Children's home run by Willows Lull

Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 1 Registered provider: Willows Lull

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This service is run by a charitable organisation. It provides short breaks for up to five children and young people at any one time, plus day-care services for children and young people who have identified life-limiting conditions and/or complex healthcare needs requiring nursing care.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

The service is also registered with the Care Quality Commission and the Charity Commission.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: this is the children’s home’s first full inspection

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 2

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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 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

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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 approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that decisive and prompt action is taken to meet the above, and to:

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Requirement Due date

 Quality assure all children’s daily and medication records to ensure that they are maintained to a consistently high standard.  Ensure a robust oversight of all children’s risk management plans to ensure that where a written plan does not exist for a child, there is a clear rationale for this.  Ensure that the responsible individual and registered manager source safer recruitment training.  Ensure that bank staff receive all mandatory training, including safeguarding. 14/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 31/01/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 3 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(a)) Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5)) 29/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, include an up-to-date staffing list detailing the experience and qualifications of staff, including any staff commissioned to provide education or healthcare. 29/02/2020

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The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance. (Regulation 24 (1)((b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, comply with the above and ensure that the details are contained in the statement of purpose, policies and procedures, and the child’s care plan. 14/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must undertake such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the registered manager has the skills needed for managing the home. (Regulation 29 (4)) Specifically, this refers to providing the registered manager with regular professional supervision by a person with the appropriate qualifications and experience. 31/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider is an organisation, the organisation must ensure that the responsible individual undertakes such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 4 that the responsible individual has the skills needed for supervising the management of the home. (Regulation 29 (2)) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

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).

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the individual is of integrity and good character;

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the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(d)) 14/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

 Ensure that the staff are supervised regularly in line with the home’s statement of purpose.  Ensure that bank staff receive formal supervision. 14/02/2020

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ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that a copy of each employee’s induction is maintained in their files. 14/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

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—

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the name of the child; 14/02/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 5 details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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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) and (c)(iv)) 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. A notification under this regulation must include details of the matter; the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; must be made or confirmed on writing. (Regulation 40 (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 14/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 31/01/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 6 if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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children are effectively safeguarded; and

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the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5)) The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 31/01/2020

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Recommendations

 The children’s home’s staff should seek to identify and provide appropriate opportunities for children to develop themselves in accordance with their wishes and feelings and as part of the home’s plan for their care. Each child’s talents and Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 7 interests should be understood and nurtured, with children selecting activities based on their personal preferences and abilities, so far as is reasonable. Staff should also support children to try activities that are ‘new’ for them, where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4) In particular, the registered person must ensure that any written records of goals and targets set for children include details of the child’s achievements and progress and provide evidence that such goals and targets are continually revised. Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 8

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improvement to be good

The children enjoy opportunities to have fun and companionship with other children when they visit this short breaks service. However, not all the children have had consistently good experiences. In one instance, the stay of a child with complex needs and challenging behaviours ended abruptly following a significant incident during their stay. Insufficient information being obtained by the manager prior to the placement did not provide full assurances about the suitability of the placement.

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improvement to be good

The children’s needs are well known and understood by the management and staff, who have an in-depth knowledge of the children. The children’s individual personalities come through when speaking to the staff. The children are treated with dignity and respect, and staff show them love and affection. The children have fun irrespective of their needs as staff use all the resources at their disposal to make this happen. The children are helped to make choices using their preferred individual communication styles that are understood by the staff. Social workers and parents speak highly about the support offered to not only the children, but to the whole family. One parent said that the home has been, ‘life saving’ and says, ‘I could not do it without them’, referring to the care of their child.

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improvement to be good

Health and safety checks ensure that the physical environment is safe for children, staff and visitors. The internal premises are spacious and furnished with lots of interactive resources, and the sensory space enables children to play and relax. The outside sensory garden is a vibrant and interactive area that provides an array of activities for the children.

