Children's home run by North East Lincolnshire Council

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC069618 1 SC069618

p.1

North East Lincolnshire Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A local authority owns and manages this home. The home is registered to provide care for up to two children who have behavioural, emotional and/or social difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has not been in day-to-day charge of the home since February 2021. She resigned on 25 July 2021. An interim manager is in post, but they have yet to apply.

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 visited this setting on 1 and 2 July 2021 to carry out a full inspection. The home was judged inadequate. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Significant failings were identified with the management arrangements to safeguard children at the full inspection. As a result, Ofsted issued one compliance notice under regulation 13 with regard to the leadership and management of the home. Ofsted also raised a further six requirements. Action taken to address these six requirements has not been considered as part of the monitoring visit.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress and the actions taken to meet the compliance notice. This monitoring visit included a review of the documents, and discussions and interviews with the interim manager and other relevant people. The inspector concluded that the steps set within the compliance notice were met.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Children receive consistent support and supervision as improvements have now been made to the staffing arrangements. The interim manager ensures that a consistent Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC069618 2 staff team meets the children’s needs. The time and attention that children receive from staff helps the children to feel safe and secure.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Improved staffing levels now means that staff follow children’s safety plans, risk assessments or missing-from-home plans. The interim manager understands the importance of risk management and has implemented risk management meetings to evaluate and to review the children’s risk. The children’s plans are updated and adapted based on their current needs and the progress that they are making.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children have not been reported missing from the home since August 2020. However, suitable staffing arrangements, linked care plans and risk assessments now ensure that immediate action can be taken should this occur.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staffing arrangements help the children’s therapeutic progress. Children are consistently supported to attend therapy with someone who they have an attachment with.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children now have the opportunity to enjoy a range of activities. They take control of their activity planners and choose if they want to invite their peers to join in on the fun. The children choose to spend their time together. Adults are always around to respond immediately to any concerns or situations. The children said, ‘Things are better than when you last came.’

p.2

This monitoring visit

The needs of the children is the focus of the interim manager’s decision-making. This has improved the experiences for children. Children have recently been involved in the redesign of their bedrooms and these are now amazing spaces.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The interim manager has started to review the documents within the home. The statement of purpose has been reviewed. However, this contains factual inaccuracies and misleading information. This means that providers, families and staff are ill informed and not provided with accurate information on what the service offers.

p.2

This monitoring visit

External monitoring is completed by the independent person. The regulator has not had sight of any completed reports since May 2021. The absence of external monitoring reports means that the regulator is unaware of potential concerns for children. This impacts on the timeliness of the regulator’s response. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC069618 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/07/2021 Full Inadequate 03/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/07/2019 Full Good 16/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC069618 4

p.3

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.4

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)) 10 September

p.4

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.4

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.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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. 10 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC069618 5 (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.5

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there.

p.5

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Section 11 (1) Care Standards Act 2000)

p.5

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.5

Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider should ensure that regulator receives the independent reports in a timely way. 10 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC069618 6

p.5

Recommendation

 The provider should ensure that the information set out in the Statement of Purpose is accurate. The Statement of Purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and placing authority that a placement in that home is the right one for that child, and that the home will be able to respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6)

p.6

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC069618 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Yvonne Shearwood

p.7

Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC069618 8 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.7

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8