Children's Home run by Building Bridges Care Homes Ltd in St Helens

Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 1 Registered provider: Building Bridges Care Homes Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. The home can provide care and support for up to four young people who are no longer able to live at home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since February 2017

p.1

Inspection date: 21 January 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 2

p.1

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In recent months, there has been a decline in the quality of management oversight. This is because the registered manager and deputy have been covering shifts in the home due to staff vacancies. These vacancies are now being filled, and the organisation is awaiting the outcome of the applicants’ checks, such as criminal records bureau checks.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding practice is inconsistent. Some positive work has been done to keep one young person in the home safe. There is evidence of effective partnership working with other professionals to ensure that all lines of enquiry are addressed. However, for one young person this has not been effective with regards to their use of cannabis, their assaults on staff and their damage to property.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk-reduction strategies are poor. Staff have failed to update the young person’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans following significant incidents in the home and in the car. This means that there is no cohesive approach to managing known risks. Furthermore, staff have not followed the agreed action in the risk assessment with regards to carrying out room searches. Consequently, this type of behaviour has continued and leaves the young person at risk of harm. Ofsted has not been informed of these incidents.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Behaviour management plans do not demonstrate the actions that staff should take in response to specific behaviours. Therefore, staff are not taking a balanced approach to managing young people’s behaviour. Consequences are not effectively applied and, at times, young people appear to be rewarded for poor behaviour, for example being taken out after incidents of negative behaviour. This does not promote the expectations of good behaviour.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Consequences are not always recorded, and this does not promote transparency or tell the story of the young person’s time in the home. Several consequences are not appropriate, for example making a young person wait for several hours for a lift to see their friends to make up for the time that they kept staff awake the previous night. Overall, the behaviour management strategies are not effective and are not helping young people to change their behaviour.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The support provided to enhance young people’s health and well-being is variable. Staff are unclear how to educate young people about their sexual health or to help them to reduce their use of cannabis. Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 3 The statement of purpose has been reviewed; however, this has not been received by Ofsted. Monitoring by the registered manager has declined and various issues identified at the inspection have not been identified and acted upon, such as young people’s plans not being current. Reporting by the independent person is generally secure, but again has not identified the shortfalls. Staff’s response in relation to incidents in the home is variable and does not promote consistency or help to bring about change. The registered manager identified that they need to revisit specific areas of training with staff to ensure stability in their responses.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s education is supported, and staff work with school and others to help young people to engage with their education. A young person worked well with their tutor in the new education hub and returned to mainstream school in September 2019 and was doing well. Unfortunately, the young person has refused to attend school since January. Staff are working with the school to help the young person to re-engage. Regrettably, the education hub is no longer a conducive learning environment, because it is being used by other homes to store archive records.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The premises have sustained extensive damage in recent months and this is detracting from the homely environment that staff are striving to maintain. One bedroom is currently uninhabitable, there are only three dining chairs, and the fridge is covered in indentations from various objects. Young people’s privacy is not protected as there are no window dressings at the kitchen window and the public can see directly into the kitchen. Work has recently commenced to address this. Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2019 Full Good 30/01/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that–

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10(1)(a)(b)(c), (2)(a)(i)(ii)) 02/03/2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe; 02/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 6 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(d)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that–

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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)(c)(d)(h)) 02/03/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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)) 02/03/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that– 02/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 7 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–

p.6

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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”)–

p.7

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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)) The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which–

p.7

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

are kept up to date; and 02/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 8 are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if–

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 02/03/2020

p.8

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.8

Recommendations

 The home must make available suitable facilities, equipment and resources for learning and ensure that the home’s routines do not form barriers to young people wishing to use the home’s resources to study. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)  The registered person should only accept placements for young people where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the young person’s assessed needs as recorded in the young person’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of young people. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Ensure that the records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Information about the children must always be recorded in a way that

p.8

Recommendations

will be helpful to the child should they access their information now or in the future. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraphs 14.4 and 14.5) In particular, ensure that the records tell the story of a young person’s time at the home.

p.8

Information about this inspection

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.

p.8

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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Building Bridges Care Homes Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Mill Farm, Bull Bridge Lane, Liverpool L10 6LZ

p.9

Inspector

Chris Scully, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1250035 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10