Children's Home run by Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd in Dudley

Inspection report children's home: SC483958 1 SC483958 Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since December 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 9 and 10 September 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. This report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children's home: SC483958 2

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

In May 2020, a monitoring visit took place in response to safeguarding concerns raised at another home run by the company. A number of concerns were identified at this home and two compliance notices, under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard), were issued. In addition, nine requirements were raised.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A second monitoring visit took place in June 2020 to review progress against the compliance notices. The compliance notice under regulation 13 was considered met. The compliance notice under regulation 12 was not met and was reissued.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A third monitoring visit took place in July 2020 and the compliance notice under regulation 12 was considered met.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/05/2018 Full Good 20/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC483958 3

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improvement to be good

Children do not make good progress while they live at the home. They do not have access to healthy and balanced meals. Staff document what children eat, but do not support and encourage healthy choices. This does not promote good health.

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improvement to be good

Children are not supported to develop their independence skills. All three children have independence plans in place, but these are not reviewed or updated. When children refuse to go food shopping as part of their independence work, staff go on their behalf. Staff have not explored with children what support they need to complete this task. This approach does not prepare children for adult life.

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improvement to be good

Two children currently have no educational provision in place. Staff have failed to promote informal learning or provide meaningful activities. Staff do not arrange activities or events for children to look forward to. As a result, there is a lack of routine and structure. Children spend long periods of the day in bed asleep or in their bedrooms. This has an impact on children’s chances of achieving their educational capability and enhancing their future opportunities in adulthood. However, one child has recently completed their GCSE assessments and is waiting for their results. Another child is being supported with driving lessons.

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improvement to be good

A new child moved into the home in December 2020. His transition was not well planned. As a result, key paperwork such as placement plans and care plans were not in place quickly enough to be effective. This means that staff do not have access to all the information they need to meet the child’s needs.

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improvement to be good

Children are given incentives, such as money or treats, to complete certain tasks. On the whole, these incentives are successful. However, targets are not reviewed or updated to support further progress.

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improvement to be good

Children have received care from a consistent staff team. As a result, staff know children well and have built positive relationships with them.

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improvement to be good

Children like the staff team and are able to talk to staff if they have concerns. Children know how to complain if they are not happy about any aspect of their care. Feedback from professionals such as social workers is generally very positive.

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improvement to be good

Children feel supported and are settled in the home. Two of the children have their own pets. Inspection report children's home: SC483958 4

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improvement to be good

Staff do not challenge unsafe activity effectively. Staff allow children to smoke. Children are permitted to smoke in the garden, despite this being a non-smoking home. Staff allow children to have their cigarettes and lighters on them. On occasion, children smoke in their bedrooms. On one occasion, a child set light to paper in their bedroom. Despite staff being aware of the risks of smoking, they have failed to address this ongoing behaviour. The annual fire risk assessment has not considered any potential risks regarding children smoking inside or outside of the home. The shortfalls in practice around smoking have the potential to place children at risk.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are in place, however, they are not all up to date or do not capture all known risks for children. The registered manager has failed to risk assess the use of a nicotine-replacement inhalator for one child. In addition, there is no medication chart in place for this medicine and it is not stored safely. These shortfalls mean that there is no guidance in place for staff to follow.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always follow processes put in place to safeguard children. For example, daily room checks are in place for two children, but the registered manager has not ensured that these consistently take place.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments for the use of bedroom door alarms have not been reviewed since May 2020. A third child did not have a risk assessment in place despite the fact that an alarm was in use. This oversight means the registered manager has not considered if the use of the door alarm monitoring was still required.

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improvement to be good

Regular key-working sessions take place. However, conversations are not always linked to children’s care plans or risk behaviours. This creates a missed opportunity for staff to explore with children their difficulties and risks.

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improvement to be good

Staff know the children well and, as a result, children are settled and there are very few incidents. On the rare occasion when children go missing from home, staff follow processes put in place to bring about their safe return.

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improvement to be good

Children report having everything that they need. They feel safe and appear comfortable and settled at the home.

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good

The shortfalls identified at this inspection show that the registered manager does not monitor the home effectively. The leadership and management of the home have not been sufficient to drive forward improvements. Two of the three requirements raised at the assurance visit in September 2020 have not been met and will be reissued. In addition, nine further requirements have been raised Inspection report children's home: SC483958 5 following this inspection. The progress noted at the monitoring visits in 2020 has not been sustained.

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good

The registered manager does not use the monitoring systems in place effectively for sufficient oversight of the home. The registered manager’s oversight of recording and reporting is poor at times. He has failed to identify and address poor recording in documentation or gaps in paperwork. Essential paperwork relating to children is not always in place quickly enough to be of use. The registered manager has failed to identify or address practice and recording issues when he completes his audits of the home.

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good

Managers have failed to ensure that there is an accurate roster in place that records the planned and actual hours worked by staff. As a result, these documents cannot be relied on to identify when staff have been at work or to determine if children have received suitably staffed care.

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good

The registered manager has not obtained feedback from relevant professionals when reviewing the home’s location risk assessment. This oversight means that there may be key information missing from this document which could inhibit staff’s ability to keep children safe.

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good

The registered manager has not consulted with children regarding their experiences of living at the home. In addition, children are not supported to contribute to their own records and documents, despite this being a recommendation at the last full inspection. This is a missed opportunity to improve the quality of care and support children receive.

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good

Two members of staff have not attained the level 3 diploma in residential childcare within the required timeframe. However, staff have access to a variety of training courses that support them in their roles in caring for children and overall training compliance for staff is good.

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good

A core team of regular staff provide consistent care for children. During the COVID- 19 pandemic, staff have worked additional shifts to ensure that they provide stability to the children.

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good

Staff feel supported by the managers and have access to regular team meetings and supervisions. This means that staff have opportunity to reflect on practice and discuss children’s needs. Inspection report children's home: SC483958 6

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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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to seeking the views of children and using this information to review and improve the quality of care. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; 30 July 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC483958 7 support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training, and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all children have access to appropriate education, learning and training opportunities. This also refers to ensuring that children are provided with informal learning opportunities.

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that children are encouraged to participate in meaningful activities and that children have structure to the day. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and 30 July 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC483958 8 children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that all children are provided with a healthy and balanced diet.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that risk assessments are up to date and include effective strategies for staff to follow. This also relates to supporting children to understand and reduce their own risks. 30 July 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that there are effective monitoring and review systems in place to review and improve the quality of care provided for children. 30 July 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC483958 9 The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

This specially relates to ensuring that admission and discharges from the home are well planned and children are supported. This also relates to ensuring that children’s care plans are in place quickly, to provide staff with key information about children. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child.

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there is a record of any medication that is dispensed to children. In addition, all medication must be stored in a secure place. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma") (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)) 30 July 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC483958 10 This specifically relates to ensuring that staff obtain the level 3 qualification within the required timeframe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that staff rosters are up to date and maintained in line with regulatory requirements. 30 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that relevant individuals are consulted with when the location of the home is reviewed. 30 July 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report children's home: SC483958 11

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 3, Churchill House, Queen Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1SN

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Inspector

Debbie Holder, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC483958 12 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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