Children's home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC039414 1 SC039414

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Sheffield City Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home is registered to accommodate up to four children and young people with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager has been in post since 6 July 2020. They have not yet submitted a registered manager application to Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to review the safeguarding practices in the home. In particular, the visit reviewed the action taken by staff to safeguard the welfare of children who go missing from home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has not reviewed the risk management strategies with sufficient rigour to protect children who are at risk of exploitation. This means that the high standards of safeguarding expected for all children have not been met.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that not all of the children’s written risk assessments include clear and consistent strategies that would safeguarded children from the risk of exploitation. The lack of clear guidance has prevented the staff from taking the steps necessary to stop children from leaving the home late at night and during the early hours of the morning. Limited night-time staffing has reduced the staff’s capacity to leave the premises and follow the children. The staff have watched children leaving the home and get into waiting cars and taxis. Staff have not consistently attempted to prevent the children from leaving or follow the children, and nor have they consistently reported the children missing to the police in a timely way. This lack of action has meant that children who are at risk of exploitation have been exposed to harm. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC039414 2

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This monitoring visit

Similarly, not all of the children’s risk assessments have been updated after significant safeguarding incidents. The risk assessments have not been consistently signed off by the manager to demonstrate how they are reducing and managing the risks effectively. A requirement relating to risk management was raised at the assurance visit in September 2020, and remains unmet. This shortfall has not been resolved, so the requirement is repeated.

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This monitoring visit

Not all staff were aware of the changes to the level of monitoring of a child who was at risk of self-harm. The checks had been reduced in frequency from every 15 to every 30 minutes, but not all staff were aware of this change.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are not always vigilant and at times have been unaware of additional people being in the home. The risk assessment had not been updated to reflect a recent incident when a child’s friend was seen leaving the home in the night. This is despite there being concerns about a similar incident happening before. The staff have been provided with guidance since the incident, to ensure that they always stay vigilant.

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This monitoring visit

The manager’s monitoring systems have not been effective. The provider has not acted on a previous requirement relating to informing Ofsted about significant incidents. This has impeded Ofsted’s ability to monitor the home’s safeguarding practices.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has started to take remedial action to address the serious concerns. For instance, they have implemented tighter safety planning. The provider has also introduced additional staff training in de-escalation, so that staff will have the skills they need to implement the children’s safety plans. Night-time staffing has also increased. The provider has taken appropriate steps to ensure that the staff team has full access to the electronic recording system and that staff receive refresher training to enhance their skills in this area. Work is underway to ensure that staff understand their roles, responsibilities and accountability in regard to safeguarding children. It is too early to evaluate the progress made because the learning is not yet fully embedded.

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This monitoring visit

No children have moved into the home or left the home since the assurance visit in September 2020. This helps to provide the children with a stable home environment. Overall, the positive relationships between the staff and children, professionals and families support the children’s plans.

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This monitoring visit

Not all of the previous requirements were checked at this monitoring visit, although some have been repeated. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC039414 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/01/2019 Full Outstanding 22/06/2017 Full Good 01/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC039414 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

In meeting the quality standards, if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

 challenge the placing authority about the rationale for family time to continue where investigations into allegations have been instigated;  proactively seek confirmation of children’s ethnicity from the placing social worker and accurately record the information in the child’s care plans. 29 January 2021

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)) In particular:

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Requirement Due date

 ensure that risk assessments are up to date, accurate and effective and have management oversight;  ensure that the risk management strategies relating to missing-from-home incidents are regularly reviewed to ensure that they reduce the missing incidents effectively.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated. 29 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC039414 5 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

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

In particular:  review the specific missing-from-care data to ensure that the actual times that children are reported missing accurately fit the heading;  ensure that all children’s records are maintained to a good standard.

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Requirement Due date

 implement the development plan to address the shortfalls; embed improved staff practice; and keep the plan under review. 29 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 29 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, clarify/record in the statement of purpose the rationale for having the locks on doors, and identify if/when they are used to manage children’s behaviour. 29 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC039414 6 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated. 29 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the independent visitor reports are sent to Ofsted promptly. 29 January 2021

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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.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sheffield City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sheffield City Council, Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield S1 2HH

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Inspector

Jacqueline Malcolm, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC039414 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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