Setting run by Worcestershire Children First

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548567 1

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Worcestershire Children First

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was previously owned by the local authority. It was re-registered in October 2019 when the local authority moved to be a holding company. It is registered for up to eight children who have suffered adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours, as well as for children who have a learning disability and/or autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in October 2019 and holds a NVQ level 4 in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection date: 1 May 2020 and 4 May 2020

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit is to investigate a number of concerns that have been reported to Ofsted in recent weeks. Due to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, Ofsted did not physically visit the home. Instead, the inspectors gathered evidence in several different ways, including by talking to the ‘groups manager’, the registered manager, members of staff, the police and the children living at the home. The registered manager also provided electronic documents for the inspectors to review.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this inspection, serious concerns about the quality of care have been identified. As a result, Ofsted has issued three compliance notices under regulation 12, regulation 13 and regulation 14.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s moves into the home are poorly managed. For example, staff have not had access to basic information such as a child’s full name and information about their vulnerabilities. Consequently, when a new child went missing from the home shortly after moving in, the staff could not give the police basic information about the child. Furthermore, staff do not always ensure that they request medical Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548567 2 information before children move into the home. This failure to access key information places children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Children are not consulted about key decisions. This lack of consultation leaves children feeling vulnerable, scared and uncared for.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s complaints go unaddressed and are not shared with other professionals. As a result, children do not feel listened to or respected.

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This monitoring visit

Children do not get the help they need to understand decisions or to manage their emotions. This lack of help has allowed incidents to escalate, and children have become so frightened that they have barricaded themselves in their bedrooms, and the staff have locked themselves in the office.

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This monitoring visit

Children are cared for by staff who are not themselves, supported and guided. This lack of help has resulted in a failure of staff to follow basic safeguarding practice. Consequently, allegations are not promptly reported, and children’s concerns go unheard.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s care is not monitored effectively by managers. This means that poor practice goes unchallenged. For example, inspectors identified case records that identified poor staff practice that has gone unchallenged by the registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not demonstrate professional curiosity. For example, on one occasion, a child went to his bedroom as directed by staff when in a heightened state. Staff then heard a loud crash. Despite the child being on a two-to-one staff ratio, no member of staff went to check on the child. Only after another child alerted the staff that the child had left the home did the staff decide to investigate. Staff found that the child had broken a window and had left the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548567 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

This is the home’s first inspection under the new registration. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548567 4

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s health and well-being needs.

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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. 29/05/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548567 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same.

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Requirement Due date

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 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation (12)(1)(2)(a)(iii)) * 29/05/2020

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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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation (13)(1)(a)(b)(2)(1)(e)(g)(ii)(h)) * 29/05/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 29/05/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548567 6 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Worcestershire Children First

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Worcestershire Children First, County Hall Campus, Spetchley Road, Worcester, Worcestershire WR5 2NP

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Inspectors

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Mrs Dawn Bennett, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548567 7 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

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

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