Children's Home run by One To One Crisis Intervention Ltd in Devon

Inspection report children’s home: 2527312 1 Registered provider: One to One Crisis Intervention ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to two children who may experience behavioural and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2021. They had previously been registered in a different setting within the same organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is due to leave her post in August 2021. Senior leaders are currently recruiting for a new 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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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: 29 October 2019

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2527312 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 2527312 3

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improvement to be good

One child has lived within this organisation for almost two years. This has included one house move along with her stable staff team. This child continues to make good progress from her starting point. For example, missing incidents have reduced, and she has some positive friendships with peers. Important relationships with staff are established and the child sees them very much as her family. However, there are times when the parental boundaries have been blurred and relationships can present more like friendships.

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improvement to be good

Another child moved into this home in March and lived here for several weeks. During this time, staff struggled to manage the child’s behaviour. This resulted in regular incidents of violence and aggression which staff failed to manage. At times, the children did not get along and their poor relationship caused additional tension in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a well-kept, modern, nurturing home. There are photographs of the children and people who are important to them on the walls. However, inappropriate wall decorations are in one child’s bedroom. Staff failed to see this as an issue. Senior managers were immediately and appropriately concerned. The outside of the home needs attention to make it more welcoming. For example, the grass is overgrown, and weeds have taken over in places.

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improvement to be good

Positive feedback was received from other professionals about this service. They report good communication and collaborative working. They report that children are at the heart of practice.

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improvement to be good

Staff and the manager advocate well for children. One social worker spoke positively about the manager’s tenacity. This is particularly evident in the plight to access specialist mental health support for one child.

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improvement to be good

During the short time when two children lived in this home, there were several serious incidents. At these times children were not safe and staff were injured. Violence and aggression were common. This had a detrimental effect on both children, causing them emotional harm. At times, the police have been called to support the staff to manage behaviour.

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improvement to be good

One child told the inspectors that, during this short period, she felt worried when she went to bed at night. Not enough was done quickly enough to bring this period of disturbance and worry to an end and reduce risk. Inspection report children’s home: 2527312 4 One child has taken medication outside of the guidelines of their prescription. The staff supported this as they keep the child’s medication and provide it to her. No advice has been sought with health professionals about this. This has not had an impact on the child.

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improvement to be good

Children who go missing receive well-planned and coordinated responses from staff. Trusting relationships between staff and children promote safe and early return. Incidents of missing have reduced. One of the children told inspectors she knows that staff will not be cross with her when she returns home because they care about her, that their concern is to know she is safe and well.

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improvement to be good

Relationships are established with key partner agencies in respect of missing children. This means that information is shared to reduce risks to try and disrupt missing behaviours in the wider community.

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improvement to be good

The arrangements in place in respect of safer recruitment are good. Reference checks are completed and gaps in employment explored.

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improvement to be good

Systems to manage and reduce the risks of COVID-19 are robust. The organisation quickly took steps to make sure children and staff were as safe as they can be.

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good

Managers failed to ask important questions before agreeing to look after a child. This admission had a detrimental impact on both children.

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good

Managers do not always act quickly enough to review incidents and to consider safer ways to practice. As a result, triggers and patterns leading to incidents are not fully understood and responded to. This was a particular concern during the short time when two children lived in this home.

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good

During this particularly tricky time, staff morale has remained high. Leaders and managers support staff well through regular supervision. Senior leaders have stepped in to help staff during and following significant incidents. An analysis of behaviour was compiled by a senior leader to try and help the registered manager identify how risks could be reduced. The document was not put fully into practice as the placement ended.

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good

Regular team meetings take place where conversations about children take place. This allows some reflection by staff and discussion about parenting. Emerging themes are also discussed, and plans agreed.

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good

The manager identifies contextual safeguarding and acts when she has concerns. Meaningful conversations with other agencies reduce risks for children. The manager is creative when there is a risk of a child going missing. For example, one child is encouraged to have her friend sleep over rather than them going missing together. Inspection report children’s home: 2527312 5 The manager is proactive when thinking about transitions into adulthood and further education. She carefully considers how best to balance this with the needs of the child. Some creative approaches using incentives are helping children complete their education.

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good

When one child’s placement came to an end suddenly, the child was supported well while another placement was being sought. Leaders ensured that the child had his stable staff team, despite a serious incident staff were involved in. Staff did the best they could to keep everyone safe and allow a placement to end in a semi-planned way and as positively as possible under the circumstances. Inspection report children’s home: 2527312 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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. Regulation (6) (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have the skills to meet each child’s individual needs to reduce the risk of incidents.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that robust pre-placement assessments are completed, and children are placed appropriately.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff care for children consistently. 30 August 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 30 August 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2527312 7 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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)(iv)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that incidents are managed effectively with minimal risk to children and staff.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that risks are identified and understood as quickly as possible so that robust plans are put in place to respond and manage the risks.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff consistently respond to new and emerging risks.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the home does not have inappropriate material on display.

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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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. 30 August 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2527312 8 Regulation (13) (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers obtain full and detailed information prior to a child living in this home to ensure staff can meet their needs and keep them safe.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered manager has good oversight of incidents and takes steps to reduce future risks.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered manager considers the impact of inappropriate materials on display and takes action to remove such materials.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered manager leads by example, in particular ensuring clear and consistant parental boundaries are maintained at all times.

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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. Regulation (23) (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children take medication in line with their prescriptions. 30 July 2021

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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: 2527312 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: One to One Crisis Intervention ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Newton Road, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 3AL

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Inspectors

Tracey Ledder, Her Majesty’s Inspector, Social Care Justine Hosking, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2527312 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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