Children's home run by North East Lincolnshire Council

Inspection report children’s home: SC394101 1 SC394101 Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority. It provides care for up to four children whose plan is to live in a medium-to long-term residential setting.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the home in May 2021. A new manager is in post but is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 26 November 2019

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC394101 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/11/2019 Full Good 24/10/2018 Full Good 16/01/2018 Full Good 14/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC394101 3

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improvement to be good

Children’s progress is limited, and there is evident deterioration in their outcomes and experiences. Staff remain committed to improving outcomes for children. However, some children’s needs cannot be met within this home environment.

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improvement to be good

Children are not prepared for life after residential care. Children’s reluctance to engage in discussions about their journey into adulthood means that there is limited assessment and planning for their futures. When staff support children to review their life choices, children make positive changes. For one child this means that they have refrained from criminal activity and significantly reduced illegal drug misuse.

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improvement to be good

Children struggle to attend school or training and staff’s efforts to support children in these circumstances are ineffectual. Children often refuse school and spend their mornings in their bedrooms. The effect of this lack of structure and routine has a different impact on each child, given their age and stage of education.

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improvement to be good

Recent frequent changes to the staff working in the home have resulted in inconsistent care experiences for children. Some temporary periods of staff absence are linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, but several experienced staff have also left the home. One child said, ‘It is hard when those people who you have a bond with leave.’ However, the new staffing and management structure will bring stability for children.

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improvement to be good

Staff embrace and promote family relationships. Children’s wishes are taken account of and in some cases, this means that children have returned to live with their families. One parent said of the staff, ‘I would be lost without them. They provide me with praise when I am doing a good job. They have got me through some tough times. It is not just a job for the staff, they really try and help the kids.’ Staff also encourage children to build positive friendships. Children feel at ease bringing their friends to their home.

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improvement to be good

Staff generally respond to children’s specific health needs. For example, self-care bags have been created to support children who may self-harm to begin to find ways to manage these risks. Some children have used illegal substances. In these circumstances, staff monitor and assess their medical needs. However, on occasion, staff have not sought medical advice and attention for children, and this may put them at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

The home is being renovated with improvements to the fixtures, fittings and decoration. The changes make this home feel welcoming, and it is now a homely environment for children. Inspection report children’s home: SC394101 4

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improvement to be good

There are shortfalls in safeguarding practices. Children’s allegations against staff are not always fully investigated. This means that children do not always have the opportunity to talk to anyone outside of the home about their concerns. Information is not routinely shared with other professionals, including the designated officer, and this puts children at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Ofsted is not routinely notified when allegations are made. This under-reporting has an impact on Ofsted’s oversight of significant incidents and the measures taken to maintain the safety and well-being of children.

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improvement to be good

Mismatching of children living in this home increases their risk of physical and emotional harm. Despite the manager’s opposition to a child’s unplanned move into the home, this still occurred regardless of known risks. Younger children have mirrored older children’s behaviours, and this has resulted in them going missing from the home and self-harming.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of children going missing from the home are a regular occurrence. When children are missing, the staff consistently take immediate and appropriate action to respond to risk. Their tenacity to encourage children to return home safely is commendable. The staff work in partnership with other agencies to review incidents and collate intelligence to implement strategies to reduce risks for children.

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improvement to be good

On occasions, staff have used their personal mobile phones to maintain contact with children. This is not routine practice but a measure used by some staff to maintain communication with children when they are out in the community. The manager identifies that this creates gaps within safeguarding practice.

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good

The previous registered manager left the home in May 2021. Interim management arrangements have led to periods of instability. Staff have not felt supported and inconsistent management oversight has had an impact on the standard of care for children. The current manager brings stability to the home but has not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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good

The current manager recognises the shortfalls at this home and is taking steps to improve the care for children. She has visited children’s homes within neighbouring authorities to understand the principles of good and outstanding care practices.

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good

The current manager has a clear vision for this home. She is setting practice standards, and this means that any inadequate staff practice is challenged. She is improving practice by developing staff’s knowledge and skills through the delivery of informal guidance, training and qualifications, and by setting standards. Inspection report children’s home: SC394101 5 Staff do not consistently receive regular formal supervision. This is a missed opportunity to highlight and reflect on both good and poor staff practice. Under the day-to-day management of the current manager, this area of practice is improving but is not yet fully embedded. Despite this, staff say that they are now well supported because the current manager is a strong leader who brings stability and confidence to the staff team.

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good

External monitoring processes for this home are weak. The quality and frequency of independent visitor reports are inconsistent and they are not routinely sent to Ofsted. This is a repeated shortfall and a requirement that has not been consistently met since 2019. This shortfall has an impact on the inspector’s oversight of this home and particularly the safety and well-being of children. Inspection report children’s home: SC394101 6

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (Regulation 8 (1)) 10 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)) 10 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)) 10 December 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)) 10 December 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC394101 7 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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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). (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(d)(i)(ii)) 10 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)) 12 November 2021

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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) 12 November 2021

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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: SC394101 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Yvonne Shearwood

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Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC394101 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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