Children's Home run by Nottinghamshire County Council in Derbyshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC051513 1 SC051513

p.1

Nottinghamshire County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority home providing care for up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or a hearing impairment.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit considered concerns identified from notifications shared with Ofsted. Monitoring was undertaken remotely.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There have been a number of children admitted to the home in an emergency and/ or for short-term placements. This has resulted in some disruption for children for whom this home is their longer-term placement.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Children have not experienced stable care. Some children have said that they have not felt safe at times and that they have not had a settled environment in which to study and undertake home schooling.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers and staff need to consider how they can prepare effectively for and work with children moving into the home in an emergency and children who are in crisis.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There has been a safeguarding concern involving two children. The combination of their individual needs increased the risk of harm to both. The risk assessments for both children were not sufficiently robust and staff supervision and monitoring was not sufficiently vigilant. Following the review of a safeguarding incident, a decision was made that one child should move from the home. This incident highlighted a need for clear boundaries regarding the use of digital technology by children from the start of their placements. There is a need to enhance staff skills and understanding of the risks associated with the use of digital technology.

p.1

This monitoring visit

On another occasion, one child moved into the home and significantly unsettled another child. Staff struggled to manage their combined behaviours. As a result of Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC051513 2 incidents of threats, aggression and damage in the home there was an increase in staff absence and an increase in the use of relief and agency staff. This was disruptive for the children living in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers need to consider what skills and knowledge staff need to identify and respond to risks and behaviours as they emerge. A requirement set at the previous inspection regarding working effectively with children’s behaviours has not been met.

p.2

This monitoring visit

There have been a relatively low number of complaints from children. However, the records are poor. They do not demonstrate a thoughtful, respectful response to the child’s voice. Managers need to review the complaints processes to ensure that they are child friendly and sufficiently thorough. They also need to review when a complaint should be considered under the home’s bullying policy.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Recently, the home has been more settled. There have been fewer incidents within the home and a reduced use of agency or relief staff to care for children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

For one child, there have been a number of relatively short missing-from-care incidents. Return home interviews have been undertaken. Managers and staff are following safeguarding procedures and multi-agency meetings have been convened to assess the reasons and put measures in place to reduce the concerns. The care plan for this child needs to be reviewed.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The requirements set at the previous inspection have not been fully reviewed at this visit and will remain in place. The progress in meeting these requirements, in addition to the requirements arising from this visit, will be considered at the next inspection.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 07/05/2019 Full Good 05/06/2018 Full Good 10/07/2017 Full Good 12/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC051513 3

p.2

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.3

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.3

Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.3

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.3

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding.

p.3

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)) 5 April 2021

p.3

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.3

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans.

p.3

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 5 April 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC051513 4 The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.3

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)) 5 April 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 5 April 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC051513 5 manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 5 April 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers needing to consider what resources and skills are required for staff and managers to meet effectively the needs of children for whom this home is their longer-term placement and for children in crisis who move in on a short-term, emergency basis. Managers also need to review the quality of care planning for children. 5 April 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC051513 6

p.5

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.6

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottinghamshire County Council

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7QP

p.6

Inspector

Cathey Moriarty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC051513 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.

p.6

Inspector

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7