Children's home run by City of Wolverhampton Council

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC378153 1 SC378153

p.1

Wolverhampton City Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This short-break service provides care and accommodation for up to six children. The home provides care for children aged between 10 and 17, who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours. This home is owned by a local authority. The registered manager is suitably qualified.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place following Ofsted being notified of two serious incidents in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Young people enjoy their time at the home. They are supported by staff who know them well. Their complex needs are met by trained staff who understand their individual needs and vulnerabilities. As a result, young people make good progress towards independence.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The home uses closed circuit television (CCTV) to protect the exterior of the property and keep young people safe from unwanted visitors. However, a small part of the garden where young people may play is captured by the CCTV monitoring. No consent has been sought for its use.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Young people are moved into and out of the home in a planned and sensitive manner. When placements are taken in a crisis, they too are managed well. Risk management plans are clear and up to date. They identify the risk and include action to support, prevent and manage behaviour. This is effective and there has been a need to use physical intervention only once since the last full inspection in January 2020. Young people respect the boundaries that staff provide, they like staff Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC378153 2 and want to come to the short-break service. As a result, young people accept each other’s differences and learn to experience improved friendships.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The home has an experienced registered manager. There are seven staff currently shielding under COVID-19 (coronavirus) guidance. The manager ensures that staff covering shifts are known to the young people. Shifts are covered by sessional staff, and some permanent staff take on additional shifts. As a result, continuity of care is maintained for young people.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff receive both mandatory and additional training to maintain their skill and knowledge. However, five out of 18 staff have an expired first aid certificate. The manager has taken action to re-book this training.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The independent visitor does not always seek consultation with other professionals or parents/carers to inform his view about the young people. There is no reference in the report of the independent person’s opinion as to whether children and young people are effectively safeguarded and how the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. This lack of focus during the monitoring visit by the independent visitor has an impact on the manager and the regulator’s ability to assess whether young people are safe. One visit for the month of April was not conducted. As a result, information required to be shared was not provided. The visitor is employed by the local authority and therefore is not independent.

p.2

This monitoring visit

As a result of this inspection, two requirements and two recommendations have been raised. The three requirements and one recommendation raised at the last full inspection were not reviewed at this visit.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/01/2020 Full Good 19/12/2018 Full Good 14/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC378153 3

p.2

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

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.3

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(i)(v)) 31/07/2020

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it;

p.3

Requirement Due date

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)) 31/07/2020

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 31/07/2020

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint, at the registered provider’s expense, a person (‘the independent person’) to visit and report on the children’s home carried on by the registered provider.

p.3

Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), the registered provider may not appoint the following as an independent person—

p.3

Requirement Due date

if the registered provider is a local authority, a person who is employed by that local authority in connection with the carrying on of the authority’s social services functions (as 31/07/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC378153 4 defined by section 1A of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970(a)) relating to children. (Regulation 43 (1)(3)(a))

p.3

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—

p.4

Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1)(4)(a)(b)) 31/07/2020

p.4

Recommendations

 Regulation 45 sets out requirements for the registered person to have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in the regulation at least once every six months; also see regulation 13(2)(h) (the leadership and management standard). The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. Reviews should be underpinned by the Quality Standards as described in regulations 5 to 14. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.2)  Homes must gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement. The use of CCTV is regulated by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the Surveillance Camera Code of Conduct (Home Office 2013). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations

p.4

Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)  The registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children; administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12)

p.4

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.4

Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 is currently posing to those we regulate. During this visit, the inspectors took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the home. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC378153 5 This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Wolverhampton City Council

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, St. Peters Square, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV1 1SH

p.5

Inspector

Michelle Spruce, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC378153 6 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.5

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.6

Inspector

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

p.6

Inspector

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

p.6