Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC380956 1 SC380956

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North East Lincolnshire Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a local authority and provides care and accommodation for up to three children and/or young people on the verge of coming into the care system.

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Information about this children’s home

Children and young people generally stay on a planned short-break basis. However, one bed is a dedicated crisis facility to be used in the event of an emergency placement. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, children and young people are not accessing the short-break provision at this time.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2020, although she is currently away from the home. At this time, an interim manager is in day-to-day charge of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted has paused assurance visits at this time as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This monitoring visit was carried out in response to increasing concerns relating to the management of children’s behaviours. The focus of this visit was to review significant incidents and associated documents and reports, specifically those relating to children going missing from the home and the use of physical restraint.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted last inspected this home on 2 September 2019 when it completed a full inspection. A number of requirements and recommendations made at the last full inspection have not been met. Additional shortfalls were identified at this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The children’s missing-from-home plans do not provide the staff with the necessary guidance they need to respond consistently to these incidents. There are delays in Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC380956 2 the staff reporting children as missing, and they do not always take appropriate steps to locate children, especially at night-time. This places the children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The children’s risk management plans do not help the staff to manage and reduce known risks to the children’s safety. The lack of information and guidance in these plans means that the staff are unsure what actions to take to keep the children safe. For example, for one child there was a lack of clear strategies for staff to follow to help them to manage and reduce risks around serious self-injurious behaviours. As a result of this failure, this child was involved in a further incident of this type that required medical attention.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager does not routinely review children’s risk assessments or risk management plans to ensure that these include important information about a child’s vulnerabilities. For example, the risk assessment of one child did not include their explicit risks regarding criminal exploitation or that they were targeted by adults following a possible link to criminality. This failure placed the child at serious risk of harm. The interim manager took immediate action at this monitoring visit to review the risk plans for the child currently living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The staff do not ensure that all significant incidents are recorded in the children’s records, and when they are recorded, these entries lack relevant details. This means that pertinent information is not shared with relevant people or reviewed within risk assessments. The registered manager has not notified Ofsted of all significant incidents. This prevents Ofsted from reviewing the effectiveness of the actions taken by the staff to protect the children from harm.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager does not ensure that the staff correctly complete records relating to the use of physical restraint. Although these records include an account of the incident, they do not contain debriefs with the child. Furthermore, these records do not show that the registered manager has discussed these incidents with the staff, or signed these records to confirm that they are accurate.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager’s monitoring of the children’s records and support plans, and the quality of care provided by the service is poor. Furthermore, the manager has not completed an internal quality of care review. External monitoring by the independent visitor is sporadic and lacks detail. The absence of good monitoring prevents leaders and managers from identifying risks to children’s safety and practice shortfalls. This means that they are unable to continually develop the service to meet the children’s needs. Furthermore, the registered manager has not provided Ofsted with the revised version of the statement of purpose.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/09/2019 Full Good 04/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC380956 3 27/09/2017 Full Good 21/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC380956 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

*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—

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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)) 15 March 2021

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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

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)) 15 March 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)) 15 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC380956 5 The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 15 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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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)(e)) 15 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a) (4)(a)(b)) 15 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 15 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC380956 6 supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: North East Lincolnshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Offices, Knoll Street, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire DN35 8LN

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Inspectors

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC380956 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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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: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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