Children's home run by Northamptonshire County Council in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374180 1 SC374180

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Northamptonshire County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by Northamptonshire County Council. It is a residential home for young people who have autism spectrum disorders and moderate to severe learning disabilities. The registered manager registered with Ofsted on 13 February 2019.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as requires improvement at the full inspection on 2 and 3 July 2019. At that inspection six requirements and one recommendation were made.

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This monitoring visit

This unannounced visit was carried out in response to several allegations made in relation to practice issues in the home. Some concerns were of a safeguarding nature. The focus of the visit was to speak with staff and managers to gain further information about the allegations that had been made, and to review the quality of care in the home. Actions to address requirements were not fully assessed. As a result, the requirements and recommendation are reset. These will be reviewed in detail at future visits or inspections.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

02/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374180 2 19/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374180 3

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

This home had been subject to both off-site and on-site monitoring prior to this visit. The last monitoring visit dated 17 June 2020 found that that staff were providing good quality care, but there were issues with the way senior managers responded to allegations or concerns of abuse. Additionally, staff did not have good on-site management support. This most recent visit was prompted by an escalation of concerns.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

For reasons outside their control, the manager and the assistant manager have not been in the home over the last few months. This has left staff without on-site management support. Staff say that this has had an impact on their morale and has left them feeling frustrated.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

While staff accept that it was necessary for the registered manager to work remotely, they felt let down by the lack of on-site senior management support and input during such a difficult time. The lack of management presence in the home has meant that managers have not been able to observe practice. This has limited opportunities to identify any areas of potential concern.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

The registered manager is now back at the home. A new temporary deputy manager has also now been appointed. Senior managers accept that with the benefit of hindsight, a manager should have been present in the home during this extraordinary time.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

No concerns were identified about the day-to-day care offered to children during the visit. Staff presented as nurturing and in tune with children’s needs.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

The management of allegations against staff has not always been robust. There are now three incidents of a safeguarding nature being investigated. There has been a lack of oversight and guidance from senior managers.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

The registered manager is very child focused in his practice. For example, he has made several very positive changes to the home to improve children’s experiences, including better communication systems for children, access to toys and improved recording. However, senior managers are aware that the registered manager required support in managing staffing issues. This support, guidance and oversight have not been provided.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

An agency member of staff was allowed to work in the home despite gaps and discrepancies in their employment history. While this has not resulted in any known safeguarding matters being identified, it had the potential to do so.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

Effective monitoring and review systems are not consistently used in the home. For example, managers do not ensure that staff practice is observed, particularly when there have been concerns or there are areas of vulnerability. This has the potential to leave any emerging practice issues or safeguarding matters unchallenged. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374180 4 The quality of recording in the home requires improvement, particularly during night shifts. Insufficient recording means that it is difficult to determine exactly what has happened. Consequently, any shortfalls in practice remain unidentified and a thorough investigation into any concerns would be significantly hindered.

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(vii)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children are to have access to toys and activities in the home and their bedrooms are to be personalised. 07/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. 07/09/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374180 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(ii)(iii)) 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—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, when safeguarding concerns arise, these are reported and properly investigated, and the appropriate action is taken to ensure the safety and well-being of children. 07/09/2020

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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—

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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; 07/09/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374180 6 In particular, risk assessments for children need to be clear and up to date. The assessment should identify the relevant risk and the actions that should be taken to meet and/or reduce the risks.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)) 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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(f)(h)) 07/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374180 7 distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 62, paragraph 14.4.)

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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: Northamptonshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Northamptonshire County Council, One Angel Square, 4 Angel Street, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN1 1ED

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Inspectors

Davinia Lawton, social care inspector Mrs Allison, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374180 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.

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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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