Children's Home run by Stanfield Care Services Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 1 SC451152 Registered provider: Stanfield Care Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to four children aged between eight and 17 who present with challenging behaviour. The registered manager left the home in October 2018. Since then, three managers have been appointed, none of whom have successfully registered with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 11 February 2020

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 11 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 2

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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 declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, 11 requirements were raised. The manager has addressed eight of these requirements. Three of the requirements have been reset. A further six requirements have been set at this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager left in October 2018. Since then, there has been no registered manager. Three new managers have been appointed but either did not remain in post or their registration application was not successful. An interim manager has stepped into the position while a permanent manager is sought. A new manager is due to start full time and their application to Ofsted has been submitted. These continued changes to management and the day-to-day structure have not supported the staff team or the children, especially those children who have attachment difficulties, to gain a sense of stability as change is a common factor.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children do not access full-time education. Although the children’s attendance in education has improved since their admission to the home, it is sporadic. A lack of suitable education prevents children from reaching their full potential.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children’s living accommodation has deteriorated since the last inspection. Some areas of the home require redecoration, and worn or broken items need replacing. There is graffiti on the upstairs landing wall that has been there for two months. The kitchen is dated. There are holes in walls caused from door closures. Light bulbs are missing, and some chairs look worn and frayed in places. Overall, parts of the home are not warm or welcoming.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children develop some positive life skills through the basic household tasks that they choose to engage in. They enjoy a variety of activities that promote their confidence and self-esteem. However, the staff are not sufficiently proactive in facilitating children’s hobbies and interests. Currently, the children do not engage in activities fully. The staff fail to take effective action to reduce the children’s involvement in disruptive behaviour and in going missing from the home. Some children reported being bored as a reason for going missing.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Episodes of children going missing have significantly increased over the last few months, with children staying out all night and being involved in negative behaviour in the community. Although the staff are now going out and searching for the children, when found, the children and their companions are often confrontational, physically and verbally aggressive and show little respect for their carers. Failure to help children to understand and be responsible for their behaviour does not enable them to make positive changes. Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 3 The children, at times, present with challenging and disruptive behaviour. Although challenged by the staff, incidents of verbal abuse from the children to the staff continue. The children have weekly targets to meet to address concerning behaviour. However, for some children, the targets are unrealistic and unachievable. The children lack positive reinforcement for some of their smaller achievements, as

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All the staff have undertaken the organisation’s mandatory training, including safeguarding. However, the staff do not have training in autism awareness, attachment theory and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to improve and develop their practice further to meet the needs of the children placed at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home practises safe recruitment when recruiting permanent staff. However, recruitment of agency staff leaves the children vulnerable. For example, the reason for leaving the last employment is noted as not applicable and full information is not scrutinised effectively.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of care report fails to inform of the actions that are required to improve the care. It is unclear how feedback gained from children and placing authorities informs changes. The manager has not used the information available or monitored effectively to identify why the children are going missing and the patterns and trends associated with this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The location risk assessment fails to include all known risks to children and staff and to demonstrate that managers have taken all possible action to reduce risk. For example, the use of the gate as a potential barrier has not been explored and there is no information about the lack of street lighting and pavements. There are no grab bags for the staff to use in case of an emergency. Information about incidents where children are gaining alcohol from and inappropriate associations with males in the community are not included.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s rota is not a true reflection of the actual staff on shift. This can cause confusion when trying to monitor events or triggers of behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite several shortfalls identified at this inspection, some children have benefited from their placements. One child has been at this home for a longer time than they have been in other placements, which is significant progress for them. When asked why they felt that they had remained at this home for longer, the child said, ‘They [the staff] are so much more understanding. They help me to see right from wrong. I want to stay here until I am 18.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children said that they feel safe living at the home and that they have formed positive relationships with the staff. Staff respond effectively to some situations, using their knowledge to help the children make some positive choices.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have annual appraisals and receive regular supervision, which provide them with some support and guidance. Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 5

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(c)(i)) 30/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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 understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(iv)(vi)(viii)) 30/04/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

mutual respect and trust; 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 6 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 socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how these relationships can be supportive or harmful; and

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(ii)(vi)(viii)) 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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b)(c)) 15/03/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 31/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— 29/02/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 7 there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(2)(a)(b)) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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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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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This refers in particular to agency staff. 29/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, provide staff with training to enable them to meet the needs of each child. 31/03/2020

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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. 29/02/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 8 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is in particular reference to maintaining an accurate record of the staff rota.

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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.

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stanfield Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 6, Cuckoo Wharf, 435 Lichfield Road, Birmingham, West Midlands B6 7SS

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Inspectors

Cathy Russell, Social Care Inspector Natalie Burton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC451152 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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