Children's home run by Shropshire Council

Assurance visit report: SC370982 1 SC370982

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a local authority and offers support, education and care for up to five young people who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma which has left them vulnerable. The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in March 2009 and holds a relevant qualification at level 5.

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:  children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Information about this visit

As part of this visit, inspectors monitored the provider’s progress in addressing shortfalls identified in a compliance notice that was issued on 6 August 2020 regarding regulation 12. Assurance visit report: SC370982 2

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Findings from the visit

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit:  Risk assessments are not updated with all relevant information.  Environmental risks are not included in children’s risk assessments.  Following an incident of restraint, staff are not debriefed within the 48-hour time period set out in regulation.  Key working is unplanned and does not support children with issues that are relevant to them.

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The care of children

Children do not live in a homely environment. Inspectors observed damage to walls throughout the home. Chairs in the dining room were old and worn, and the lounge looked bare and lacked children’s personal items. There were few photographs of children on display in the home. The outside fasciae were dirty. Living in this environment may have an impact on children’s self-esteem and sense of self-worth.

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The care of children

Staff do not plan key work sessions and they do not address significant risks and behaviours which children are experiencing. When staff record a key work session, they rarely include a child’s views and opinions. This means that staff are missing opportunities to support children and to enable children to contribute to key aspects of their care.

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The care of children

Daily records are not written in a way that helps children to understand their life story. Staff complete children’s daily records with minimal information and in a way that is impersonal and jargonistic. Children’s views are not included in their records, and children rarely contribute. Children living in the home do not have a balanced record of their time there, which they can look at in the future and which may help them to build resilience.

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The care of children

Despite these shortfalls, staff have supported children with key aspects of their care. During national lockdown, staff ensured that children were able to stay in touch with their family and people who are important to them. Children have benefited from speaking with their families using online technology and, when safe to do so, by having face-to-face contact. This has enabled children to stay in touch with people who are important in their lives.

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The care of children

Staff have used the national lockdown period to enable children to learn new skills and to try new activities. All children have been bought fitness trackers and have enjoyed walking with staff in the countryside. This activity increases children’s fitness and helps to build their relationships with staff. One young person raised £500 for the national health service (NHS) by auctioning a teddy bear that she Assurance visit report: SC370982 3 made. Staff have therefore helped children to develop social awareness during this difficult time.

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The safety of children

Managers do not update risk assessments with all relevant information, which means that risk assessments do not consistently identify triggers for children’s complex behaviours. Advice to staff on how to manage children’s behaviours is inconsistent, and staff are not always given clear advice on how to manage children’s risks.

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The safety of children

Environmental risks are not included in children’s risk assessments. This is particularly relevant for children who are at risk of self-harm through using ligatures. During the inspection, inspectors observed blinds in the conservatory with cords. Risks to children of using the cords as ligatures have not been identified in these children’s risk assessments. This demonstrates that staff are not given clear guidance about being vigilant regarding environmental risks to children.

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The safety of children

When children place themselves at risk by self-harming, staff act swiftly and decisively to keep children safe. Following an incident of self-harm, staff use their knowledge of children and their strong relationships to calm them and to help them to relax. Staff then ensure that children receive care and support that respond to children’s individual needs. This means that children develop trusting relationships with staff and they feel confident about asking staff for help when they need it.

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Leaders and managers

Managers have not acted decisively to address shortfalls in the assessment of children’s risks. Previous monitoring inspections took place on 16 June 2020 and 29 July 2020. Following both inspections, compliance notices under regulation 12 were issued. This is, therefore, the third consecutive inspection when a compliance notice relating to the quality of risk assessments has been issued.

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Leaders and managers

Staff are skilled at de-escalating children’s complex behaviours. When children place themselves or others at risk, staff use restraint as a last resort to keep children safe. After an incident of restraint, staff talk to children and they swiftly repair their relationship with the child. However, managers do not always ensure that staff are debriefed by an independent person within the 48-hour time period set out in regulation. This means that staff are not always fully supported, and possible shortfalls in staff practice are not quickly identified and rectified.

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Leaders and managers

Managers ensure that staff receive regular supervision and an annual appraisal in line with policy and procedures. However, managers do not always ensure that staff are given the opportunity in supervision to talk about how they keep children safe and to raise concerns about safeguarding.

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Leaders and managers

Despite these shortfalls, social workers are positive about the support that managers and staff give to children. Social workers said that managers help children to Assurance visit report: SC370982 4 maintain their school or college place by advocating for children with education professionals to ensure that they understand children’s needs. As a result, all children who live in the home attend school or college.

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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 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;

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(d)) * 01/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— 01/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC370982 5 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.

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, para 13.9)  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 homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, para 13.2)  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and

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Recommendations

understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that 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’, page 62, para 14.4) Assurance visit report: SC370982 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6ND

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC370982 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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Inspector

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