Children's home run by Social Care Services Limited in Stockport

Inspection report children’s home: SC021684 1 SC021684 Registered provider: Social Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children who may have learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities. The home forms part of a private social care company.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2018.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC021684 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/10/2018 Full Good 18/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/04/2017 Full Good 06/12/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC021684 3

p.2

improvement to be good

There has been a decline in the way in which children are protected. Not all staff have had the training to understand the children’s behaviours and risks. There are gaps in the essential recording of events, which means that children are not always safeguarded, and their behaviour is not managed correctly by staff.

p.3

improvement to be good

Despite these shortfalls, children do make progress, especially in relation to their education. Managers and staff are ambitious for their children. They are keen advocates and make sure that children’s views are represented at meetings.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s cultural and linguistic needs are met at the home. Staff ensure that children have access to the correct food, specific personal care requirements and activities according to their faith. This means that children develop their independence, according to their individual needs.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff see family contact as important and support children to see their families. Therefore, children maintain close relationships with their relatives.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children access a range of social and recreational activities such as trampolining and football. These take place in the local community and further afield. One of the children was excited to experience their first residential holiday. Because children lead active lifestyles, they become healthier, develop new skills and grow in confidence.

p.3

improvement to be good

Managers have not ensured that all risks identified with children’s complex learning and developmental needs are understood. Risk assessments are not always adhered to, and this means that children’s safety has been compromised.

p.3

improvement to be good

Due to the complex disabilities of the children, they rely on the staff meeting their health needs. The home has developed effective relationships with health professionals. However, arrangements for the administration of medication are not always clear.

p.3

improvement to be good

Managers have not always prioritised health and safety. For example, children could have access to potentially harmful materials. This detracts from the otherwise warm and homely environment.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff are well supported by the manager. Training and development opportunities are tailored to meet the needs of children. For example, staff have received training in communication by one of the children’s schools. This collaborative way of working means that the children are receiving the same approach to communication and the Inspection report children’s home: SC021684 4 management of their complex needs or behaviour from both care and education staff.

p.3

improvement to be good

Training provided to some new staff in managing challenging behaviours has not been delivered quickly enough. This does not support staff to have the skills and confidence to meet the children’s behavioural support needs.

p.4

good

When concerns are raised about unsafe practice, the manager’s response is not always robust enough. Monitoring of practice is not always effective. Although managers have shared information with children’s social workers and safeguarding agencies, in practice, the quality of care does not always improve.

p.4

good

Managers make sure that only staff who are safe are recruited. However, many new staff are inexperienced, and staff turnover is high. Leaders and managers are making changes to improve retention of staff and give staff more realistic information regarding the expectations of the role.

p.4

good

Newly recruited staff do not always receive professional supervision at the frequency required by the home’s policy. This reduces the amount of time that new staff spend with their manager to review their practice in the home.

p.4

good

Managers work collaboratively and effectively with stakeholders. There is effective liaison with schools and social workers. Multi-agency meetings are used well to share information, which provides additional consistency in the care provided to children.

p.4

good

Children are provided with information that they can understand. It is provided in written and pictorial format. Because staff communicate so well with the group, children understand their daily routines.

p.4

good

There have been a low number of complaints, and none from the children. When complaints do occur, the manager quickly resolves these. This develops trusting relationships with stakeholders. Inspection report children’s home: SC021684 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 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— 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)(d)) This is in relation to ensuring that all areas are free from items that are a hazard to children’s health and well-being. 22/04/2020

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— 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)(b)) 22/04/2020

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) This is in relation to new staff on probation receiving supervision in line with the home’s written policy.  Care must be taken to ensure that prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any

p.5

Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: SC021684 6 medication. These are fundamentally the same arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. Where the home has questions or concerns about a child’s medication, they should approach an expert such as a general medical practitioner, community pharmacist or designated nurse for looked-after children. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) This is in relation to the administration of medication corresponding to the clinician’s prescription.

p.6

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: SC021684 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31 Shaw Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK4 4AG

p.7

Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC021684 8 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.7

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 http://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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8