Children's Home run by Care Haven (UK) Limited in Stockport

Assurance visit report: SC065374 1 SC065374

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 2015.

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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 did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC065374 2

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The care of children

The home provides a nurturing and spacious environment for young people to thrive. Three young people were resident at the time of the visit and the inspector spoke to two of these young people.

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The care of children

The home has had several challenges during COVID-19 restrictions. Some of these challenges relate to new referrals and young people arriving within a short time frame of one another. This did not allow for the usual settling-in period for young people. This also meant that staff were unable to focus on the individual needs of each young person.

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The care of children

Some young people are forming positive attachments with staff. Young people report that they are happy and have good relationships with others. However, other young people have experienced placement disruption and had an abrupt end to their placements.

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The care of children

Some young people who have been out of education for some time are now in education. Young people can see the benefits of structure to their day and recognise their own achievements. In addition, educational activity provides structure and routine to the day for those young people who have missed out on education previously.

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The care of children

Young people are registered with local primary care services. The home’s non- smoking policy has been relaxed, to help manage the risk of young people smoking outside the home and in the community. This has posed significant problems, especially for one young person who is targeted by other young people in the home. This young person has historical and significant health concerns. This decision by the home does not support the health and well-being of the young people.

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The safety of children

The quality of the missing-from-care logs and the process for recording incidents have improved. However, the manager does not consistently follow up on return home interviews, to see if the learning could help prevent further incidents occurring.

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The safety of children

The home struggles to manage one young person’s aggressive and violent outbursts. Staff were unable to manage the challenging behaviours, resulting in assaults on staff. Other young people were intimidated by this young person’s behaviour. Impact risk assessments lack the quality and content of research and scrutiny, to ensure a good match for the home.

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The safety of children

Some young people are unsure about where they wish to live in the future. Not all young people have access to an independent person or advocate, to promote their wishes and feelings. Assurance visit report: SC065374 3 A complete review of management of physical restraints has taken place. The home has now adopted a widely used approach of physical restraint. Physical restraint is only considered as a last resort and all staff are now trained in this new approach.

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Leaders and managers

The manager of this home has been in post for five years. He has a dedicated and supportive staff team. Staff work tirelessly to ensure that young people remain a priority.

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Leaders and managers

Staff sickness has been an issue for the home, and the company. The manager and his deputy have worked additional shifts to cover the shortfalls in staffing. This has placed undue work pressure on the managers. Consequently, the managers recognise that some decisions with care plans and admissions were not carefully thought out. The pressure to fill bed space led to the complexity of young people being overlooked.

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Leaders and managers

While all staff receive supervision, the timeliness of completing supervision records can lapse. This means that these records are not always up to date and staff cannot always check their current plans and action logs.

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Leaders and managers

Due to management oversight, a low number of safeguarding notifications to Ofsted were overlooked. There were no serious implications for young people due to this oversight.

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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 registered person must notify Ofsted and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there.

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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; and 31/01/2021 Assurance visit report: SC065374 4 children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)) 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.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and 31/01/2021 Assurance visit report: SC065374 5 that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)(vii)(b)) 31/01/2021

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of the information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  All children must have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible this should be provided by a person that the child chooses. Looked-after

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Recommendations

children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their Assurance visit report: SC065374 6 care and lives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.6)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Haven (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Westminster House, 10 Westminster Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 1BX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Patricia Swallow

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Inspector

Kamal Bhamra, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC065374 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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