Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 1 SC032083

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Castle Homes Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a private provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is currently vacant.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 6 and 7 November 2019. The inspector identified poor practice relating to safeguarding, risk management, health, care planning, and leadership and management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

On 3 January 2020, a monitoring visit took place. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to assess the progress made by the home regarding compliance notices issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 14, the care planning standard.

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This monitoring visit

No young people are currently living at the home. Records were reviewed for the young people who left the home in December 2019.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors found that new risk assessments and behaviour management plans implemented since the last inspection were lengthy and generic. Risk assessments do not focus on young people’s individual known or emerging risks and vulnerabilities. Young people with no history of, for example, gang affiliation, were assessed that they ‘may be’ at risk. This means that the staff did not have a clear understanding of actual risks for young people.

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This monitoring visit

Behaviour management plans were largely descriptive and the strategies to manage behaviours were not easily identified among other information. Emerging risks Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 2 detailed in risk assessments, such as a young person running in front of traffic on a busy road, were not highlighted in the young person’s s behaviour management plan. This means that staff did not have appropriate guidance for how they should manage young people’s risks and behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

Certain young people expressed the view that they did not like to be touched by men. A risk assessment had been put in place stating that a male member of staff was not to lone work with a young person. This followed an allegation that he had assaulted a young person during a physical intervention. However, the member of staff was involved in a subsequent physical intervention. This means that managers failed to ensure that alternative behaviour management strategies were in place to keep young people safe or to protect the staff from potential further allegations.

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This monitoring visit

On several occasions the staff were unable to manage young people’s behaviour and resorted to calling the police for assistance. On one occasion young people were held in custody overnight. The social worker for one young person said she was not made aware of this until she telephoned the home to check on the young person’s welfare after an earlier incident. Ineffective de-escalation by the staff means that young people are now subject to intervention by the youth offending service, which may impact on their future opportunities.

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This monitoring visit

Management oversight of incidents that have occurred since the last inspection has been poor. On reviewing documents, the manager’s further action was often to update the impact risk assessment. However, this is a document used prior to a new young person moving to the home, and therefore the staff would be unlikely to refer to it for updated information. The manager failed to notify statutory agencies until several weeks after young people made complaints that they had been assaulted by staff. This means that young people were not effectively safeguarded. The deputy manager, on gaining access to records of complaints, has made referrals appropriately and investigations are taking place.

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This monitoring visit

As no new young people have moved to the home, inspectors were unable to evaluate whether the home has improved the assessment of the suitability of new admissions, considering the needs of young people already living at the home. The provider did not provide inspectors with paperwork to demonstrate that more robust compatibility risk assessments are in place.

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This monitoring visit

Care planning for young people leaving the home is poor. One young person’s transition plan contained limited information, did not provide a clear plan of how staff should support the young person moving on and did not consider the young person’s wishes and feelings regarding the move.

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This monitoring visit

At the previous inspection, it was identified that a young person did not meet the threshold for child and adolescent mental health services in the home’s locality, but no alternative provision had been identified. The provider subsequently arranged for alternative support, but the first appointment took place the day before the young person moved out of the home and was, therefore, of limited benefit to the young Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 3 person.

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This monitoring visit

Following the previous inspection, several of the staff have been on sick leave. As a result, planned training in response to shortfalls identified at the last inspection did not take place. Staff from the company’s other homes and agency staff were working at the home to cover shortfalls due to sickness. These interim arrangements were not sufficient to safeguard young people effectively or provide consistency of care.

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This monitoring visit

The provider advised Ofsted that the manager of the home has left. The deputy is also leaving the home, and several of the staff have resigned or have moved to other homes and are not expected to return. This means that there are two staff members in post. The provider has started to recruit for a replacement manager and staff team, however there are currently insufficient staff to provide safe and consistent care. The provider has indicated that they do not intend to admit any young people to the home until a new manager and staff team are in post.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has failed to demonstrate adequate progress to meet the steps of the compliance notices. A case review was held on 7 January 2020. The decision was taken to serve a restriction of accommodation notice on the home with immediate effect. This is to ensure that no young people are admitted to the home until the regulator is satisfied that they would not be at risk of harm.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/11/2019 Full Inadequate 12/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/06/2018 Full Good 25/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 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 health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10(1)(a)(b)(2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, provision should be sought to support young people’s mental health needs. 20/12/2019

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(vii)(xii)(xiii))

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Requirement Due date

Young people should consistently be supported to understand when their behaviour is not acceptable and helped to find ways to adhere to boundaries. Direct work should support young people’s understanding of criminally exploitative relationships. Any incidents of bullying should be 20/12/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 5 clearly addressed and challenged. 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— 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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, any emerging risks, including those of potential radicalisation, should be recognised and appropriately referred to other safeguarding agencies to ensure that all young people living in the home receive appropriate support and protection. 02/01/2020

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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— promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(b)(2)(c)) 20/12/2019

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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 02/01/2020 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 6 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— that arrangements are in place to— ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority; and that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, careful and robust consideration of each young person’s needs should be assessed to ensure compatibility prior to admission to the home. Any emerging change in young people’s behaviour should be monitored and support provided. Arrangements should be made to ensure that young people receive the services required, as set out in local authority plans. A person may only manage a children’s home if— having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children— the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has— within the last 5 years, worked for at least 2 years in a position relevant to the residential care of children. (Regulation 28(1)(b)(i)(2)(a)) 20/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that— the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate 20/12/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 7 qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”). (Regulation 32(3)(b)(4)(a)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e) 20/12/2019

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Recommendations

 It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. ( ‘Guide to the children’s ho s homes regulations including the quality standards’, , page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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Recommendations

Specifically, records should be detailed, particularly in relation to meeting young people’s s needs. Prompt action should be taken in response to any staff members’ concerns.

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Recommendations

 Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to th e children’s s homes regulations including the quality standards’, , page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Recommendations

In particular, the registered person should seek information from external safeguarding professionals when considering referrals to ensure that any risks are identified as part of pre-admission assessments. Where any risks are identified, including outdoor sports equipment, the review should clearly identify any actions taken to mitigate them.

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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: SC032083 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Anthony Armstrong

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Inspectors

Karen Willson, social care inspector Pam Nuckley, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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