Children's home run by Silverlining Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC458746 1 SC458746

p.1

Silverlining Childcare Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for one child who may have experienced disruption in their lives and may have social and/or emotional difficulties. It is run by a small private partnership company.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since September 2018.

p.1

This monitoring visit

On 20 and 21 October 2020, Ofsted undertook an assurance visit. The visit identified widespread and serious concerns. As a result, a notice of suspension was issued. Ofsted carried out the monitoring visit on 4 December 2020 and 11 January 2021.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Following the monitoring visit on 11 January 2021, the notice of suspension was lifted and a notice of variation to the home’s registration was issued. This reduced the number of children that the home can accommodate from four children to one child.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Further monitoring visits were carried out on 2 March 2021 and 13 April 2021. On 14 April 2021, a notice of suspension was issued.

p.1

This monitoring visit

In addition, on 25 February 2021, a notice of decision to cancel the registration of the home was issued. The provider is appealing this decision.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the provider’s adherence to the suspension notice and to consider the progress made since the last visit.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The suspension notice has been adhered to and there are no children currently living in the home. Of the eight requirements raised, three have not been reviewed as part Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC458746 2 of this visit. Three requirements were assessed to have been met. Ongoing shortfalls mean that two of the requirements have been restated.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The home does not have a registered manager. The provider is currently recruiting to this vacancy. The responsible individual is therefore in day-to-day charge of the home.

p.2

This monitoring visit

An experienced operational manager was appointed on 12 May 2021 to assist in the running of the home. However, the quality of management oversight remains a concern. Despite a prolonged period without any children living in the home, the home is still not being operated in line with ‘The children’s home (England) regulations 2015’. This does not assure Ofsted that children would be appropriately cared for.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has not ensured that concerns raised in reference to a member of staff have been explored during the verbal verification stage. This means that the child living in the home could be looked after by someone who is not appropriate to do so. The responsible individual’s understanding and oversight of staff recruitment does not demonstrate that she has the skills and knowledge to lead this home effectively.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The provider has made the decision to close its one other children’s home. As a result, the staff from that home have transferred over. This has increased the number of staff available to work in this home. The statement of purpose now accurately reflects the staff assigned to the home.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/08/2019 Full Good 08/05/2019 Full Inadequate 24/09/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC458746 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 care planning standard is that children—

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that children have positive experiences moving into the home.

p.3

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection. It was not reviewed as part of this visit and has been restated. 28 July 2021

p.3

Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

p.3

Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character.

p.3

Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated.

p.3

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that the responsible individual oversees the management of the home effectively. 28 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC458746 4 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

p.4

Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

p.4

Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect.

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 27 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)) 28 July 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.4

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

p.4

Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.4

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

p.4

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that references are verbally verified, concerns raised by referees and gaps in employment history are explored.

p.4

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 28 July 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 28 July 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC458746 5 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.4

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.5

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that records of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home are completed in full. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC458746 6 This requirement was made at the last inspection. It was not reviewed as part of this visit and has been restated.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

p.6

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that copies of children’s education, health and care plans, and child looked after medical reports are on file.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection. It was not reviewed as part of this visit and has been restated. 28 July 2021

p.6

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

Inspector

Michelle Spruce, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC458746 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