Children's Home run by Acorn Care (UK) Limited in Darlington

Assurance visit report: SC390751 1 SC390751

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children and/or 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 registered with Ofsted since 2014.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 9 January 2020

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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: SC390751 2

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The care of children

The children understand why the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their usual routines. The staff have helped the children to accept the restrictions in place caused by the pandemic. They continue to provide a wide and varied range of fun and stimulating activities for the children, including helping a member of staff to work on their allotment. One child said, ‘Playing hide-and-seek in the garden was one of the best things about COVID.’ Engaging the children in outdoor play also helps to keep them happy and healthy.

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The care of children

The children continue with their education despite the COVID-19 restrictions. The staff focus on the importance of education to ensure that the children’s learning is not interrupted. Furthermore, having structure to their day and maintaining familiar routines gives the children a sense of normalisation and stability. This supports and promotes their mental health and emotional well-being.

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The care of children

The children are able to stay connected with their families and friends. The staff understand how important this is for the children’s welfare and well-being. The registered manager has invested in a mobile phone to enable the children to use social media applications, such as ‘FaceTime’, so that they can enjoy video calls. Having regular conversations and video calls with their families and friends ensures that the children maintain these important relationships.

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The safety of children

The children say that they feel safe and that they feel able to talk to the staff about their worries and concerns. They have trusting relationships with staff, and these help to keep them safe. Working with a consistent staff team during the COVID-19 pandemic helps the children to feel calm and relaxed. As a result, there has been a reduction in the number of behavioural incidents.

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The safety of children

There has been one recent safeguarding incident, and this is currently subject to an investigation. However, the registered manager did not ensure that internal safeguarding and child protection policies were implemented as required. On this occasion, this failure did not compromise the children’s safety and welfare. However, not following safeguarding procedures may potentially put the children at risk of harm. In addition, Ofsted were not notified of this incident.

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The safety of children

The children benefit from clear and detailed risk assessments. These include all of the children’s known risks and identify strategies for staff to use to manage and reduce these risks. This means that the children become increasingly safe.

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The safety of children

The staff ensure that children understand the impact that their behaviours and actions may have on others. They use key-work sessions and discussions to help the children to reflect on their behaviours. Consequently, the children start to take responsibility for their own actions and learn to take steps to better manage their frustrations. Assurance visit report: SC390751 3

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager prioritises the needs and well-being of the children. She has an excellent knowledge of the children’s background and their current care plans. This enables the registered manager to ensure that the staff provide good-quality care that meets the children’s individual needs.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has taken some action to address the requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection. For example, the staff now work alongside the children using restorative techniques to help the children understand their behaviours. As a result, the use of sanctions has reduced.

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Leaders and managers

The children’s residential care plans are now written in a child-friendly format that is appropriate to the age and understanding of each child. This means that the children are much more involved in decisions about their care. However, the registered manager does not consistently ensure that staff complete children’s records to a good standard, that the content of these records is correct or that staff sign and date their written entries. Furthermore, this shortfall was not identified within the registered manager’s monitoring activities. Consequently, children may not have an accurate record of their time in the home or of their progress.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager and the staff have good working relationships with other professionals. This means that the children are able to quickly access all of the support services and agencies that they require to meet their needs.

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Leaders and managers

The staff benefit from regular supervision and access to training that reflects the children’s needs. As a result, the staff have suitable skills and experience to provide the children with individualised care and support. This enables the children to make progress in all areas of 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, 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 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

promotes their welfare. 31 December Assurance visit report: SC390751 4 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))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all managers and staff implement the safeguarding policy. 31 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the standard of recording in the home’s documentation and children’s records is accurate, the information is recorded in the correct place and that staff sign and date their written entries. 31 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e) 31 December

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Children’s home details

Unique reference number: SC390751 Assurance visit report: SC390751 5 Registered provider: Acorn Care (UK) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 33 Kellaw Road, Yarm Road Business Park, Darlington, County Durham DL1 4YA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Julie-Ann Foxton

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Inspector

Debbie White, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC390751 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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