Children's Home run by Nottinghamshire YMCA in Nottingham

Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 1 Registered provider: Nottinghamshire YMCA Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a local charity. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who display behavioural difficulties and may have mild learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 18 to 19 November 2019

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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/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 14 January 2019

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none However, following this inspection, Ofsted has issued a notice to restrict accommodation and a compliance notice. Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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

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understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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treat each child with dignity and respect; and

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make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(ix)) 05/01/2020

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The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training 05/01/2020 Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 4 provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)) 05/01/2020

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The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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

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lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the 05/01/2020 Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 5 approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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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.

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(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(f)) *

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The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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

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that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission; or

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Requirement Due date

the child requests a review of the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(e)(i)(ii)(iii)) 05/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. 05/01/2020 Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 6 (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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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; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“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. Case records must be kept in cases not falling within sub- paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth and in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(b)(d)) 05/01/2020

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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; or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and the system 05/01/2020 Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 7 referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in Regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 Supervision of staff practice should ensure that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home, so they understand what they would need to do if they found other staff misusing or abusing their position to the detriment of the safety of a child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Sufficient staff means a home having enough suitably trained staff (including

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Recommendations

someone in a management role) on duty to meet the assessed needs of all children in the home, and that those staff are able to respond to emergency placements, where accepted. The registered person must demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing so that children’s attachments are not overly disrupted, including ensuring that the employment of any temporary staff will not prevent children from receiving the continuity of care that they need (Regulation 31(1)). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)  The registered person should ensure that recording of recruitment checks for new employees is consistent and includes all necessary information. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 8 13.1)  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person

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Recommendations

must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. The independent person should submit the report to Ofsted within timescales stipulated in the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF children’s homes). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, management arrangements have been inconsistent and as a result, young people have not been safeguarded effectively. Several young people have been admitted to the home and then moved out in an unplanned manner due to risk. The home is judged to be inadequate due to shortfalls in safeguarding, which is a limiting judgement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Some staff provide good-quality care. They demonstrate a good understanding of young people’s needs and their practice is child-focused. However, staff practice is variable, with some staff exacerbating young people’s behaviour. Not all staff demonstrate an understanding of how to meet young people’s needs or work in line with their care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The two young people currently living at this home have made progress from their starting points. Their health needs are understood and addressed. Good arrangements are in place to support family contact and promote their heritage and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One young person has tuition in place and there is a plan to increase the hours of tuition they receive. Another young person has no education in place, and there is an absence of planning to address this. At present, there is a lack of routine in the home. This does not promote a future transition to full-time education. Young people are not adequately supported in their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff support young people to develop age-appropriate independence skills. These skills include learning how to cook, to do their laundry, use public transport and help to tidy the home. Staff act as positive role models, which helps young people to develop their life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Young people enjoy the company of staff. They benefit from staff who will engage in activities and recreational pursuits. Young people say some staff are ‘really good fun to be with’.

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

Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 9 Young people have engaged in risk-taking behaviour. This has led to significant and dangerous criminal activity and young people have been harmed. Some young people have encouraged others to take part in criminal activity. Managers have failed to address this behaviour or report it appropriately. Managers have failed to work in partnership with safeguarding and social care agencies.

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

Managers have not ensured that Ofsted is notified of all significant safeguarding incidents. This prevents Ofsted from evaluating whether the response to safeguarding incidents is effective, and whether young people have been protected from harm.

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

Young people have been missing from this home. Staff have not always followed multi- agency missing from care protocols. Managers have failed to escalate concerns about missing from care incidents to placing authorities or to request a review of young people’s care plans. Young people have not always had an opportunity to take part in a return home interview. This fails to ensure that staff understand the reasons and circumstances of incidents of going missing and to incorporate this learning into risk management plans. This reduces the capacity of staff to prevent further missing from care episodes.

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

The staff team has not been provided with an adequate level of safeguarding training. The home has admitted young people who have been criminally exploited. None of the team members have received training in how to work with young people who are at risk, or subject to, criminal or sexual exploitation. Staff lack training in physical intervention and safeguarding, mental health, drug misuse and radicalisation. This means that not all staff are able to recognise and respond to the indicators that young people are at risk.

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

The home has an up-to-date locality risk assessment, but this lacks detail. It fails to outline the known risk factors within the wider community or detail any strategies to manage these risks. This assessment does not include consultation with stakeholders or relevant agencies.

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

Some recruitment records are poor. They fail to show clear vetting of staff and safe recruitment practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has had a period of absence. During this time, interim managers have had responsibility for the day-to-day running of the home, overseen by the responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is not in day-to-day charge of the home. The home is not led or managed in a way that is consistent with the approach, ethos and outcomes as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Care planning has not been effective. The home has admitted young people who it could not keep safe from harm. In addition, the admission of some young people has had a negative impact on the welfare and safety of other young people. Staff have been ill- Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 10 equipped to meet young people’s needs through a lack of training and through inconsistent supervision and management support. Staff have not been supported in their professional roles and there has been a lack of management oversight of childcare and safeguarding practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Independent monitoring of the home has not been effective in identifying practice shortfalls. Independent visitor reports have not been forwarded to Ofsted at the required timescales. This limits Ofsted’s capacity to oversee the performance of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The two young people currently living at the home are making progress and are settled, but prior to this young people experienced significant disruption. Managers have failed to evaluate the quality of the care provided and to understand the impact on young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Case records for young people who have left the home are not maintained as required under regulation. Information is difficult to find because of the poor maintenance of case records.

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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 Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottinghamshire YMCA

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: YMCA, 4 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham NG1 4FG

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Inspector

Amanda Ellis: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1271383 12 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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