Children's home run by City of Wolverhampton Council

Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 1 SC378153 Registered provider: Wolverhampton City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This short-break service provides care and accommodation for up to six children. The home cares for children aged between 10 and 17, who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to presenting complex behaviours. The service also offers crisis placements for children in care between placements in line with short-break regulations. The home is owned and operated by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since 2013 and is suitably qualified.

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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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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

Date of last inspection: 15 January 2020

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/01/2020 Full Good 19/12/2018 Full Good 14/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 3

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improvement to be good

The registered manager has accepted a child into the home who has a specific diagnosed condition which staff are not trained or experienced to work with. Despite high staffing ratios, the child has been able to put himself at risk. This has included staff taking the child to areas that they know he absconds from and staff not always supervising him as needed. This has impacted on his safety and the experience that he has had in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff enjoy spending time with children during their short breaks and share positive experiences with them. During the period of restriction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff visited children at home to offer socially distanced activities and support. Staff also worked hard to put in place positive and creative activities when children were able to visit the home. As a result, children enjoy coming for their short breaks.

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improvement to be good

Staff have mostly positive relationships with parents. Parents are able to raise concerns or complaints with staff or the registered manager, who then address these. As a consequence of this open approach, most parents have confidence in the care their children receive. This helps the home to build collaborative relationships with most parents and carers.

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improvement to be good

Staff undertake frequent direct work with children. Staff use a variety of approaches and tailor these to individual need. Children engage with this well. Staff give children a book when their short-break support ends. This includes messages from staff and photos of their time at the home. This excellent piece of work helps children to remember and celebrate the good times they have had.

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improvement to be good

Staff also complete group work which is open to all children who use the service. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has significantly affected these groups. But staff have persevered in trying to keep the groups in touch during these troubled times. These groups are a wonderful way for children to build relationships with each other, learn and share experience, and try new things. Children benefit enormously from these opportunities and everyone involved enjoys them.

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improvement to be good

Managers have taken action to repair damage to walls noted at Ofsted’s last visit to the home. Despite a good start, there are still several areas that still need repair and decoration. This lack of attention to detail means that the home is not as clean and welcoming as it should be.

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improvement to be good

Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 4 The registered manager does not always complete detailed risk assessments to consider whether children’s needs can be safely met before they arrive at the home. Recently, this has led to a child moving into the home in crisis who must stay on their own. Despite managers confidence in staff, they are not trained to support this child’s specific needs and they are worried they will be hurt by him. In addition, children who need short-break support are not currently receiving this. This has a detrimental effect on those children’s own stability.

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improvement to be good

In contrast, managers make sure that compatibility for groups of children on a short break are better considered. Managers have also ensured that risk and behaviour management plans include good levels of detail to guide staff. However, risk ratings between risk assessments and behaviour plans are inconsistent. Bearing in mind the complexity of the children who access the service, this leaves staff and children vulnerable.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always supervise children well enough. On one occasion, this has led to a child setting fire to the home just before a trip out. This has caused significant damage to the home. The lack of staff curiosity and vigilance prior to this incident meant that the child was able to put himself and others at potential risk of harm. Following this incident, staff quickly searched the child’s belongings and retrieved other fire-lighting paraphernalia. This means that staff are now better able to safeguard children from fire in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always consider the wider implications of their actions on children. For example, due to poor communication a member of staff left a pan on the stove and this almost caught fire. Staff’s subsequent actions unsettled the child who was in the home, which led to a physical intervention. Managers formally addressed this with staff, but this does not negate the careless practice and impact on children.

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improvement to be good

Staff responses to children who are at risk of going missing from their care is inconsistent. For some children, staff take every step to support them to remain in the home. However, for others, staff have taken children to locations where they abscond from. This mixed approach means that children do not receive a consistent response to safeguard them.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not have a clear procedure to follow when children make allegations. On one occasion, staff did not promptly inform the on-call manager when a child made an allegation. This resulted in the member of staff remaining on shift without managers assessing this risk. After allegations are made the registered manager talks to the staff involved and external professionals. However, he does not complete full investigation reports that make it clear how he reaches his decisions. The registered manager also does not directly respond or give feedback to children who make allegations. This is a missed opportunity to reassure children that adults take their concerns seriously.