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improvement to be good

Not all incidents in the home have been acted on appropriately. A significant incident involving the physical intervention of a child who presented with very challenging and risky behaviours was not identified or appropriately explored by the registered manager or responsible individual. The physical interventions were not recorded in line with the relevant regulation. A body map indicated that marks on the child’s forehead were sustained as a result of self-inflicted injuries during the incident, but there is no clarity as to why a medical did not take place. An accident form was completed, and the child was checked by the responsible individual. However, the management oversight of the incident has not identified and responded to the specific concerns.

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improvement to be good

Not all children have a written risk assessment and there is no rationale for this. The staff are acutely aware of the children’s complex needs and vulnerabilities, but this is not formalised within a risk management framework. This does not support a shared understanding of risk management between the staff and the management team. Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 9 The use of video surveillance to safeguard children, particularly during the night-time hours, is not supported by the provider’s current policy and procedures. Although the arrangements have been agreed by parents and social workers, there is no formal written record of approval and the information is not included in the home’s statement of purpose and the children’s care plans. This does not promote transparent practice.

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improvement to be good

Appropriate staffing levels ensure that children are supervised closely, which protects them from harm given their complex needs and their vulnerabilities. None of the children are at known risk of going missing or are subject to harm that is associated with exploitation, neglect, abuse, self-harm, bullying and radicalisation. Professionals and parents consider their children to be safe and they express no concerns. One parent said, ‘I have no worries about him. He feels perfectly safe.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of service delivery is ineffective. The current monitoring systems are not reliable or robust. Independent monitoring visits have not taken place since the short breaks service was registered. This does not provide the required level of independent monitoring and added oversight from a ‘critical friend’ about the quality of care and the safety and well-being of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The gaps in care and safeguarding practice have not been recognised and acted on quickly by the registered manager to enable her to make a clear evaluation of the children’s progress, safety and outcomes. This has delayed the rigour and speed at which the service has been able to continually improve. For example, the registered manager was not aware of the need to record interventions involving staff restricting children’s physical movements, albeit for their own and others’ safety and protection. This has not promoted transparent practice that the registered manager and staff could later reflect on and learn from to improve children’s experiences and relationships. Furthermore, the registered manager’s oversight of the management of medication is not evident. In one example, medication administered to a child had not been signed off on administration. This had not been identified and/or rectified by the registered

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Not all serious incidents have been shared with Ofsted. This prevents Ofsted from monitoring the quality of care and taking the necessary action to support the provider to safeguard children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The children are at risk of contact with potentially unsuitable people due to the lack of rigor in the recruitment practice. The responsible individual and registered manager have not done safe recruitment training to inform their understanding of this process. Application forms do not consistently include a full employment history with months and dates, together with a satisfactory explanation of any gaps in employment. The recruitment information does not include the reason for the applicant leaving employment with children and vulnerable adults, and the verification of this information has not been done. Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 10 The staff induction records were not available for inspection. Although managers and staff spoke about a six-month probation period, the provider has not implemented this safety net despite reference to it in the statement of purpose. The frequency of

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

supervision for new staff is not in line with the statement of purpose. Not all the supervision records demonstrate reflective practice or refer to the children. Bank staff do not receive the supervision and training that they should, including safeguarding and other mandatory training. This limits leaders’ and managers’ overview of the staff team’s welfare, skills, competence and any areas for professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager started to manage the service in September 2019. She is due to start the diploma level 5 qualification. The registered manager is supervised by the chair of the trustees. Although beneficial from a health perspective, she does not receive supervision from an appropriately qualified and experienced social care professional. This does not enable the registered manager to develop her knowledge and confidence within an Ofsted-registered, short breaks provision in line with the quality standards and regulations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The statement of purpose is out of date. It does not consistently support the current service delivery in relation to what the provider does and does not deliver for children and their families. For example, the statement of purpose claims to have a keywork system when one does not exist in practice. The document does not include the details of the experience and qualifications of the current staff team. The quality of the records relating to the children does not provide a consistently clear audit trail of their plans, including any changes and progress during their stays. This does not provide a consistently clear oversight of their progress and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual and registered manager are keen, and are committed to ensuring that service improvements are made in light of the inspection findings.

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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: 2484136 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Willows Lull, 22 Weydale Avenue, Scarborough, Yorkshire, YO12 6AX

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Inspector

Jacqueline Malcolm, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 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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