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

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1250035 1

p.1

Building Bridges Care Homes Limited

Monitoring visit 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

This monitoring visit

The home was judged to be ‘declined in effectiveness’ at the interim inspection on 21 January 2020. The inspection found that the arrangements for safeguarding children were inadequate. The registered manager and staff were not fully aware of the severity of risk associated with each young person, in particular the young people’s use of cannabis. Risk assessment and other documentation were not current and failed to provide effective support systems for the young people.

p.1

This monitoring visit

An unannounced monitoring visit was undertaken on 6 March 2020 by a social care regulatory inspector and a regional inspection manager. 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. This related to regulation 12, the protection of children standard. At this inspection, it was established that insufficient action had been taken to meet the compliance notice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Although risk assessments have been amended and now outline some of the risks posed to young people, they are not specific about the action that staff need to take to support young people and minimise risk. Therefore, staff do not take sufficient action following concerns about young people or when serious incidents take place.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There is limited information recorded about a safeguarding disclosure that was made by a young person, including whether any action was taken following this disclosure. The manager also failed to inform Ofsted of this matter in line with regulation. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1250035 2 Behaviour management plans do not provide sufficient guidance for staff about how to help young people to address negative behaviours, such as when a young person smokes cannabis in the home. Young people therefore continue to smoke cannabis in the home and this remains a significant concern. On the day of the visit, one young person was smoking cannabis in their bedroom. There was minimal response by staff to address the concern, demonstrating a lack of insight into the severity of the situation.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Records do not demonstrate the action that staff have taken to support children or how staff are keeping young people safe. This demonstrates a lack of understanding about the risks that young people may be exposed to and their risk assessments do not provide a satisfactory level of detail about how risk is to be reduced or managed by staff.

p.2

This monitoring visit

In Ofsted’s view, the shortfalls highlighted demonstrate that safeguarding practice at the home is poor and the insufficient action taken to date does not minimise the risk to young people effectively or protect them from harm. As a result, the compliance notice has been reissued. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1250035 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 09/05/2019 Full Good 30/01/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1250035 4

p.3

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.4

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

p.4

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.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 02/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1250035 5 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 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)) 02/03/2020

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

the name of the child; 02/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1250035 6 details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.6

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 02/03/2020 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1250035 7 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

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.7

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.7

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 for 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 57, 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.7

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 in the home. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1250035 8

p.7

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.

p.8

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 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

Inspectors

Chris Scully, social care inspector Julia Toller, regulatory inspection manager Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 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

Inspectors

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

Inspectors

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

p.10

Inspectors

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

p.10