Children's Home run by T-Junction Children’s Services in Leicestershire

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people aged between seven and 18 years. The children and young people will have emotional, behavioural and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since June 2020. However, an acting manager is in post and is applying to be registered.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 27 November 2019

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

p.1

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).

p.1

Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

p.1

Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

p.1

Information about this visit

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

p.1

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. Assurance visit report: 2495951 2

p.1

Findings from the visit

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit:

p.2

Findings from the visit

 Physical intervention practice does not keep children safe.  Leaders and managers do not learn from incidents.  Children are also unclear about the expectations of their behaviour within the home.

p.2

The care of children

The overall experience of children is poor because restraint practice is potentially harmful. There was an incident in which a child was placed at risk because they were restrained inappropriately.

p.2

The care of children

The home is not consistently well maintained. Some areas have been improved since the last inspection. However, other areas of the home require more improvement to achieve a homely environment.

p.2

The care of children

A number of cigarette ends can be seen in the home’s gardens. Managers do not believe that current residents, who are as young as 10 years old, smoke. However, the appearance of the home has the potential to undermine the anti-smoking messages given to children.

p.2

The care of children

Children know how to share their concerns. They can make complaints. When complaints are made, managers respond quickly and thoroughly.

p.2

The care of children

Children make good progress in their education. COVID-19 has not had a significant impact on children’s learning because they have continued to attend their education provisions.

p.2

The safety of children

Inspectors identified serious safeguarding concerns relating to restraint practice. Although there have been few restraints, a child was restrained when it was not necessary to do so. During this incident, staff used techniques in which they were not trained. This has the potential to cause injury.

p.2

The safety of children

Staff do not follow risk management plans for children. This means that the management of children’s behaviour is not effective in keeping them safe. Children are unclear about the expectations of their behaviour within the home.

p.2

The safety of children

Staff have accessed a variety of safeguarding training courses. Sometimes, training is not available to staff quickly enough. This means that not all staff have the knowledge to meet the needs of all children. Assurance visit report: 2495951 3

p.2

Leaders and managers

At the home’s last inspection, inappropriate and potentially harmful restraint practice was identified. Since the last inspection, another potentially harmful restraint has taken place in the home. The incident demonstrates that leaders and managers have not been able to keep children safe.

p.3

Leaders and managers

Although shortfalls in practice have continued to exist, management responses to the poor staff practice have improved since the last inspection. Managers have recognised inappropriate restraint practice, carried out detailed investigations and shared information fully with safeguarding agencies.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The manager has not ensured that staff understand the home’s statement of purpose. As a result, staff are not clear about the home’s approach to working with children who have experienced trauma and subsequent difficulties with emotional attachment.

p.3

Leaders and managers

Managers have good relationships with partner agencies in health and social care. This has ensured that the complex healthcare needs of children are met.

p.3

Leaders and managers

A new manager has been appointed. The new manager has a good understanding of the shortfalls identified and has a plan to improve the home. Staff benefit from regular supervision with a manager. They have monthly team meetings. Staff feel supported and described the change in manager as having a positive effect.

p.3

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.

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—

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. 27/11/2020 Assurance visit report: 2495951 4 (Regulation 12(1)(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—

p.3

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(f)) 27/11/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(v)(vii)) 27/11/2020

p.4

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.4

Recommendations

Assurance visit report: 2495951 5  The registered person should support staff to be ambitious for every child in the home, and to gain skills and experience that enable them to actively support each child to achieve their potential. To ensure staff can understand and can meet each child’s needs, in line with their responsibilities, the registered person themselves will need to have a high level of understanding of the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5)  The statement of purpose is of particular importance to this standard (regulation 6(2)(a) and (b)(i)). Homes are required to develop and keep under review a "Statement of Purpose" (regulation 16 and schedule1). The homes Statement of Purpose should be child-focused, indicating how the home provides individual care to meet the Quality Standards for children in their care (Guide to Children's

p.5

Recommendations

homes regulations including the quality standards Page 14 3.5)  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that each child’s day-to-day health and well-being needs are met. Staff should work to make the children’s home an environment that supports children’s physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: T-Junction Children’s Services Ltd

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 27 The Pastures, Narborough, Leicester LE19 3DS

p.5

Inspector

Simon Hunter, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2495951 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 .

p.6

Inspector

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 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: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6