Children's Home run by North Yorkshire Council in North Yorkshire

Assurance visit report: SC034189 1 SC034189

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodate for up to six children and/or young people between the ages of 13 and 18 years who display emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

It is registered to provide care and accommodation for a further two children and/or young people in off-site accommodation for up to 28 days. The home is operated by a local authority and is part of the No Wrong Door innovation to provide an integrated service for adolescents. Some children are only at the home for a short time, while others live here on a longer-term basis.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2019.

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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. Assurance visit report: SC034189 2

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Findings from the visit

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care and protection of children at this assurance visit:

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Findings from the visit

 The management of risks to children’s safety following a serious event was inadequate.  There was an immediate risk of fire from a child smoking in their bedroom.  One child’s bedroom is in a poor condition and does not provide a well- cared-for and homely environment.  The independent visitor’s reports fail to provide enough information and evaluation regarding how well children are safeguarded and how their well- being is promoted.

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The care of children

The serious concerns identified at this assurance visit regarding children’s safety have a negative effect on their day-to-day care and experiences. Leaders and managers do not consistently act quickly to address practice shortfalls to ensure that staff provide all children with good-quality care.

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The care of children

One child’s bedroom is in a poor condition. The wallpaper is torn, the wardrobe door is broken off and the bathroom door has a hole in it. There is mould around the window area and the carpet is covered with clothes, food and discarded cigarette ends. There was a large burn mark in the carpet. The poor condition of this room is unacceptable and means that the child is not provided with a well-cared-for or well- maintained environment to live in.

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The care of children

The children attend health appointments and they access specialist health support where needed. However, the impact of this for individual children is varied. Substance and alcohol misuse continues to be an issue for one child. The continued use of illegal substances and alcohol affects children’s physical and emotional health, now and in the future.

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The care of children

During the COVID-19 pandemic, children continue their learning at home and continue to access formal education when possible. Some children are making good progress in education. For the children who are currently out of education, staff work to identify new placements that will meet children’s needs. For children waiting to start their educational placements, staff encourage them to complete in-house education sessions to prepare them for more formal schooling.

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The care of children

The children’s emotional well-being is supported by specialist services. For example, some children access the home’s life coach. The life coach offers individualised support to children to help them to explore past trauma. This helps children to learn strategies to help them manage their feelings and emotions. Assurance visit report: SC034189 3 During the COVID-19 pandemic, some children and staff tested positive for the virus. The children were well supported by the staff team during the necessary periods of self-isolation.

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The care of children

The children enjoy quality time with their families and, when possible, this has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic. This helps children to develop a better understanding of their family relationships.

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The safety of children

Following a recent serious incident, which was unresolved at the time of this assurance visit pending police mediation, leaders and managers failed to appropriately reassess significant risks to children’s safety. As a result of this delay, there were no clear strategies in place to manage and reduce any further risk of harm to children or staff. This failure is detrimental to the care, safety and welfare of children.

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The safety of children

Children and staff were at risk of serious harm from fire during this visit. Managers and staff were aware that one child was regularly smoking in their bedroom. Staff have discussed this matter with the child during keywork sessions. However, these sessions were ineffectual and staff did not take further action to prevent this behaviour. This significant failure compromised the safety of all children and staff.

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The safety of children

Children complete key-work sessions around keeping themselves safe. The impact of this work varies. For example, for one child some risks to their safety remain ongoing. For other children, risks to their safety are reducing and the children start to learn to make positive choices about their own safety and well-being. Episodes of children going missing from the home have reduced. When children go missing from the home, staff follow missing from home protocols to help to quickly locate them. The staff work with the police to ensure that they have appropriate plans in place should a child go missing.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager prioritises working with a range of other professionals, including children’s social workers, the police, the youth justice service, the virtual school, and health services. This ensures that pertinent information about children’s progress is shared with other relevant agencies. This approach supports children’s development.

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Leaders and managers

The staff say that they feel supported by the registered manager. They receive regular formal supervision which helps them to reflect on their practice and performance. The registered manager ensures that staff receive regular training. This training helps the staff to understand children’s very complex needs and the previous trauma that may now influence their actions and behaviours. The life coaches and the home’s speech and language therapist also provide staff with training to help them to meet the children’s individual needs. Assurance visit report: SC034189 4 The independent visitor’s reports from October 2020 and November 2020 do not provide an adequate overview of children’s safety or well-being. The lack of evaluation and information in these reports means that they do not support the manager to identify future learning to improve practice in the home or outcomes for children.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager notifies Ofsted of serious events and significant incidents. However, the information provided in these notifications is insufficient and lacks relevant details and facts. This shortfall means that the regulatory body can not fully assess the actions taken to improve the safety and well-being of children. Senior managers produced an action plan after this assurance visit to address the immediate concerns regarding children’s safety and welfare.

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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 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff— protect and promote each child’s welfare. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(2)(b)(ii)) This is with specific reference to protecting children from the risk of harm from fire. 29 January 2021

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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)(2)(c)(i)) 29 January 2021 Assurance visit report: SC034189 5 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; and take effective action whenever there is a serious concern

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Requirement Due date

about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(vi)) 29 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. A notification made under this regulation— must include details of— the matter; the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40

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Requirement Due date

(4)(5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 29 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 29 January 2021 Assurance visit report: SC034189 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Yorkshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Northallerton DL7 8AD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Janice Nicholson

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Inspectors

Jamie Richardson, Social Care Inspector Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC034189 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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