Children's home run by North East Lincolnshire Council

Inspection report children‟s home: SC394101 1 SC394101 Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire 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

A local authority operates and runs this home. It provides care for up to four children and young people whose plan is to live in a medium- to long-term residential setting. The manager is suitably qualified and has been in post since 2013.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 26 to 27 November 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

Date of last inspection: 24 October 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC394101 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2018 Full Good 16/01/2018 Full Good 14/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/10/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children‟s home: SC394101 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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Requirements 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. (Regulation 12(1) and (2)(a)(i)) In particular, ensure that all the children’s and young people’s s missing person action plans are up to date and consistently followed. In addition, when children and young people are returning to the home under the influence of substances, the staff need to provide a consistent response, including seeking medical advice if deemed necessary. 31/01/2020

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Requirements 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 31/01/2020 Inspection report children‟s home: SC394101 4 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

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Requirements Due date

to do so (“the authorised person”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and 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. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for deciding what each review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. (‘ Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph p15.4) This is with particular reference to the manager’s s completion of the six-monthly review of the home. Data is not incorporated into the report, and this would provide further opportunity for analysis. With this in mind, it is important that registered persons meet the Regulations having regard to the needs of children placed in the home and the role and aims of the home as set out in their Statement of Purpose. This Guide identifies specific

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Recommendations

regulations where a home‟s approach may need to be different because of the purpose of the home and/or the needs of the children they care for. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 6, paragraph p1.2)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children lead fun and active lives. They enjoy a range of activities, including swimming lessons and football training. In addition, they are gaining a lot of new experiences as they go on breaks away, have adventures wild camping, and go to theme parks. The children’s self-esteem is improving. When children come to live in the home, the staff ensure that the children receive the necessary care and attention to meet their needs. The children present as clean, tidy and well clothed. This helps to prevent bullying, as one child previously experienced. Inspection report children‟s home: SC394101 5 The staff are instrumental in improving each child’s s attendance and attainment as they reinforce the importance and value of education. This has involved the staff sitting with children in school. The children are making significant progress, with one child now going to school after a long period of non-attendance. Other children have gained

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

qualifications which have enabled them to progress to further education. The children benefit from a healthy lifestyle. The staff promote physical activity and ensure that children eat a balanced diet. These lifestyle changes mean that children look healthier and medical issues such as constipation have been resolved. Children are seeking medical assistance to aid them to sleep, while other children have been prescribed glasses, which the staff encourage them to wear. The children’s s moves into and out of the home are well planned in advance of any changes. Children new to the home meet the other children and staff and this creates a positive start to their transition. However, one emergency admission, although made outside of the home’s statement of purpose, did not impact on the children living in the home. The child arrived late at night and was gone by the morning. The young people who have progressed to independent living continue to receive outreach support from

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

the staff through staying close arrangements. The children are proud of the home and like to invite their friends for dinner. The home is welcoming and homely and the children’s s bedrooms are nicely decorated and personalised for them.

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

Risk management procedures are underpinned by the well-documented and individualised risk assessments. Staff place the children and young people at the centre of their practice and implement measures to maintain their safety and well-being. Allegations are taken seriously. The manager and his team work in partnership with social workers and the police to share concerns and agree strategies to protect the children. This has seen an increase in the levels of staff supervision and the surveillance system of bedroom door alarms has been upgraded. This helps the staff to monitor children appropriately and to keep children safe. Missing from home plans are clear about the steps that the staff should take should a child go missing. The staff are proactive at searching for the children. This often calls for staff who are not on duty to come into the home to offer support. Return home interviews enable the manager to further analyse incidents and update strategies.

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

However, despite the staff’s s relentless actions to locate missing children, these episodes are not routinely reported to the police within the timescales identified in the children’s s plans. Occasionally, children return to the home under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The staff are skilled at identifying when children are intoxicated and engage with the child and monitor them to ensure that they are okay. However, when the children identify that they are experiencing an unusual effect from their misuse of illegal substances, the staff do not routinely seek medical advice to inform their practice. Inspection report children‟s home: SC394101 6 The children feel safe and secure in the home. They are nurtured by the staff and trusting relationships are formed. There are times when staff need to physically hold children and these interventions prevent significant injury to children and others. However, the records are not consistently completed or reviewed by a manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is well qualified, knowledgeable and experienced. He ensures that the children live in a home where the atmosphere is both warm and nurturing, and where they can thrive. A parent said, ‘[Child’s s name] has had a really difficult year, but with the ongoing support from the staff he continues to be on a path of success.’ The children’s s participation is given high importance. They are empowered to ‘ha have their say’ a and make their views and opinions known. The manager’s s response has made significant changes to the children’s s lives. For example, through partnership working with a child’s s social worker and mother, a child was able to have overnight stays at the family home. A social worker said, ‘Th The staff really do go the extra mile. They really responded to [child’s s name] wishes.’ There is clear partnership working with professionals and, together, they formulate plans and strategies to protect and meet the needs of the children. Good relationships mean

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

that agencies like the police are visible in the home and this breaks down the barriers and prejudices that the children hold, enabling trusting relationships. The manager, together with his team, demonstrates the ability to see beyond the children’s s presenting behaviours. They utilise the support from specialist services, including therapists, to provider a greater depth of understanding about how the children’s s past trauma and experiences can inform their behaviours. The staff clearly understand the impact of trauma, loss and attachment difficulties on individuals’ behaviours and, therefore, focus on maintaining stability and consistency for the children. The reflective manager has insight into the strengths and required developments of the home. His implementation of the monthly analysis report provides a clear and reflective overview of the home. The manager uses the monthly analysis and the six-monthly

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

quality of care review to look at any patterns and trends in the children’s s behaviours. Although this focuses on pertinent themes, it does not include any review of data to further highlight identified changes to the children’s s plans.

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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. Inspection report children‟s home: SC394101 7 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

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Information about this inspection

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: SC394101 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: North East Lincolnshire Council, Civic Offices, Knoll Street, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire DN35 8LN

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Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC394101 9 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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