Children's Home run by Eventus Achieves Limited in Wirral

Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 1 Registered provider: Eventus Achieves Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A private company owns the home, which provides care for up to four children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that care is provided for children with learning difficulties and disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned from her post in May 2021.

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

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 3

p.2

inadequate

Children have made limited progress since coming to stay at the home. Records are of poor quality and do not provide an insight into children’s experiences and progress.

p.3

inadequate

Children, including those who communicate non-verbally, are not supported to actively participate in day-to-day decisions about their lives. The registered manager and staff have recorded ‘not able to communicate as non-verbal’ throughout children’s records. This is a missed opportunity to gather the views, wishes and feelings of all children about their care and support.

p.3

inadequate

Children’s individual plans do not include information about their sensory and communication needs. This lack of information means that some staff do not even understand how children express if they are happy, sad or in pain. This lack of important information does not ensure that all staff are able to recognise and respond to children’s unique needs during their stay.

p.3

inadequate

Transition planning for children coming to stay in the home is poor. Managers have compiled the assessments after children have moved into the home or started their short-break stay. The assessments do not include the correct information about children’s individual needs as recorded in their local authority care plans. This does not ensure that staff are aware of children’s needs or how they will safely care for children.

p.3

inadequate

Children have experienced inconsistency in their care because of frequent changes of staff. This has led to instability in relation to both the staff and care practices, which means that children will often be unsure about which staff members will be caring for them. This also limits their opportunities to develop safe and caring relationships with all staff.

p.3

inadequate

Some staff report that children have access to a range of social and recreational opportunities, including activities in the local community. However, some staff also report that the registered manager said that there are not sufficient monies available to purchase art and craft items to use in the home or to take children to paid activities in the community. Due to the limited recordings in the home, it is unclear what opportunities children have been provided with to enjoy and achieve.

p.3

inadequate

Cameras are used in children’s bedrooms. These have not been risk assessed and not all local authorities or parents have given permission for these to be used. Consideration has also not been given to children’s individual rights or their dignity and privacy. Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 4

p.3

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

Safety of children is not a priority in the home. The swimming pool has been left in the garden with stagnant water and has filled with leaves. Staff confirmed that this had been erected and left for several days. The responsible individual confirmed that there is a risk assessment in place that states that the pool must be deflated after use and stored safely. This did not happen, which presents a risk to children.

p.4

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

Staff struggled to open the fire door lock during the inspection. It is a concern that the fire exit is not immediately accessible and could cause delays for both children and staff to get to a place of safety in the event of a fire. In addition, not all children have taken part in a fire evacuation drill and they do not have personal evacuation plans to advise staff on how to help them to leave the home safely in the case of an emergency.

p.4

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

Individual risk assessments are not robust. They identify some areas of risk but lack in-depth analysis and fail to gather full information. Some staff members have a limited understanding of risk issues affecting children in their day-to-day care as the known risks have not been shared with them. As a result, children are more vulnerable.

p.4

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

Since the home opened, there have been incidents of physical intervention. The recording of these interventions is poor. Records lack information regarding the effectiveness and consequences of the intervention used. Additionally, the recording does not include a description of any injury or medical treatment offered to the child, or information regarding any debrief that took place following the incident. There are also no records where all key information is recorded. This means that assurance cannot be given that procedures are followed correctly or in a timely manner.

p.4

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

Behaviour management is inconsistent. The registered manager and staff have developed an approach to behaviour management that includes providing rewards for good behaviour while ensuring that there are consequences for negative behaviour. Staff report inconsistencies with the way the system is implemented across the staff team. Children with limited understanding will also be confused by this approach, for example, as they may not be able to understand why they have had items removed.

p.4

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

Some staff lack the skills, knowledge or experience to understand the risks that children can face and do not have the skills to support them effectively. Some staff have not completed safeguarding training or the organisation’s mandatory training. In addition, not all staff receive regular supervision that supports them in their role or provides them with an opportunity to discuss and develop their practice.

