Children's Home run by St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council in St Helens

Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 1 SC063550 Registered provider: St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home. The statement of purpose states that the home provides care for up to four children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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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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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 5 May 2021, to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on our website.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 September 2021

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

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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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 26 November 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 2

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Two compliance notices were issued following a monitoring visit on 18 March 2021, during which serious shortfalls were identified in safeguarding practice. A further monitoring visit was completed on 5 May 2021, following which these notices were deemed to be met. Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/11/2019 Full Inadequate 11/07/2018 Full Good 04/10/2017 Full Good 22/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 4

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improvement to be good

One child lives at this home. Staff have worked hard to improve the quality of care provided and the child has now made progress from her starting point. Staff are building relationships with the child and the inspectors observed warm relationships between the child and staff. The child told an inspector that she can talk to staff if she is worried about anything.

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improvement to be good

The child’s educational outcomes have started to improve, and she now attends school on a regular basis. Staff take the child to and from school and they are developing relationships with school staff. An educational psychologist is working with staff to help them understand the child’s learning needs. Staff spoken to during the inspection reported that this input is helpful.

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improvement to be good

Staff spend time talking to the child about things that are important to her. This includes discussions about how she manages her feelings, and conversations about her behaviour, education and personal care. These discussions have supported the child to make gradual progress.

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improvement to be good

There are plenty of opportunities for the child to engage in activities, which is an improvement. Staff do activities with the child, for example gardening, cooking and preparing meals. The child also recently enjoyed an overnight stay with staff at a theme park.

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improvement to be good

The child’s social worker is positive about the staff and the care that they provide for the child. She described the child as making progress in learning how to manage her feelings safely. However, the social worker is concerned that there is not a registered manager. She said that the child has talked to her about this because she wants to know who is in charge in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff told inspectors that they do not have copies of all the child’s plans. Therefore, they do not have all the information that they require to fully understand the child’s needs and how best to support her. For example, the staff do not have a copy of her education, health and care plan. The deputy manager who was present during the inspection told the inspectors that she has requested this, but it has not been received.

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improvement to be good

Staff know the child’s vulnerabilities and how to manage risks to her safety. Staff are starting to help the child to manage her feelings effectively. This is reducing the number of times that the child is in crisis. Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 5 Shortfalls in the use of physical intervention found at the last visit have not been addressed. The continued poor recording of physical interventions makes it difficult for managers to evaluate if the measure was appropriate and used effectively to protect the child and other people.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion a child was given medication despite being allergic to it. The deputy manager responded to this incident and put additional measures in place to prevent a reoccurrence. However, the reflective debrief that should have taken place with the member of staff involved was delayed. Furthermore, training records do not demonstrate that the member of staff involved has had refresher training in medication. The deputy manager accepted these shortfalls.

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improvement to be good

There has been a delay in a serious notification being sent to Ofsted in a timely way. A requirement was issued in relation to this at the previous visit and is repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has not had a registered manager since March 2020. This lack of a suitable permanent manager continues to mean that staff do not have clear direction and leadership. This has had an impact on the staff’s ability to provide the child with consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are actively trying to recruit a new manager. In the meantime, two deputy managers share day-to-day management of the home. Some staff said that this arrangement can be confusing, as the two managers do not always give staff consistent guidance and direction. The deputy managers also work shifts, and this is compromising their ability and capacity to manage the home effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Monitoring and review systems do not consistently demonstrate that leaders and managers are actively and regularly monitoring the quality of care provided. This is because leaders and managers do not always review incidents thoroughly enough to understand what happened, and what can be learned from the incident, in order to improve the care that staff provide for the child. This is compounded by difficulties in staff accessing records, due to issues with information technology systems.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of children’s records is inconsistent. For example, it is not always clear who has recorded the details in the incident reports. Other documents are not always dated. This means it is difficult for managers to review and evaluate information accurately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not consistently have practice-related supervision. This means that staff, including inexperienced staff, do not always have opportunities to reflect on the child’s progress, how they support the child and their own learning and development. Furthermore, leaders and managers are not evaluating the staff’s practice, learning and suitability to continue to work at the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 6 There are gaps in staff training. It has not been possible for some training to take place, due to COVID-19. For example, some staff have not been able to update their physical intervention training. Staff would also benefit from training in attention deficit disorder, medication and self-injurious behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Internal monitoring reports are not sent to Ofsted in line with regulation. The last report was received by Ofsted in June 2020. This means that Ofsted cannot effectively monitor the quality of care provided for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not met all the requirements from the last inspection and some requirements are repeated. Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 7

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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 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers need to ensure that the home is managed in line with the statement of purpose and that all staff can meet the child’s individual needs. Furthermore, leaders and managers need to review and evaluate all incidents in the home, to ensure that improvements are made to the care provided for the child. 25 November 2021

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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. 25 November 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 8 In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

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 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)) 25 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, there should be a clear record of staff supervision. 25 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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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— 25 November 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 9 the name of the child;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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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 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)((ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records( “case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 25 November 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 10 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 25 November 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, it’s facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 11 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is competed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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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: SC063550 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Children & Young Peoples Services, Atlas House, 2 Corporation Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA9 1LD

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Inspectors

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Jessica Higginson, Social Care Inspector. Inspection report children’s home: SC063550 13 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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