Children's home run by Willows Lull

Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 1 Registered provider: Willows Lull Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that Covid-19 is currently posing to those we regulate. During this visit, the inspector took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of Coronavirus by the setting. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements.

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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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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None. Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 3

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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 sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There were no children or young people accessing this service during the inspection. One parent gave feedback that they are always delighted with the care that their child receives, and that they particularly appreciate the information staff record so that they know what their child has experienced during their stay. This communication helps children to share their experiences with those who are important to them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no admissions or discharges since the full inspection. The premises continue to be well presented and stocked with a wide range of interactive and sensory equipment for indoor and outdoor play, providing children with a fun and safe physical environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A child who has faced difficulties with school attendance is helped to make progress towards their learning goals. The manager has worked in partnership with educational professionals to help her to align their targets with those that her team encourages the child to achieve. Not all children benefit from having individual targets in their care planning, which means that there is no consistency in tracking the progress that they make.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A policy for the use of video surveillance has been developed, as this method is used at times when it is necessary to safeguard children. This use of video surveillance has been agreed verbally with parents and social workers. Formal written consent has now been requested and the manager is awaiting responses.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s case records show that the idea of accountability has been introduced, as some amendments and updates are signed and dated. This practice is not embedded, and the manager has insufficient auditing processes in place to identify such issues so as to ensure that staff take responsibility for the care that children receive.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager now has a system to ensure that her team is provided with supervision which meets the previous requirement made to address this. However, at times, supervision is held around midnight for staff who are on night duty, which may diminish its usefulness. Additionally, records show that children are not always discussed, which means that staff have less of a chance to develop their knowledge and understanding of the children’s needs

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has arranged for her staff to attend a wide range of training courses, and each of her team members has either completed mandatory training or has been enrolled to complete this. Some staff have completed specialist training to Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 4 extend their knowledge and skill levels in areas such as emergency medication and seizures. Children are cared for by a team of staff who are committed to them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The responsible individual and registered manager have completed training in safer recruitment to develop their understanding of recruitment processes. However, while some recruitment files have been meticulously scrutinised, and shortfalls rectified, this does not apply to them all, leaving children exposed to potential risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has contracted an independent monitoring service to provide monthly visits to the home, so that there is external oversight of the quality of care and safety of children. An initial visit has taken place, but the report was not available for inspection. Therefore, it is not possible to evaluate how this information is used to develop the service and improve the care that children receive.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and board of trustees are reviewing the statement of purpose, although they have not completed this task yet. A ‘work in progress’ version was made available for inspection, but it does not hold all the required information to meet regulation. Similarly, there is evidence that documents, such as induction records and a log in which to record physical interventions, are being developed, but these are incomplete and have not been implemented in a timely manner. This demonstrates a lack of urgency in responding to the shortfalls and areas in need of improvement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no serious incidents to share with Ofsted. Therefore, the requirement made in connection with this could not be evaluated, and has been reissued. The previous requirements made in relation to the manager and responsible individual ensuring that they continue with their professional development were not considered, as the due date on which they are expected to be achieved has not been reached. These, together with all other requirements and the recommendation, have been reissued. Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 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 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

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:

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure 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. 22/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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. 30/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 6 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)(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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children have key workers. 22/04/2020

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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 that the responsible individual has the skills needed for supervising the management of the home.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this refers to providing the registered manager with regular professional supervision by a person with the appropriate experience. (Regulation 29(2)(4)) 31/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

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

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform. 22/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 7 (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(d)) The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have a formal induction and that they receive a written record of this. (Regulation 33(1)(a)(b)) 22/04/2020

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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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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is

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Requirement Due date

authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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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)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 22/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

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 in writing. (Regulation 40(5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 22/04/2020

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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— 22/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 8 children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44(4)(a)(b)(7))

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Recommendations

 Homes must gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph, 3.16)  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 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

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Recommendations

progress, and provide evidence that such goals and targets are continually revised.  Staff supervision must enable staff to reflect and act upon how their own feelings and behaviour may be affected by the behaviour of the children they care for. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph, 8.15) Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 9

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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: 2484136 10

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Inspector

Paula Kelly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2484136 11 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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