Children's home run by Ivie Lodge Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2483881 1 Registered provider: Ivie Lodge Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately run and provides care for up to five children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager.

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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 7 April 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, a notice restricting accommodation at the home was in place. This prevented the provider from admitting any further children. There were two children accommodated at the home at the time of this visit.

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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: good Inspection report children’s home: 2483881 2

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was carried out on 7 April 2021 to consider the progress made against the two compliance notices set at the previous monitoring visit on 24 February 2021.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

These compliance notices related to the protection of children and the quality of leadership and management at the home.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted was satisfied that the compliance notices had been met at the time of the visit in April 2021. However, some improvements were not well embedded, and some areas of leadership and management were weak. A restriction notice was imposed following the monitoring visit in April 2021, which prevented the provider from admitting any further children.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following this full inspection, Ofsted is satisfied that the restriction notice no longer needs to be in place and that the provider may now admit children. Inspection report children’s home: 2483881 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2019 Full Good 19/02/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2483881 4

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improvement to be good

The home has been through an unsettled period. Children have been affected by recent changes in the home. The registered manager left recently and there have been other changes in senior management. Despite this, children continue to receive consistent care and support from staff who they know and trust. They can identify staff they feel comfortable with and confident to speak to.

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improvement to be good

A range of agencies and professionals provide support to children. Staff work to involve parents and carers of children whenever possible and appropriate. One parent stated: ‘I am happy with the care and support my child receives and I think she is contented living there.’ One child’s education provider reported improved working relationships with the staff and better communication.

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improvement to be good

Children have access to a range of healthcare services. They are supported well by staff to ensure that their health needs are met. Improvements are being made to identify and record historic and current healthcare needs more clearly for each child. The new management team is setting up access to specialist therapeutic support for children. This will also include consultation sessions for staff from suitably qualified practitioners. This should further improve the emotional health and well-being of children, as well as increase staff confidence and competence.

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improvement to be good

Children have appropriate education provisions in place. Staff support them effectively, both practically and emotionally, to attend. There have been some concerns about attendance for one child, but this is now improving. Staff work closely with education providers and promote the value of education and learning. Children are responding to this and have goals and aspirations for their futures.

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improvement to be good

Children get to meet their friends and spend time with family and others who are important to them. As the restrictions of COVID-19 have eased, this has included children being able to stay overnight with family and having friends to visit them at the home. Staff provide transport or funds to enable children to visit and spend time with people who matter to them.

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improvement to be good

Children feel confident in expressing their wishes, views and feelings to staff and managers. They know how to make a complaint and do so with confidence. They have recently agreed to take part in weekly meetings with staff. These provide them with an opportunity to discuss any issues they may have or make requests.

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improvement to be good

Further work is needed in relation to preparing children for their eventual move from this home. Children are not yet supported well enough in keeping their personal space tidy. Children lack the skills to maintain a safe and clean environment, to be responsible for their own laundry, and to think about budgeting. Inspection report children’s home: 2483881 5

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improvement to be good

Since the last visit, there has been improvement in the quality of children’s risk assessments and plans. These documents are regularly reviewed and updated, and are now clearer and more specific to each child and each area of risk.

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improvement to be good

There has been a significant reduction in the number of incidents of children going missing from the home since the last visit. For one child, this has been assisted by much clearer and more specific risk assessments being put in place and used by staff. Staff follow local and national missing-from-care protocols and take necessary action to ensure the safe return of children. However, not all children have been offered an independent return home interview by their placing authority after they have been missing from the home. These return home interviews would further assist staff and managers in understanding reasons for such incidents. Managers have contacted the placing authorities to request these interviews.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the actual and potential triggers for children’s behaviours to escalate. There are detailed behaviour management plans in place, which provide staff with clear strategies for supporting children and de-escalating potentially concerning situations. Children have key workers assigned who regularly review and update such plans to ensure that all staff are aware of any changes.

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improvement to be good

Staff recruitment procedures and practices are robust. This prevents unsuitable adults from being able to work with vulnerable children. Managers work closely and effectively with the designated officer to consider and resolve any allegations made by children about staff. This provides a clear safeguarding response to any concerns as they arise.

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improvement to be good

One child’s bedroom currently presents a potential fire hazard. This is due to clothing and other items covering the floor. Staff have made efforts to assist the child to maintain a clean and safe environment, but a more concerted effort is needed by staff to support the child and make the room safe.

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improvement to be good

Currently, children can go into the main staff office to speak with staff and managers. The door to the office is open when staff are present and there are no restrictions in place to prevent children from entering. This has the potential to cause harm, if a child were to remove sensitive, confidential items, car keys or other items. Leaders and managers are considering putting clearer guidance in place with regards to when children should be allowed into the office.

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good

The registered manager left their position recently. The responsible individual has recruited a new manager, who is due to come into post soon. As an interim arrangement, the responsible individual spends three days each week at the home, Inspection report children’s home: 2483881 6 supporting staff and children. There is now a deputy manager in post who provides support and supervision to staff.

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good

In the past year, there have been several changes in the management structure of the home. This has had an impact on both children and staff. The new management team is committed to creating stability and security. Staff report that their morale has improved and that they are listened to. Children present as feeling listened to and they have a voice in how the home is run.

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good

Staff were not receiving regular supervision prior to the new management team taking over. This has now improved, and clear plans are in place to ensure that staff receive regular, formal supervision. Staff training is also clearly recorded and reflects a staff team that is receiving the necessary learning opportunities. Staff feel that the home is ‘moving in the right direction now’ and they feel more optimistic for themselves and the children.

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good

Case records for children have improved since the last visit. There is more evidence of children being asked to consider and comment on them. New recording systems have been introduced, which are now being embedded and followed by staff.

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good

Prior to the new management team taking over, there was no register of children in place. This has now been rectified but does not include details of those children who were previously living in the home and have moved on. The responsible individual is aware of this and will take steps to ensure that this missing information is added to the register of children.

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good

Archived records and documents are currently stored in an outside building at the home. These storage arrangements do not present as secure and there is the potential for the building to be broken into and items removed. There is no alarm system connecting the building to the main house. The responsible individual accepts this concern and is planning for the records to be stored securely off site immediately. Inspection report children’s home: 2483881 7

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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

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 (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that details of all children placed and discharged from the home are recorded and records kept. 12 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

any limitations placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to considering any potential risks or hazards of children having access to the staff office. 12 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2483881 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s bedrooms are kept tidy and do not present a fire risk to them or others in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all children’s case records are stored securely while they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns after being missing from care, the placing authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that work is done to support children practically and emotionally to prepare for leaving the home, and that focused work on independence skills is completed before their transition. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)

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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: 2483881 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, 9 Portland Street, Manchester M1 3BE

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Inspector

Tracy Murty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2483881 10 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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