p.4

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

The registered provider has not ensured that, during the recruitment process, full and satisfactory information is obtained for staff prior to employment in the home. This includes verifying references and having sight of safe recruitment processes for agency workers. Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 5 Medication practice is unsafe. Records have been altered with no rationale, and controlled drugs books do not include the name of the child or the amount of medication that has been prescribed. In addition, records have not been signed by the person administering the medication and the amount left in stock does not correspond with the amount administered. This is a significant concern due to the medical needs of children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager left the home with immediate effect in May 2021. She did not work her notice and notified the responsible individual in an email that she would not be returning to the home. The registered manager had failed to ensure that the home was operated in line with regulations prior to her departure.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A new manager, who has significant experience and skills, has been appointed to operate the home. She is due to start full time in August 2021. She has already spent time at the home and met the staff team. She has clear expectations about the roles and responsibilities of the staff team. She has started to compile an action plan about the significant improvements required to ensure that children receive good-quality, safe care and that the home operates in line with regulations.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not led or managed the home in a manner that is consistent with the aims outlined in the statement of purpose. For example, managers are unable to demonstrate that the care being delivered meets the individual needs of the children and promotes their safety and welfare.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children do not benefit from a stable and consistent staff team. There is an absence of a core staff group. There is a reliance on agency staff to cover shortages. There is an absence of a coherent strategy to focus on achieving a settled staff group. Children are not receiving consistent care from staff who they can develop attachments to and trust.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff members report feeling bullied and confused by different expectations about working practices from the registered manager prior to her departure. Inconsistency of staffing and constant changes led to the staff team feeling disillusioned, confused and lacking clear direction. This created a negative culture, which has affected the children’s progress. The staff report that the recent changes in management have started to create a safer, supportive working atmosphere.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager had not ensured a consistent and robust approach to maintaining records with accurate and up-to-date information. Recorded actions, in respect of physical interventions, accidents, consequences, complaints, medication, safer recruitment, admissions and discharge register, and fire safety, have not been carried out in accordance with the regulations. This means that Ofsted cannot be assured that procedures are being followed correctly. Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 6 Staff have not had the specific training that they require to meet the needs of the children living at the home. The registered manager had not compiled an accurate training record for all staff. Furthermore, not all staff have had access to regular supervision or team meetings. This has left staff being unsupported in their roles and having few opportunities to reflect on and improve the care and support that

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Rotas do not clearly show which staff are on duty and the times that they are coming into and out of the home. When changes have been made to the staff working in the home due to sickness, rotas have been updated with limited information. This does not demonstrate the actual staff on shift and the hours worked. Furthermore, it is a further breach in regulation and does not ensure that children are suitably and safely cared for.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following this inspection, three compliance notices were issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and regulation 23 (medication). Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.7

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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(ii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers and staff understand that children who are non-verbal can communicate their wishes and feelings. 12 September

p.7

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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;

p.7

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)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect 12 September Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 8 them, including the steps that staff will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis.

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.8

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should develop an effective system for monitoring the quality of recruitment checks, children’s records, risk assessments and plans, and make sure that the documents are signed and dated by the author and that staff have read and understood the content. 12 September

p.8

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 12 September

p.8

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))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that staff follow good practice in relation to compiling medication administration records that 12 September Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 9 include the time that medication is administered, and that there is an effective system for monitoring and auditing the arrangements for managing and recording medication.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

p.9

Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

p.9

Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

p.9

Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 12 September

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.9

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d)) 12 September

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.9

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 12 September

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out—

p.9

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2)) 12 September Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 10 The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

p.9

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.10

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 12 September

p.10

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in schedule 4;

p.10

Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date.

p.10

Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to staff rosters and admission and discharge information. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b)) 12 September

p.10

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.10

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

p.10

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

p.10

Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry). (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(d)(i)(ii)) 12 September

p.10

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.10

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: 2575842 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Eventus Achieves Limited

p.11

Inspector

Michelle Edge, Social Care Inspection Manager Inspection report children’s home: 2575842 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.

p.11

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.12

Inspector

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

p.12

Inspector

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

p.12