Children's Home run by Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581237 1

p.1

Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is one of a number operated by a private company. It provides care and accommodation for up to eight young people who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There is a new manager in the home. He has managed the home since 27 October 2020 and was registered by Ofsted on 1 December 2020.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted an assurance visit to this home on 22 October 2020. Serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children were identified at this assurance visit. Following this, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice, prohibiting the placement of additional young people into the home for a period of 12 weeks. This was to allow time for steps to be taken to reduce or eliminate the risk of harm to young people, and make the improvements required to ensure that young people receive safe, effective care that meets their needs and helps them to progress. In addition, nine breaches of regulation were identified, with Ofsted issuing compliance notices in relation to four of these.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Following this, a further monitoring visit was conducted to the home on 24 November 2020, due to another serious incident taking place in the home. Concerns remained about the operation of the home, but at the conclusion of this visit only two young people remained living in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the actions taken by the provider to meet the four compliance notices. The actions taken by the provider to meet the majority of the remaining requirements, and two recommendations, were not assessed as part of this inspection, so these are repeated for further exploration at the next routine inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581237 2 Some progress has been made since the assurance visit. A requirement made about sending an updated statement of purpose to Ofsted has been addressed. Similarly, the new manager has successfully completed the registration process with Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Concerns were also identified relating to a failure to notify Ofsted about all serious incidents in the home. These concerns were subject to a compliance notice under regulation 40. The manager has acted to address these shortfalls. Notifications have been made promptly, containing sufficient detail of the incident and action taken. Inspectors were not concerned at this inspection about serious incidents not being notified as required. Consequently, this compliance notice is assessed to have been met.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Two young people remain living in the home at the time of this monitoring visit. It had been hoped that this would stabilise the home. However, the young people are aware that they, too, may be moving on from the home and this has limited their willingness to invest in the home. New rules and boundaries have been put in place and, despite young people agreeing that they are fair and reasonable, this has resulted in further challenging behaviour.

p.2

This monitoring visit

At the assurance visit in October 2020, concerns were evident in relation to risk management, relationships between young people and relationships between staff and young people. These concerns remain and consequently notices under regulation 11 and 12 are to be reissued to ensure compliance with regulations. A serious incident where two young people targeted another young person is reported on in the previous monitoring visit report. The young person felt unsafe in the home and left that evening and has not returned.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff’s ability to manage young people’s behaviour has been variable since the assurance visit in October 2020. Inconsistencies in staff practice remains a concern. Young people continue to manipulate some staff, who have given in to the young people’s demands. Serious incidents have also been prompted by staff who are trying to impose rules and boundaries. This lack of consistency continues to present a challenge and increases young people’s anxieties. It is also frustrating for staff trying to follow the new guidelines.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Individual key-working sessions have started to take place over recent weeks. However, young people’s engagement is variable, and staff have yet to address some pertinent issues for young people, such as harmful relationships.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Young people’s risk assessments have been updated. These include strategies for staff to reduce specific risks. However, there is limited guidance for staff on how to manage disruptive incidents in the home and what action is likely to antagonise specific young people further. Similarly, when good practice has been evident, learning from this has not been disseminated to other staff to assist them in dealing with the young people in a future incident. This does not help staff develop their behaviour management skills. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581237 3 A new manager is now in post in the home and has successfully completed the Ofsted registration process. However, he had been absent from the home for the previous 10 days prior to this monitoring visit. In addition, an experienced deputy manager had been absent for a similar period of time. This has had a negative impact on the planned changes and developments in the home.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Steps have been taken to establish clearer communication in the home. Two staff meetings have taken place since the assurance visit and staff say communication has improved. Staff have also benefited from individual supervision in recent weeks.

p.3

This monitoring visit

While there has been a renewed effort to ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge they need to meet the needs of young people living in the home, further work has yet to be done in this area. A skills audit has been completed and, while staff have completed core training modules, such as safeguarding, first aid and child exploitation, they have yet to complete training on recording and reporting, risk management and anti-bullying. This would help ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills that they require to provide competent care for young people.

p.3

This monitoring visit

The absence of key managers means that deficits in management oversight are still evident. Records are still missing essential scrutiny and reflection on practice in the home. This has also meant that some issues requiring follow-up have not been identified or actioned. This has left young people vulnerable.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Consequently, Ofsted believes that shortfalls remain in relation to leadership and management, which has a negative impact on young people’s experiences and progress while living in the home. The regulation 13 compliance notice is also to be reissued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581237 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard 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— understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff— understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; protect and promote each child’s welfare. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)) 10/01/2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard *The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; 10/01/2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581237 5 encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those

p.4

Requirement Due date

expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; and that each child is encouraged to build positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix) (xi)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard *The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— 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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 10/01/2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581237 6 manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

p.5

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; and that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(e)) The leadership and management standard *The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development

p.6

Requirement Due date

of the quality of care provided in the home; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(c)(f)(h)) 10/01/2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 10/01/2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581237 7 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)) Children’s case records The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Other records Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must— maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)) In particular, a register of children admitted to the home containing the required information. 10/01/2021

p.7

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.7

Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Children should be in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581237 8

p.7

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.8

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care 4 Children Residential Services Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Care 4 Children, 1 Stuart Road, Bredbury Park Industrial Estate, Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2SR

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephanie Hewitt

p.8

Inspectors

Mandy Williams, social care inspector Sophie Thomson, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2581237 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.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9