Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Stoke-on-Trent

Assurance visit report: SC008269 1 SC008269

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company that operates a number of children’s homes across the country. This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have social and emotional difficulties. The manager was registered with Ofsted on 24 September 2015. He holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, one child has continued to live in the home and one child has recently moved in.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 5 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:

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Information about this visit

 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. Assurance visit report: SC008269 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

One child has lived in the home since January 2020. The child has developed a positive and trusting relationship with the staff. This relationship has enabled staff to understand and respond to the child’s complex needs. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the child has continued to make progress socially and emotionally.

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The care of children

During the period of national lockdown and restrictions relating to COVID-19, children have been supported to stay in touch with people who are important to them. This has helped to sustain important relationships.

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The care of children

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have continued to promote children’s learning and education. Staff have worked closely with one child’s school and encouraged the child to complete education online. Staff have also worked creatively. For example, they have encouraged one child to complete a wall mural with hand-drawn pictures of all the staff. Because of this consistent support, the child has returned to education ready to learn and has achieved 100% school attendance.

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The care of children

During the lockdown period, the child living at the home was kept busy, with the opportunity to play games and to participate in arts and crafts. This planning ensured that the child adhered to the COVID-19 restrictions while still having fun.

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The care of children

One new child's move into the home was not well planned. The child told the inspector that they did not know why they had moved into the home. Managers did not have all the information that they needed, and this had an impact on the child settling into the home. The child arrived at short notice and managers had not been able to gain enough information about the child’s risks and behaviours. Managers are now uncertain whether they can continue to meet the child's complex needs.

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The safety of children

Staff and children have clear guidance on how to manage the risks from COVID-19. This guidance is regularly updated to ensure that the most current advice is available.

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The safety of children

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. When children leave the home unexpectedly, staff will follow them. As a result, children are supported to return home quickly.

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The safety of children

Staff help children to work towards individual targets that support positive behaviour. The use of positive rewards far outweighs negative sanctions. As a result Assurance visit report: SC008269 3 of staff implementing behaviour support plans and preventative strategies, children have shown improved patterns of behaviour.

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The safety of children

Staff use restraint as a last resort to manage children’s complex and challenging behaviours. Following incidents, senior managers will look for potential triggers and will speak with children’s social workers to ensure that children receive the right help and support that they need. Occasionally, when staff record incidents of restraint, they omit important details such as the names of staff. This hinders managers’ ability to monitor staff practice.

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The safety of children

Managers do not update risk assessments with all relevant information. They do not consider the impact of children’s risks on other children or give staff strategies to manage these risks. Risk assessments do not give staff clear instruction about how to supervise children and keep them safe. For example, staff are not given guidance on monitoring a child who is at high risk of self-harm and spends extended time in their bedroom. Consequently, the child is at increased risk of self-harm.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has established effective working relationships with the local police. Police praise the manager and staff for developing good relationships with neighbours. This has enabled a child to develop friendships with other children in the local area.

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Leaders and managers

Managers have ensured that the home is fully staffed. All staff have a level 3 diploma in residential childcare.

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Leaders and managers

Staff receive regular supervision. However, sometimes the details captured in staff supervision records do not show that safeguarding practice is discussed. Additionally, a staff member does not have an up-to-date annual appraisal. This means that staff are missing opportunities to reflect on their practice and professional development.

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Leaders and managers

Staff have not been able to receive face-to-face training since restrictions were imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, two members of staff do not have up-to-date training in first aid. Despite these restrictions, the manager has ensured that staff have been able to complete relevant online training to help them to meet the child’s needs.

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Leaders and managers

One child is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Staff do not have guidance about the impact of these conditions on the child’s behaviours. This means that staff are not guided by known strategies that help staff to talk with the child and build relationships. Assurance visit report: SC008269 4

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)) 06/12/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 06/12/2020

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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 06/12/2020 Assurance visit report: SC008269 5 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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 06/12/2020

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Recommendations

 Supervision of staff practice should ensure that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home so they understand what they would need to do if they found other staff misusing or abusing their position to the detriment of the safety of a child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  Registered persons must ensure there are procedures in place for welcoming and introducing each child to the home, and that they are sensitive to the needs of the child at the time of arrival. A warm welcome and introduction to the home is an entitlement for all children whether they are admitted in a planned way or in

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Recommendations

an emergency. Where possible other children and young people should be supported to contribute to the design of the welcome and introduction and where appropriate the welcome itself. The home has a key role in helping children to understand why they are living there and the plans for their future. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.7) Assurance visit report: SC008269 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership Of Care Today

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC008269 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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