Children's Home run by Durham County Council in Durham

Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 1 SC035181 Registered provider: Durham County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated and managed by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who may have emotional and social difficulties. Five children live in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2019.

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. The home was last inspected in May 2019. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2019 Full Good 09/05/2018 Full Good 20/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Children’s daily lived experiences are varied. A change in the group living, with new children moving into the home, has had a significant impact on the relationships that children have with each other. A professional commented: ‘The dynamics have shifted, and it is not always positive for [Name]. The staff are addressing this and manage all the children’s behaviours as best as they can.’

p.3

improvement to be good

Children who have moved on and left the home have positive experiences during their transition period. This has supported the stability of children’s future living arrangements, which aids their continued progress.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are supported to achieve good health and well-being. Children are encouraged to be active, and they have access to clubs, such as street dance and sporting activities. For some children, their physical health has improved.

p.3

improvement to be good

Education is supported in line with children’s education plans. When the children are not attending education, the staff work with a range of professionals to reintegrate children back into education, which supports the children’s learning. However, when the children do not attend training or employment, there is no clear plan in place to support the children’s engagement and attendance. This does not promote the children’s continued development and achievements.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s relationships with their family members have improved significantly. Children are supported to spend time with their family and friends. Key relationships with the children and their family are maintained via the staff following the children’s plans.

p.3

improvement to be good

The manager has a maintenance plan to improve the living standards in the home. There is some damage that has occurred when the children have been in crisis. Repairs are required, including those arising from wear and tear, and new flooring is needed. Conditions in the children’s bedrooms are varied, and are poor in some respects. For example, there is poor-quality bedding, minor damage to the walls, damage to the furniture and some of the rooms require a clean and tidy. This gives children negative messages about acceptable standards of care. The manager’s monitoring system has not identified this as a shortfall.

p.3

improvement to be good

Some children say that they do not always feel safe living in the home. This is because they have witnessed seeing an increase in significant incidents. Some incidents have resulted in the police being called to the home. A child said: ‘It has changed my experiences of living here. I don’t like having to live in a home where Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 4 there is damage and other kids arguing and fighting with each other. The neighbours know about stuff and it’s embarrassing. It isn’t great at the moment, but it could be if [Name of manager] addresses the issue.’

p.3

improvement to be good

Despite pre-admission risk assessments being completed prior to children moving into the home, the current mix of children living in the home is not good. Children’s behaviours and known risks are not suitably considered before they move into the home. This does not demonstrate effective care planning for children.

p.4

improvement to be good

An incident has occurred involving the staff using a measure of control to manage children’s behaviour. The incident is not adequately recorded. There is no record of the measure, reasons for it or any outcome. The manager does not identify this as being necessary. Therefore, he has not identified this as a shortfall in the staff’s practice as part of his monitoring. This does not provide the staff with clear guidance around how to record the measures of control to manage the children’s behaviour. Furthermore, the manager cannot assure himself that staff practice remains safe, necessary and appropriate.

p.4

improvement to be good

When there are significant incidents involving the children, the staff follow the appropriate processes and report these incidents to the relevant agencies. Children’s safety plans are updated regularly to highlight recent or new areas of risk. Staff follow the children’s safety plans, which helps to mitigate some risk of harm. However, some children’s behaviours are impulsive, and this limits how quickly the staff can intervene. Children say that this has been unsettling.

p.4

improvement to be good

The manager has a system for recording the consequences that are used to manage the children’s behaviour. However, there is an inconsistent approach in staff using these consequences to manage the children’s behaviour. For example, not all of the consequences used are restorative in nature. This does not provide the children with opportunities to learn consistently from their behaviour.

p.4

improvement to be good

The manager reviews the home’s locality risk assessment annually. Since the locality risk assessment was last updated several months ago, an incident relating to the children and the wider community occurred. This information is not included in the locality risk assessment. Therefore, the locality risk assessment is not sufficiently detailed to help inform the children’s plans and risk assessments.

p.4

good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. He is supported in his role by a nurturing staff team whose members have varied skills and knowledge. Furthermore, there is a good gender balance within the staff team, which enhances the children’s experiences of being cared for.

p.4

good

The manager has systems in place to monitor the day-to-day practice of the staff. This covers areas such as staff checking children’s bedrooms, completing key- working sessions with the children, attending meetings and much more. However, Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 5 the system is not effective as there is an inconsistent approach to how the staff use the system. This means that the manager cannot evaluate the quality of care for children effectively.

p.4

good

There has been a period of unsettlement due to the mix of the children currently living in the home. Despite this unsettled period, a core team of staff continue to support each child. Staff have made comments including ‘We want to do our best for our children,’ and ‘It has been difficult, but we support every child in our care.’ The resilience of the staff team has reduced the need to rely on external or agency staff. This improves the consistency of care provided for children.

p.5

good

Staff say that they are supported in their roles. Training, team meetings and regular staff supervisions provide the staff with opportunities to develop and learn. Supervision gives the staff opportunities to reflect on their practice and discuss ways of supporting the children. Children receive better support because of this.

p.5

good

How staff record in children’s documents is not consistently good. For example, the use of language can be misleading, some details are lacking and, in some instances, not recorded at all. This limits the manager’s ability to monitor the children’s experiences and progress effectively. Furthermore, poor recordings in the children’s documents do not always help them to understand how they will be helped and protected. Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, and the 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.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.6

Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iii)(c)(i)) 28 October 2021

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to 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)) 28 October 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 28 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 7 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that children’s care plans are explicit and detail how children will be supported to access training or employment.

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that new admissions are carefully considered and that children are only admitted to the home if their range of needs can be safely met.

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.7

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.7

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 28 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 8 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

p.8

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3) (a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to manage children’s behaviour are restorative, and that they help children to learn from their behaviour. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should ensure that the home’s locality risk assessment assists in assessing risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that

p.8

Recommendations

will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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) Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 9 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 10

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Durham County Council

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Durham DH1 5UJ

p.10

Inspector

Jacqueline Tate, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC035181 11 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.10

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.11

Inspector

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

p.11

Inspector

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

p.11