Children's Home run by Footsteps a Path to Change Limited in Staffordshire

Assurance visit report: SC446261 1 SC446261

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is part of a small private organisation. It offers care and accommodation for three young people who have experienced childhood instability leading to trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager started at the home recently and is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted.

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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:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. 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. Assurance visit report: SC446261 2

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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

Staff support children to lead healthy lifestyles. For example, staff discourage smoking. This has been effective because one child no longer smokes tobacco. Staff make sure that children register with local health services and support them to attend routine health appointments. In addition, staff have regular consultations with the organisation’s clinician. This provides staff with guidance on supporting children’s emotional and psychological needs. Managers and staff promote children’s health and well-being effectively.

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The care of children

Children who have recently left were aware of long-standing conflicts between some team members. Children have picked up on tensions between staff members and this has affected their experiences and their ability to develop consistently positive relationships with some staff. Although the manager has taken some steps to address issues in the staff team, tensions remain. As a result, not all staff are providing good role models for children and if not fully addressed, this has the potential to continue to affect children’s experiences.

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The care of children

Managers and staff promote the importance of education. Staff understand the barriers to children’s learning. One child struggles with being in a classroom environment. A room in the home has been transformed into a learning area that replicates a classroom to support the child. Education professionals identify that staff maintain regular contact with them to ensure that the child’s educational outcomes are achieved.

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The care of children

Staff support children to understand how to keep themselves and others safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, they have explained to children the importance of wearing a face mask when spending time in the community. During the national lockdown, children enjoyed an array of in-house activities when they were restricted from accessing activities in the community. This kept them motivated and engaged.

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The care of children

Staff enable children to see their families and this helps them to keep in touch with people who are important to them. When children share worries about living a long way away from their family, staff reassure them and advocate on their behalf.

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The safety of children

Staff encourage children to keep in touch with them when they spend time in the community. When children do not return on time and their whereabouts are unknown, staff take effective action to try and locate them and return them safely to the home. Good support has resulted in a reduction of missing-from-home incidents. Assurance visit report: SC446261 3 When a child’s location is known but they refuse to return, managers and staff work with professionals to assess risk. Staff maintain telephone and face-to-face contact with children who are away from home without permission but are not thought to be at risk of harm. This helps to promote children’s welfare.

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The safety of children

The manager ensures that detailed plans are in place to support staff to keep children safe. Plans show risks, triggers, warning signs, prevention strategies, intervention strategies and risk levels. Good written plans enable staff to understand children’s risks and work to reduce them.

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The safety of children

Managers and staff share safeguarding concerns with the local authority designated officer. The new manager takes appropriate action to reduce risk to children while investigations take place. However, the records of a previous investigation, including the outcome, have not been kept. For example, while there is evidence of a safeguarding concern having been reported to the designated officer for the local authority, it was recommended that an internal investigation took place. The new manager could not find a record to show how the concern had been investigated. However, there was confirmation available from the designated officer that the allegation was unsubstantiated. Gaps in record-keeping mean that important information is lost.

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The safety of children

On one occasion, the manager did not notify Ofsted of a serious incident. Failure to share information reduces the regulator’s ability to monitor practice at the home and ensure that incidents are responded to appropriately.

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Leaders and managers

There have been several changes to the management team and this has led to ineffective communication to the team and between team members. As a result, staff do not work well together and children experience inconsistent care. For example, clear messages are not communicated to children by staff, and records show that inconsistent messages from staff have triggered incidents of challenging behaviour from children.

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Leaders and managers

The new manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision. Supervision is a reflective space to discuss the progress and needs of children, personal development, staff welfare and team related issues. Staff feel supported by the new manager.

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Leaders and managers

The manager supplied staff with guidance on managing COVID-19. Staff ensure that the cleanliness of the home is maintained. Staff complete a risk assessment on visitors entering the home to identify any signs or symptoms of COVID-19. Visitors wear face coverings. One staff member felt that initial access to personal protective equipment was delayed. Through discussion with managers, it was confirmed that there was an occasion when personal protective equipment had not been replenished before stocks ran out. This was addressed. Assurance visit report: SC446261 4 The manager has used the flexibilities permitted by The Adoption and Children (coronavirus)(Amendment) Regulation 2020 responsibly. Independent visitors undertook remote visits and accessed the home’s electronic records system during the period of national lockdown. This ensured that some external monitoring of the home was undertaken and provided reassurance about children’s safety. Physical

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Leaders and managers

visits have resumed as restrictions eased.

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c) 04/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(1)(b)) 04/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which— is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular— provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34(1)(a)(b)(2)(d)) 04/12/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c)) 04/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC446261 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Footsteps A Path to Change Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Landmark House, Station Road, Cheadle Hulme SK8 7BS

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Charlotte Davies

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Inspector

Helen Malanaphy, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC446261 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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