autism spectrum disorders. A new manager was registered on 12 June 2019. There has also been a change in the responsible individual.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The responsible individual applied on 4 September 2019 to voluntarily cancel the children’s home registration giving a three month notice period.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection was brought forward because of concerns about the level of protection offered by poorly fitted safety film on glass windows. The inspection found that the provider had made repairs to make the home safe.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are only five young people currently living at the home. They moved from the main school site into two houses at the off-site base close to the town centre during the school holidays. Inspection report children’s home: SC401364 2 The new registered manager has taken action to meet the majority of the regulatory shortfalls from the last inspection. This means that young people now benefit from better managerial oversight of restraint, risk management and care planning documentation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There continues to be some discrepancy in the quality and accuracy of some risk management documents. This relates to signatures and dates on paper records and digital signatures and dates on electronic records. Conflicting information in different documents means that staff may not be sure about how to manage young people’s risks.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managerial monitoring and follow-up of child protection issues is much more systematic and focused on prevention. This improves children’s safety. Staff are now clear about young people’s legal status. They know their care histories. Staff are now clear about how to manage the risks at night and when to use bedroom door alarms to keep them safe.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The most recent quality of care review report now includes outcomes of consultation with placing authorities, staff, parents and young people. This contribution has helped to develop the service, for example through the development of the new children’s guide.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Education at the organisation’s school was due to cease on 20 September 2019. This decision was announced to the registered manager during the inspection. The registered manager plans to put in a programme of daytime activities to replace formal education.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have helped young people to maintain consistency through the summer and their move to new homes. Young people have had opportunities for exciting leisure pursuits and a camping holiday. Two young people spent time learning theatre skills and stagecraft in the local area. The focus of staff on the needs of young people has continued to improve, for example in records of direct work about independence.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are working well with external clinical teams to support those young people about whom there are concerns. The manager recognises that the service is no longer able to fully meet young people’s assessed needs, particularly for therapeutic interventions and, now, for education. Inspection report children’s home: SC401364 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/11/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 25/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/05/2017 Full Good

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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 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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed.

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to fulfilling the aims of the placing authority plan for care and education. 31/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. 31/10/19 Inspection report children’s home: SC401364 4 (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to accuracy of both paper and electronic records.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected to take place—

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Requirement Due date

any change in the identity of the responsible individual.

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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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: SC401364 5

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cruckton Hall Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Old Vicarage, 61 High Street, Swinderby, Lincoln LN6 9LU

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Inspector

Christy Wannop, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC401364 6 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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