Children's Home run by Young Foundations Limited in Redcar and Cleveland

Inspection report children’s home: 2629902 1 Registered provider: Young Foundations Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for five children who may have social, emotional or mental health difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager and the home registered with Ofsted in May 2021, when the provider bought the home from the previous registered provider. The manager is working towards the relevant leadership qualification.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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: not applicable

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2629902 2

p.1

improvement to be good

Staff struggle to understand and meet the needs of children in this home. Too often, children move from the home in an unplanned way. Sometimes, this is after they have lived in the home for a long time. The urgency of children moving quickly means that some go to short-term placements. This creates further instability. Children who continue to live in the home are not assured that staff will provide them with the consistency that they need.

p.2

improvement to be good

Children move into the home without a full assessment of risk being undertaken. Leaders learn about children’s needs prior to them moving in. However, the assessment of staff skills and knowledge is not consistently accurate. This means that children move into the home when their needs cannot be fully met. This affects the likelihood of children having a successful experience of living in the home. It also contributes to some children moving from the home in an unplanned way.

p.2

improvement to be good

Children are beginning to develop positive relationships with staff. Children are spending increasing amounts of time in the home because of the emerging bond they have with staff. This means that children are beginning to respond to the efforts of staff to understand and meet their needs. For one child, this is good evidence of progress.

p.2

improvement to be good

Children’s educational needs are not yet being met. Staff encourage children to attend school and, for one child, there is some recent improvement. However, staff do not understand children’s barriers to learning. This means that they do not know how to support children in a way that is helpful. For example, the incentives that staff use to encourage school attendance are not meaningful. Children are not being given the message that their worries are understood and that staff will help them to achieve their potential.

p.2

improvement to be good

Children are generally healthy. Staff encourage children to eat a balanced diet and to take some exercise. However, staff cannot ensure that children attend medical appointments, despite giving advice about why this is important. This means that some longstanding medical issues are not being resolved. In addition, children are not learning the importance of regular checks and good healthcare planning. Inspection report children’s home: 2629902 3 The home has regular support from a clinical psychologist. Staff have frequent opportunities to discuss the issues that matter most to children. Staff are learning about the impact of trauma on children. There is some indication that this is beginning to have a positive impact on how well staff respond to children’s needs.

p.2

improvement to be good

The home is undergoing significant refurbishment. Much of the work is complete. Areas that still need attention are acceptable for children and pose no risk. Children give their views about decor, which is helping them to invest in the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff cannot manage the challenges presented by some children’s behaviours. Behaviour support plans are not individualised, and they are too vague to be helpful. Staff do not have a range of strategies that work for each child. Those strategies that are included in plans are reactive and do not include alternative contingencies. During incidents, staff do not present to children as being competent and confident. This increases children’s anxieties. As a result, children are at increased likelihood of unplanned endings to their placements.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s risk of harm is reducing over time. Staff work well with other professionals to understand children’s vulnerabilities. This helps staff to put in place plans that help children to become safer. Although children are initially unhappy about such boundaries, they are responding positively.

p.3

improvement to be good

The approach to children who are missing from home is strong. Missing-from-home risk assessments are individualised. If children fail to return home, staff go out to search for them. Children know that staff take these steps to keep them safe. This gives them a clear message about how much staff care for them. This is an improving picture and a sign of progress.

p.3

improvement to be good

During the inspection, an issue with the fire doors on children’s bedrooms was identified. This concern was raised with the provider. A senior manager made immediate arrangements to rectify the problem.

p.3

good

The registered manager does not have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, she would like the staff team to learn new ways of working from staff based in homes that have a different remit to this one. This means she is not focusing on the areas for development in this home. This means that the children in the home are not yet being consistently well cared for.

p.3

good

Monitoring of the home is not effective. The registered manager does not understand the impact of the quality of care provided to children. This means that she does not know why some of the aspects of the home work well and why others do not. As a result, shortfalls such as ineffective behaviour support plans are not Inspection report children’s home: 2629902 4 improved. The lack of realistic management oversight means that children’s needs are not consistently met.

p.3

good

Staff do not receive supervision at the rate set out in the home’s policy. Many new staff do not have previous experience of working in a children’s home. The impact of not receiving regular supervision from staff with appropriate experience is significant. Some staff report not knowing their role some weeks into their employment. This means that children are being looked after by staff who are not receiving the support they need to perform well.

p.4

good

The registered manager is changing recruitment processes in the home. She recognises the issues that providers face within children’s social care. As a result, she has changed the way potential new staff can be reached. Fortunately, the existing staff team is large enough that agency staff are rarely used. This means that despite staff vacancies, children continue to be cared for by staff they know or are getting to know well.

p.4

good

Staff are provided with a wide range of mandatory and additional training. This helps them to learn about children’s needs and vulnerabilities. Staff are encouraged to request further learning if there is a personal or team need. All staff are enrolled on the required qualification course or will be within their probation period. This means that staff increase their skills and knowledge about the children they look after.

p.4

good

The registered manager accepts the shortfalls that are highlighted in this inspection. Senior leaders recognise that additional support for the home and the registered manager is required. Inspection report children’s home: 2629902 5

p.4

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, 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.5

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.5

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

p.5

Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(v)(ix)(xi))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must use individualised behaviour support plans to respond consistently and effectively when they are challenged by children’s behaviour. 31 December Inspection report children’s home: 2629902 6 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.5

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—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

p.6

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)(g)(ii)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders must evaluate the skills of staff to determine the training needs within the staff team. 31 December

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 December Inspection report children’s home: 2629902 7 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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

p.7

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iii)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders must consider the skills of the staff team before admitting children to the home, to ensure that children do not routinely move from the home in an unplanned way.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 31 December

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff help children to understand and address barriers to learning, if children have experienced trauma, have mental health difficulties or have been excluded or out of education for significant periods. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff offer children advice, support and guidance on health and well-being. This should include staff helping children to understand the importance of good sexual health. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)

p.7

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: 2629902 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Young Foundations Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Beresford Adams Commercial Ltd, 7 Grosvenor Street, Chester CH1 2DD

p.8

Inspector

Jane Titley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2629902 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.

p.8

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9