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improvement to be good

Children are largely well supported with their health and medical needs. For example, staff complete direct work with children about personal hygiene and the impact of COVID-19. However, poor attention to detail in medication records means that these Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 5 records are not accurate. This has the potential to lead to an underdose, or overdose, which does not safeguard children.

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good

The impact of poor assessment prior to one child arriving at the home has had a detrimental effect on the home and other children’s short break support. This child’s behaviour has provided a challenge to staff that they were not equipped to manage. As a result, children have not received the support they need.

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good

The registered manager does not have sufficient oversight of some areas of procedure and practice. For example, the registered manager had not noticed there was no clear procedure for staff to follow when children make allegations until the inspector queried this during the inspection. In addition, the registered manager had noted shortfalls in how less-experienced supervisors carry out supervision meetings. He then put a plan in place to develop these staff, which is positive. However, once managers identified this shortfall there were no additional meetings offered to staff who had received poor supervision. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that staff understood relevant risks to children and the duties of their role. This indicates a lack of action to correct deficits that the registered manager identifies in his monitoring.

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good

Managers have complementary skills. On the whole, staff feel supported by managers, but their different approaches can sometimes feel less clear. This results in some staff feeling confused between management direction at times.

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good

The registered manager collects children’s views regularly. These are then analysed and included in his six-monthly review of the quality of care. The registered manager could strengthen this by including suggestions raised by children in his action plan. This would also emphasise to children their inclusion in the service.

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good

The registered manager has not been able to ensure that there is consistent staff working with children. COVID-19 has had a particular impact in this home. This led to the home closing at one point as so many staff were shielding or unwell. There has also been an unusually high use of agency and sessional staff in recent months. The registered manager is aware of the importance of staffing. He has ensured that, despite the large number of staff, there has been as much familiarity for children as possible.

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good

Managers book training for staff in areas necessary for them to carry out their role. While this commitment is positive, the manager has admitted a child to the home where staff do not have the necessary training to meet their needs. The registered manager has quickly addressed this. However, this did leave staff anxious about how to work with this child. The manager is currently undertaking a review of staff qualifications to ensure that they meet children’s need. The manager has committed to this because he wants to ensure that children get the best support that they can. Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to areas of the home which remain in need of redecoration after repairs are completed, the grouting in children’s shower, where there is food on walls and where there is writing on walls in built-in wardrobes. 1 July 2021

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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)) 17 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 7 The registered manager must ensure that compatibility of children’s needs is matched to the skills, experience and knowledge of staff who will care for them, and that children’s risk ratings between their risk assessments and behaviour plans are consistent. 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to the manager ensuring that staff understand their actions and the impact these have on children in relation to safeguarding them. Staff must also understand their responsibilities when supervising children with complex needs. 17 June 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to ensuring that staff have the training and skills to meet the needs of each child and keep them safe. 17 June 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— 1 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 8 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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The manager of the home must stabilise the workforce to ensure that children receive consistent care from staff who know them well. 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, the registered manager must ensure that their monitoring results in challenge to practice in relation to the quality of supervision, clarity for staff about supervision of children, and provide a clear plan of action to address any reasonable suggestions raised by children to improve their experience on their short breaks. 17 June 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

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c)) 17 June 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 9 In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff administer medication as prescribed and accurately record this. The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that there is a clear procedure in place to follow in the event children make allegations about staff. 17 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the missing child policy") setting out—

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Requirement Due date

the steps taken, and to be taken, to prevent children from being absent without permission; and

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Requirement Due date

the procedures to be followed, and the roles and responsibilities of persons working at the home, in relation to a child who is, or has been, so absent. (Regulation 34 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must be given clear guidance about what to do when children are missing from their care and managers must be assured this will be acted on. 17 June 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, St. Peters Square, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV1 1SH

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Inspector

Karol Keenan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC378153 11 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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