Children's Home run by Lincolnshire County Council in Lincolnshire

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 1 SC042967 Registered provider: Lincolnshire County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority home that provides care and accommodation for up to seven children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager was registered in October 2019.

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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children 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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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This interim inspection was carried out in response to concerns raised by an anonymous source that the home’s s records had been falsified and were not factually accurate. At this inspection, incident records have been reviewed. Although shortfalls have been identified in the quality of recording, there is no evidence that records have been falsified. Children are not at risk and their progress and experiences have not been affected.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of recording within incident records is not good enough. There is little management oversight of the records, or evaluation of the incidents. This means that themes and trends are not identified. Debriefs are not routinely undertaken with staff or children. This means that children do not have the opportunity to discuss how they feel about incidents, particularly when physical intervention is used. A new system of quality assurance has been put in place, however this is not yet embedded into practice. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 2 Children are starting to make progress in the home. All children now have an education placement, although attendance for some children is still sporadic. Incidents have significantly reduced recently, and children are more settled. The relationships between the children and the staff are relaxed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A large schedule of maintenance work is being undertaken. Several rooms have been redecorated and look homely. Children have clear ideas of how they want their home to look and have contributed to the design and decor. As a result, children are more invested in the home and damage has been reduced.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some fire doors have been damaged and are not operating as they should. These are due to be replaced in the new year. The fire detection system in the games room is not currently connected to the main system. The fire risk assessment has not been updated to identify how these risks will be managed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Several internal doors in the home have locks and are sometimes locked. This limits access to shared areas of the home and can create an institutional feel. A risk assessment needs to be put in place to consider how this practice may impact on the children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff now have regular supervision with the manager or assistant manager. Staff are encouraged to use reflective practice to improve their skills. A detailed induction programme is in place. However, not all staff have yet received their full induction.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A number of requirements were set at the last full inspection. Those that have not been reviewed during this inspection have been repeated and will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/07/2018 Full Good 31/01/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 27/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 27/09/2019 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 4 The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(iv)(xii)(xiii)) 27/09/2019

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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.

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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

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

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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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. 27/09/2019 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experience of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and development in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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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 signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that the date on which a 27/09/2019 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 6 child ceased to be accommodated and their address on leaving the home are recorded.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify Ofsted and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home— 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.

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Recommendations

 The information set out in the statement of purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and placing authority that a placement in that home is the right one for the child, and that the home will be able to respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. Emergency admissions should not be taken unless the home’s statement of purpose and its capacity and support systems mean that it has the capability to care for children admitted at very short notice while continuing to offer high quality care to children already living in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6)  Those with a leadership and/or management role should be visible and accessible to staff and able to deliver their leadership and/or management responsibilities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page

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Recommendations

52, paragraph 10.7)  Just as in a family home, children should be able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21(c) (i)). Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (Guide to the children’s Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 7 homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective

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Recommendations

practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of the child. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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Information about this inspection

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 8 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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lincolnshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Offices, Newland, Lincoln LN1 1YL

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Debra Moger-Gurupira

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Inspector

Sarah Orriss, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC042967 10 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 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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