Children's home run by Dynamic Childcare Limited

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately owned, and the registered manager has been in place since March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

There was only one child living at the home at the time of the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 30 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.

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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: 1264696 2  The provider had failed to ensure that safer recruitment processes had been followed.  The education and health needs of children are not consistently met.  Risk assessments do not include all known risks for children.  Fire safety doors in the home had not been appropriately fitted and fixed.  The provider had failed to notify Ofsted of all significant events.

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The care of children

Since the last inspection, one child had moved out of the home into another of the provider’s settings. Children’s information was not available in regard to this move or the decision-making process about the suitability of the new placement.

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The care of children

Children have continued to access limited education throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This has involved online sessions and face-to-face tutoring. However, the registered manager is unclear about the long-term education plans for children. One child expressed his frustration to the inspector about his future and did not know what the proposed plans were for his exams. This had increased his anxieties. The registered manager and staff had failed to ensure that the child’s views were represented to the relevant people and there was a lack of robust coordination and planning for the education of children.

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The care of children

Healthcare plans for children are not up to date. In one child’s local authority care plan it was identified that their health concerns include smoking and alcohol misuse. However, the registered manager had not assessed or included these in the child’s healthcare plan and as a result there is no guidance for staff on how to manage and respond to these concerns.

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The care of children

Bedrooms for children are in a poor state of repair. One child, who has lived at the home for several months, has no wardrobes or drawers and is storing their clothes in a suitcase. The registered manager said that he was unaware of this. The staff and registered manager made plans to rectify this during the visit.

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The care of children

The registered manager has failed to ensure that impact risk assessments are compiled and to consider all known risk factors for the child moving into the home and the children already in placement. Assessments do not include all relevant details, including all known risks, to enable an informed decision about the placement match. This prevents a thorough assessment of whether staff can meet the needs of children before they come to live at the home.

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The care of children

Children told inspectors they have enjoyed activities out of the home with staff. This includes going go-karting, shopping and bowling. During lockdown, children and staff have enjoyed in-house activities such as playing pool and games. Children continue to keep in touch with their families, with staff supporting regular phone calls and visits. The staff have also supported time with friends out of the home. Assurance visit report: 1264696 3

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The safety of children

At the last inspection a requirement was made about the safer recruitment of staff. Despite reassurances that the process had now been followed, inspectors found that there are continued failings in this area.

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The safety of children

Initially, the registered manager was unable to locate recruitment files and stated that he did not have access to them and had not been involved in the recruitment of staff. However, when files were later located, it was found the provider has not complied with the home’s policies and procedures to ensure that all checks on new employees are completed prior to them commencing employment. This specifically related to the robust validation of appropriate references and confirmation of any previous disciplinary procedures. This means that staff are employed without sufficient checks, which compromises the safety of children living in the home.

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The safety of children

Records demonstrate that there have been significant incidents in the home, including a child setting fire in the garden and misusing cannabis. However, the registered manager has not considered them serious and not notified the regulator. This prevents Ofsted from monitoring trends and patterns as part of risk assessment processes for providers.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments for children do not contain all the known risks for children and are not always updated following safeguarding incidents. This means staff do not have the most up-to-date advice and guidance on how to keep children safe. For example, one child’s risk assessment does not contain any strategies to prevent self- harm or advice for staff to manage the incidents of self-harm.

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The safety of children

Inspectors identified some shortfalls in the fire safety management for the home, specifically around poorly-fitting fire doors. This has not been recognised in the weekly checks completed by the staff and registered manager. This is a hazard for both children and staff in the home.

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The safety of children

COVID-19 risk assessments are completed for all children and are clear about the routines and measures in place to protect children and staff.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has been in post since 2019. He has yet to complete the required qualification.

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Leaders and managers

Since the last visit, in June 2020, 11 new staff members had been working in the home. It was reported that eight staff have left the organisation. However, the statement of purpose and the rotas include staff who were not identified as working in the home. This fails to demonstrate which staff actually work in the home. In addition, a number of the staff do not have any residential childcare experience or the required qualification. Assurance visit report: 1264696 4 The registered manager could not evidence that safer recruitment processes had been followed to ensure that only adults who have undergone required checks were caring for the children in the home. Only one file was produced for inspectors to view. This was of a poor quality. Information in the file evidenced gaps in employment history, risk assessing of criminal offences and references supplied. The registered manager has failed to address these shortfalls as required by regulation.

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Leaders and managers

In addition, inspectors found a number of changes to the leadership of the organisation had not been notified to Ofsted as required by regulation. This prevents Ofsted from ensuring that only suitable people are involved in the management of the home.

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)) 17 December

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably; ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(vii)(c)(i) 17 December Assurance visit report: 1264696 5 The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iii)) 17 December

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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, (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 17 December

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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— 17 December Assurance visit report: 1264696 6 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, with regard to fire safety

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e)) 17 December

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

the person is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children— the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children; and the person is physically and mentally fit to manage the home; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has—

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Requirement Due date

within the last 5 years, worked for at least 2 years in a position relevant to the residential care of children; 17 December Assurance visit report: 1264696 7 worked for at least one year in a role requiring the supervision and management of staff working in a care role; and

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Requirement Due date

by the relevant date, attained— the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 5 Diploma"); or a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who starts managing a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 3 years after the date on which that person started managing a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who was managing a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2017.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider may defer the relevant date if the person— does not manage, or has not managed, a home for a prolonged period; or manages, or has managed, a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 28 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii) (3)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(d)) 17 December Assurance visit report: 1264696 8 The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place— if the registered provider is an organisation— the organisation’s name or address changes; any change of director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the organisation. (Regulation 49 (e)(i)(ii)) 17 December

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Dynamic Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 249 Manningham Lane, Bradford, Yorkshire BD8 7ER

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Inspectors

Jessica Forshaw, Social Care Inspector Sophie Thomson, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 1264696 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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