Children's Home run by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Cornwall

Assurance visit report: SC432404 1 SC432404

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides respite care for up to two children at any one time.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 12 November 2019

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Sustained effectiveness

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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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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Assurance visit report: SC432404 2 Children enjoy freshly decorated themed bedrooms that reflect what they like. The rooms are very colourful and meet the sensory needs of the children. This has made the environment homelier and more welcoming.

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The care of children

Children are cared for by staff who know them well. Communication is good and interactions are natural. Staff understand nuances for children who cannot communicate verbally. As a result, children receive good nurturing care.

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The care of children

This service provides crucial support and much needed respite to families. Children enjoy activities such as painting and trampolining. They go out to the park and enjoy walks. Children access opportunities and experiences that they might not otherwise have.

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The safety of children

Children’s emergency evacuation plans do not consider the child’s specific needs and do not consider the impact of a fire drill on them. The arrangements in place to ensure staff and children know what to do in case of a fire are inadequate. Children are not involved in drills, there is insufficient rationale for their lack of involvement. Records provide additional concerns because conversations about fire safety that staff have, are recorded as fire drills.

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The safety of children

Arrangements in respect of managing COVID-19 are not robust. Risk assessments and children’s care plans are not adhered to. For example, not all families are spoken to before children arrive at the home to ensure that there are no risk indicators. In addition, visitors to the home are not asked any COVID-19-specific questions. There is no evidence that this has had an impact on children.

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The safety of children

There have been two safeguarding concerns since the last inspection. While these concerns were escalated appropriately, follow-up processes have been weak. For example, a risk assessment has not been reviewed and updated and there is no agreed system in place to monitor the initial concern.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders have failed to address shortfalls identified at the last inspection. Concerns remain in respect of the protection of children and record-keeping. There is no evidence that the shortfalls have affected children.

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Leaders and managers

Oversight by the registered manager is poor. The systems in place to monitor the day-to-day care of the children are not wholly effective. Weak reporting by the independent visitor compounds this. The registered manager said she trusts the staff to fully implement children’s care plans. This is not always happening.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has failed to ensure that records are adequately maintained. For example, the visitors book is not always completed. Several staff fail Assurance visit report: SC432404 3 to sign out when they leave the building. A recommendation in respect of this area of practice was made at the last inspection.

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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

(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) 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; (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(v)) 01/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— (b) promotes their welfare. (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(b)(e)) 01/11/2020

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Requirement Due date

(1) After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— (d) ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(d)) 01/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC432404 4 Other records

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Requirement Due date

(1) Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. (2) The registered person must— (a) maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; (b) ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that a record is kept of all visitors to the home, and to children, including the names of visitors and the reasons for the visit. In addition, ensure there is a record of every fire drill or fire alarm test conducted, with details of any deficiency in either the procedure or the equipment concerned, together with details of the steps taken to remedy that deficiency. 01/11/2020

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Trust Head Office, Carew House, Beacon Technology Park, Dunmere Road, Bodmin PL31 2QN

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Inspector

Tracey Ledder, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC432404 5 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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