Children's home run by Middlesbrough Borough Council

Assurance visit report: SC472392 1 SC472392

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and run by a local authority. It is registered to care for up to four children who have social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties. The suitably qualified manager has been registered with Ofsted since September 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 11 February 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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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 identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit: Assurance visit report: SC472392 2  Children’s physical and emotional needs are not always well understood and promoted.  Children do not have timely access to specialist help according to their individual needs.  Staff do not have the support to manage challenging situations and behaviour effectively.  Leaders and managers do not effectively review findings from internal and external monitoring to improve children’s experiences.  Staff do not receive effective training that reflects children’s individual needs  Leaders have not addressed all requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection.

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The care of children

Children do not receive prompt access to specialist help, such as mental health support. The COVID-19 restrictions place additional pressures on the provider. However, some children’s needs require urgent input that is not provided. As a result, some children do not make progress in this home.

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The care of children

The staff team does not effectively promote the health needs of children. One child was not taken to an important dental appointment, as staff members were dealing with other issues. Such an oversight means that some children’s health needs are not prioritised by their carers.

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The care of children

The physical condition of the home is poor. Managers do not ensure that damage is repaired quickly, and children do not live in a homely environment. The state of the home does not encourage children to value their surroundings.

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The care of children

Older children are able to explore employment options with the support of staff. One child obtained work during this period, giving them daily routine and financial reward. This achievement increased the child’s self-esteem and confidence and sets a good example to others.

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The safety of children

Members of staff do not manage challenging situations effectively. Risk management plans are not effective, and behaviour management strategies place children at further risk of harm. For example, the registered manager told the staff team to lock themselves in a room if a child assaulted them and was likely to do so again. This places everyone in the home at risk of harm.

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The safety of children

Some children continue to use illegal drugs. Although staff initially offer children access to specialist drug misuse services, they do not continue to encourage children to work with these agencies. Staff do not help children to understand the impact that drug use has on their health, well-being and progress. Assurance visit report: SC472392 3 Children do not go missing. They know that staff worry about them and will report them missing if they do not return home. For some children, no longer going missing from the home shows progress.

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Leaders and managers

Members of staff, including managers, do not undertake training to meet children’s complex needs. This means that not all staff have the skills and knowledge they need to keep children safe or to help children to learn to keep themselves safe.

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Leaders and managers

The home accepts emergency admissions. However, if children are admitted to the home as part of an emergency plan and then continue to live in the home longer than expected, care planning is poor. This is because leaders and managers do not ensure that all information known about the child is pursued and made available to members of staff. In these circumstances, children’s plans do not take into account all their known needs. Therefore, effective strategies to support children are not in place.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders and managers know the strengths and weaknesses of the service. However, the registered manager does not use this knowledge to make improvements. Consequently, children do not consistently receive care that meets their needs.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders and managers challenge the local authority in respect of the placement of children in the home. However, this challenge is not effective. Although this home is owned and operated by the local authority, senior managers in the local authority do not respond to concerns raised about children’s placements in a timely manner. As a result, one child continues to reside in the home despite this service being unable to meet his needs.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has not met all the requirements from the last inspection and these have been repeated. The failure to address these shortfalls adversely affects children’s progress and hinders their development.

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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, the 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— 11/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC472392 4 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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, significant damage to the home should be repaired quickly.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 11/10/2020

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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. 11/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC472392 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b))

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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

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met;

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(f)(g)(i)(h))* 11/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 11/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC472392 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Middlesbrough Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Middlesbrough Borough Council, Middlesbrough House, 50 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RH

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Kalia-Marina Kourou-Paradeli

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Inspector

Jane Titley, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC472392 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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