Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC033127 1 SC033127

p.1

Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority and provides care for up to 11 children with learning and physical disabilities. The home is divided into three smaller homes. Two of these provide long-term care for children and one provides short-break services.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 2010. During this inspection period, the registered manager has not consistently been in day-to-day charge of the home. An assistant manager is in post, but they have not applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 23 September 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 21 January 2020

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good Inspection report children's home: SC033127 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC033127 3

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/12/2018 Full Good 05/03/2018 Full Outstanding 01/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC033127 4

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress. Children who were non-verbal are developing the ability to use verbal language, which encourages their interaction with others. The inspector observed children sharing, exploring and playing in their home. This is a significant achievement for some children, who previously could not tolerate other people or things within their environment.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s discharges are well planned, and the staff take steps to help alleviate the children’s worries. Children visit suitable ‘move on’ homes in adult social care to help them to choose where they would like to live. They meet other young people who have successfully transitioned into adult care. These steps provide the children with the opportunity to ask questions and gain reassurance. Children’s confidence is growing as the staff teach them to independently complete tasks, such as using the toaster and collecting their medication from the pharmacy. One professional said, ‘I truly feel they are doing a great job and I am confident that [name of child] will manage well when she moves to her flat.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The absence of a vehicle with wheelchair access restricts some children’s choice of activities and their experiences. Public transport is accessible from the home. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and considering the children's complex health needs, public transport is not always a feasible option.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like the interaction from staff and happily play with toys and enjoy home- based activities. Photos capture the children’s experiences and journey through care. These show children with smiles beaming across their face as they enjoy stimulation through sensory play. Other children expressed their happiness about when they learned to ride their new bikes at Christmas time and when they successfully baked cupcakes at Easter.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children's health needs are met. They attend routine health appointments, and staff encourage them to have any necessary treatment. There is a focus on healthy eating in some of the homes, which helps children to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Children are encouraged to eat fruit as snacks and sugary desserts are saved for weekends.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

As the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have eased, children are able to see their families. The remodelling of the summer house provides families with a safe space to spend time with their children. Staff help and support children to make video calls and write letters to their families. This is crucial for some children as members of their families are unable to visit. Inspection report children's home: SC033127 5

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been two missing-from-home incidents. Children’s vulnerability and risk of significant harm increase when they are missing. Staff take immediate steps to find the children and organise a coordinated approach with emergency services. Lessons have been learned from these incidents and the registered manager takes immediate action to address any shortfalls in staff practice. The staff team has reflected on these incidents and is aware of the children’s safety plans. However, not all staff have refreshed their safeguarding training, which is an outstanding action.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Return home interviews are not routinely completed. One child did not have the opportunity to meet with an independent person. The police and staff speak to children about their time missing from the home. Children are also seen by health professionals. These steps help staff to identify if children have been hurt when missing from the home, and to mitigate future risk.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The children’s stays are well planned to ensure an appropriate mix and the safety of those who are not mobile. This process ensures that children can enjoy their time at the home and the environment is safe. One parent said, ‘I know my son is safe and well cared for, I would not leave him if he was not.’

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Medication arrangements aid the safe administration of medication to children. Only staff who have specific experience and relevant training are permitted to administer medication to children. Clear medication procedures help the staff to identify any medication errors. This helps staff to quickly realise if a child has come for their break without all their prescribed medication. However, in these circumstances, the staff do not consistently seek medical advice to ascertain the impact of missed medication for children.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff understand the children and respond to their presenting behaviours. The staff know what techniques to use to help children and prevent them from harming themselves or others. On occasions, staff use physical restraint to protect children from harm. The methods used are the least restrictive and are only used as a last resort. The assistant manager has oversight of all incidents. However, not all staff have received refresher restraint training.

p.5

good

The registered manager has had periods away from the home in response to COVID-19 guidance. The assistant manager has been a source of stability to the staff team. The registered manager and assistant manager put arrangements in place to support the day-to-day running of the home. Ofsted was not informed of these arrangements. Inspection report children's home: SC033127 6 Short-break services have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Children and their families have had their stays cancelled and their packages reduced. These restrictions and changes have been necessary to meet the needs of all children and to protect children and staff from the risk of infection. Leaders and managers understand the pressure that this reduction in services has on children and families. Despite these restrictions, the managers made sure that those children, subject to a child protection plan, maintained regular breaks.

p.5

good

Children’s views are important. Irrespective of the children’s form of communication, they are individually encouraged by staff to share their wishes and feelings. For example, a child with limited verbal communication and restricted movement was able to tell staff that they did not want green beans with dinner and they did not want bubbles in their bath. Children learn that the staff in the home respond to their wishes and feelings.

p.6

good

Leaders and managers value staff. The assistant manager has insight into staff’s strengths and areas for development. When shortfalls are identified in staff practice, performance plans are implemented, which are routinely reviewed by the assistant manager.

p.6

good

Leaders and managers have monitoring systems and evaluation tools in place to support their oversight and development of the home. The managers know where they need to focus their development, and independent visitor reports are an additional tool that the managers use to improve the home. The managers continue to review the home’s statement of purpose. However, this has not been sent to the regulator, which impacts on its oversight of changes for the home. Inspection report children's home: SC033127 7

p.6

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.7

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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

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)(b)) 10 September

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(c)(h)) 10 September

p.7

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(b)) 10 September

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that— 27 August 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC033127 8 medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (2)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Any person who carries on or manages an establishment or agency of any description without being registered under this Part in respect of it (as an establishment or, as the case may be, agency of that description) shall be guilty of an offence. (Section 11 (1) Care Standards Act 2000) )

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the person in day-to-day charge of the home registers with Ofsted. 10 September

p.8

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.3)

p.8

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: SC033127 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: North East Lincolnshire Council, Civic Offices, Knoll Street, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire DN35 8LN

p.9

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Yvonne Shearwood

p.9

Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC033127 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.

p.9

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.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10