Children's Home run by Sheffield City Council in Sheffield

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066747 1 SC066747

p.1

Sheffield City Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home is registered to provide care for up to five children who may have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The provider also offers care and support to children on the edge of care. Stays in this home can act as a bridging placement to permanence.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since September 2020 and is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This home had an assurance visit on 21 and 22 September 2020. The last full inspection took place in August 2019. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to explore the safeguarding practice at the home. This was in response to the information gathered from the safeguarding information shared with Ofsted through notifications.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Due to the restrictions in place relating to COVID-19 (coronavirus), this monitoring visit comprised both on- and off-site inspection activities. These included sampling documents and discussions with managers, staff, professionals and one of the children. One requirement and one recommendation raised at the assurance visit have not been assessed at this monitoring visit and are repeated.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The manager has failed to notify Ofsted of several significant safeguarding incidents: specifically, incidents involving children who are at risk of exploitation and may have been exposed to harm in the community. Although the appropriate agencies have been notified of these safeguarding incidents, the manager has not been wholly transparent with the information shared with Ofsted prior to and during the visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066747 2 The lack of transparency limits Ofsted’s oversight of the risks to children’s safety and of the actions taken to protect children from harm. Furthermore, not all the safeguarding notifications that have been sent to Ofsted provided a full or accurate account of these significant incidents.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The manager does not ensure that children’s competing needs and risks can be met safely and effectively in the home. This exposed a child to physical harm during the early stages of their admission. Furthermore, the manager does not ensure that suitable risk management strategies are in place. This means that staff lack guidance to support them to reduce the potential risks that children may pose to each other. Ofsted has previously raised similar shortfalls with regard to care planning practice at the last four inspections.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff do not consistently implement safeguarding procedures if a child makes an allegation. For example, in response to a recent allegation, staff spoke to the child about making false allegations before notifying the designated officer about the allegation. This prevents timely external oversight and scrutiny from the local authority, and others, to satisfy themselves that children are safe. As a result, the home’s day-to-day care is not arranged and delivered to keep children safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

There are occasions when staff use physical restraint to manage children’s behaviours. However, staff do not always ensure that they complete records of these physical restraints in a timely manner. This means that the manager has had no oversight of one recent incident. Furthermore, debriefs with the child and the staff are incomplete.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager does not ensure that all known risks to children’s safety are included in their risk assessments. In addition, managers and staff do not update these risk assessments following significant incidents or events, or when further information is available. When a strategy used to reduce risks to children’s safety has not been effective, new strategies are not considered. The lack of oversight from the manager results in missed opportunities to address these shortfalls.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The independent person continues to complete most visits to the home remotely. This is despite this flexibility having been removed from the regulations. The manager does not ensure that the independent visitor is informed of all safeguarding incidents. This has prevented the independent visitor from making an accurate evaluation of how children’s safety and welfare are promoted.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Internal monitoring systems are ineffective in supporting the manager to identify and respond to shortfalls in practice that have an impact on children’s safety, well-being and progress. The manager’s review of the quality of care report does not include the outcomes of consultations with children, their parents, staff or professionals. This means that it is unclear how the views of others help to improve the service. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066747 3 The manager and staff care about the children. They understand the children’s needs and have a good knowledge of their complex behaviours. The staff use their positive relationships with the children to engage them in discussions about a range of topics, including factors that may place them at risk of harm. This positive work is also praised by children’s social workers.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 14/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/11/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066747 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 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; and

p.4

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b)) 2 May 2021

p.4

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.4

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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)) 2 May 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

*The care planning standard is that children—

p.4

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and 2 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066747 5 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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))

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; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, all identified aims and goals must be completed by undertaking direct work with children. This must be in line with all the areas set out in their care plans, which must be updated when plans for the children’s futures change. The plans must also reflect the aims of the home’s statement of purpose.

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirements is carried over from the assurance visit and was not monitored as part of this inspection. 2 May 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.5

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure; 2 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066747 6 a description of the measure and its duration;

p.5

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.6

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’)—

p.6

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 5 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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b) (i)(ii)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

p.6

Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)(e) 2 May 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. 2 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066747 7 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 (1) (4)(a)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the independent person is able to access all information to support their view of children’s safety and well-being.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (5)) 2 May 2021

p.7

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that children’s homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. In particular, ensure that all areas in the home are decorated and furnished to a good standard. Repair or replace all fixtures and fittings that have been damaged. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

p.7

Recommendations

This requirement is carried over from the assurance visit and was not monitored as part of this inspection.

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.7

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066747 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sheffield City Council

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Jacqueline Malcolm, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC066747 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

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 http://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

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9