Children's home run by Young Generation

Assurance visit report: SC028460 1 SC028460

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Information about this children’s home

This home is a family owned business, which provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional and/or behaviour difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post for 15 years.

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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.

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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: SC028460 2

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The care of children

Staff have worked hard to explain to young people the dangers posed by COVID-19 and the changing restrictions. There have been no recorded COVID-19 cases in the home. Young people understand the importance of regular temperature checking, social distancing and handwashing.

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The care of children

A young person told the inspector that they were happy and proud of their home. The home’s living room has been redecorated with the help of the young people.

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The care of children

Young people form close and trusting relationships with staff. A young person spoke fondly of introducing their friends to staff, and of staff supporting time with family at the seaside over the summer holidays.

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The care of children

Staff work hard to offer activities within the home and to build a sense of community. This encourages young people to stay safe at home and minimises exposure to COVID-19. Recent initiatives include visits from a personnel trainer and an organisation offering young people the chance to handle a range of animals, including a rabbit, in the home.

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The care of children

Feedback from parents and placing social workers is positive. Social workers refer to multi-faceted progress, including improved school attendance, anger management and relationships with parents. A social worker said that they ‘could not be happier’ with the quality of the placement.

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The care of children

Staff place great importance on young people’s education. Close partnership work with schools enables good support and monitoring of young people’s progress. Educational achievement is evidenced by two young people celebrating exam success over the summer.

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The care of children

The staff’s approach to sanctions is not consistent. Despite some use of restorative sanctioning, there is an over-reliance on financial penalties. This denies young people an opportunity to reflect on their behaviour and to repair damage caused.

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The safety of children

Managers do not respond appropriately to allegations or follow the required procedure. One complaint regarding a staff member was not passed on to the local authority designated officer. On another occasion, managers began their own investigation into a concern before alerting the designated officer. Managers acknowledge these concerns and have contacted the host local authority to arrange additional training.

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The safety of children

Despite this, staff work hard to safeguard young people. Concerns, such as young people having access to large amounts of money, or an increase in missing episodes, are swiftly shared with key professionals. Assurance visit report: SC028460 3 Staff respond well when young people go missing from the home. Staff strongly encourage local authorities to provide an independent return-to-care interview, and key-work sessions explore why young people have chosen to stay away from the home.

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The safety of children

Case recordings lack the views of young people on key documents, such as those relating to restraint and sanctions. This limits an evaluation of the impact of each intervention.

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The safety of children

Young people value the input of the home’s counsellor. One young person commented, ‘She is really cool’ and others ask to continue their relationship with the counsellor on leaving the home. Helpfully, the counsellor contributes towards care plans and risk assessments.

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Leaders and managers

Management of the home is very stable. The home continues to benefit from the consistency offered by the registered manager and her long-standing deputy.

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Leaders and managers

Managers have addressed the two requirements and recommendations from the last full inspection. This has resulted in improvements to staff training and to young people’s access to case files. One requirement and three recommendations result from this assurance visit.

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Leaders and managers

Staff managing the home at weekends have not received any management training. This leaves young people potentially vulnerable at weekends.

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Leaders and managers

Managers have improved the home environment. Each young person now enjoys an en suite shower facility and the home’s garden now has a greenhouse.

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Leaders and managers

Staff morale is strong, and no staff have left the home since the last inspection. Young people benefit from a committed and dedicated staff team who strive to support them.

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Leaders and managers

Managers are proactive. Recently, the home offered to pay for a specialist assessment for a young person in order to clarify her needs and ensure that she receives the support that she requires.

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Leaders and managers

Admissions are managed well. The registered manager carefully risk assesses each referral and reflects on the lessons learned from previous admissions. When placements are not progressing, effective action is taken to ensure the stability of the home and the well-being of the young people who are placed there.

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Statutory requirements

Assurance visit report: SC028460 4 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

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

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, to ensure that the home adheres to the host local authority’s guidance on the investigation of allegations and concerns. 01/01/2021

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Recommendations

 Ensure staff are familiar with the home’s policy on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s Assurance visit report: SC028460 5 homes regulations, including the quality standards (2015)’, page 62 paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

In particular, to ensure that the views of young people are recorded on relevant record such as those relating to sanctions and physical intervention.

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Recommendations

 Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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Recommendations

 All managers working in a children’s home must have the qualification in regulation 28(2) within the relevant timescales listed in regulation 28(3). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.12)

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Ms Monica Thompson

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Inspector

Barnaby Dowell, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC028460 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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