Children's home run by Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council in Sefton

Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 1 SC036298 Registered provider: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides a short-breaks service for up to five children with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and complex health needs.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2007.

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

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/07/2019 Full Good 11/09/2018 Full Good 19/09/2017 Full Good 20/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 3

p.2

inadequate

Despite this being a short-breaks service, leaders and the manager agreed for a child to live in the home in an emergency. Although this was a child-centred decision, the manager and leaders did not ensure that the statutory processes were followed and appropriate documentation obtained. As a result, the home is operating outside of its registration conditions and statement of purpose.

p.3

inadequate

Offers for short breaks are not always based on the child’s assessed needs. Additionally, some children’s short breaks have been reduced, cut short or cancelled. These shortfalls are compromising the children’s welfare, experiences and progress.

p.3

inadequate

The staff do not have access to all children’s essential information or documentation, such as care plans and social worker assessments. This is largely because the staff do not have access to the local authority’s electronic files. As a result, the home’s plans and risk assessments for some children are weak because they do not adequately reflect the child’s assessed needs or the local authority’s plans.

p.3

inadequate

Additionally, not all children’s records are regularly updated, neither do they clearly evidence their experiences and progress.

p.3

inadequate

The staffing arrangements do not promote continuity of care for all children. The manager has not adjusted the staff rota to accommodate the needs of the child living in the home.

p.3

inadequate

Despite the home being well maintained, not all children have been provided with the equipment that they need to live comfortably. This particularly relates to one child who is currently living at the home whose bedroom was not adequately equipped with furniture to put away his clothes. Furthermore, there had been delays in getting the equipment that this child requires for standing and walking.

p.3

inadequate

Door locks on internal doors detract from a homely environment. For example, the locks on the kitchen door and computer room had not been risk assessed to ensure that it is necessary for all children. This prevents some children from accessing all areas of the home.

p.3

inadequate

Warm interactions between the staff and children were observed during the inspection. More recently, activities for some children have been limited. Staff have not consistently supported all children to continue to access their hobbies or provided activities inside and outside of the home. This is an area for development.

p.3

inadequate

Some positive aspects of care were observed during the inspection. The staff are nurturing, kind and caring towards the children. They have all worked tirelessly to Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 4 continue with the short-breaks service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This support has clearly helped the children and their families during a very challenging time.

p.3

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Delays in the care planning and reviewing of children’s statutory care plans are seriously undermining a child’s welfare, safety and stability. In the absence of an agreed care plan, the staff are not being given the information or guidance that they need to assess all potential risks to a child who is living in the home.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The manager does not ensure that risks for all children are rigorously assessed or carefully planned for. During the inspection, the staff used unsafe and inconsistent strategies when managing potential risks in the home. This potentially placed children at risk of harm.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Safeguarding incidents in the home are infrequent. However, the recording of incidents is inconsistent. Incidents are recorded across several documents and there are gaps in important information, such as clear details of the actions taken by staff. This prevents the manager and other professionals from undertaking a rigorous review of the incident and staff’s practice.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The staff do not always demonstrate that they take adequate action when there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. For example, when a child sustained an injury at the home, they did not seek medical guidance or swiftly follow up if the child was safe when they returned to their parents’ care.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Staffing levels are mostly sufficient. However, when staff have called in sick at short notice, cover has not always been put in place to ensure that there are enough staff on shift to meet each child’s needs safely.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Restraint records do not provide sufficient information to enable a thorough evaluation of the incident, measure used and staff’s practice. Furthermore, these shortfalls have not been picked up or explored by the manager during their review of the incident. This does not demonstrate strong safeguarding practice or management oversight.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The local area assessment does not provide a robust evaluation of the local area that is meaningful to the home. The manager has not appraised the information that she received from the police or local authority to inform her assessment. Furthermore, she has not considered incidents in the local area, which have directly impacted on the home, when assessing the suitability of the home’s location.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. She has many strengths, including a child-centred approach to her practice and a strong inspection history. Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 5 Her decision to accommodate a child at the home in an emergency was made in the child’s best interests. However, she did not challenge the local authority to ensure that its statutory obligations to the child were maintained. This has compromised the child’s and other children’s welfare, experiences and progress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager’s monitoring and review systems require further development. This was particularly evident in the manager’s oversight of the children’s plans, risk assessments, restraint and incident records, and staff’s supervision and appraisals. As a result, the manager does not have a good enough understanding of the shortfalls in the care and protection provided to the children, or staff’s practice and performance.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The monitoring systems in place do not support continuous improvements in the home. A requirement raised at the last inspection in relation to staff appraisals is repeated. The shortfalls identified in staff annual appraisals continue.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Despite this, there are some strengths in the leadership and management. The staff team is stable, and staff are suitably qualified and experienced to undertake their roles and responsibilities. The staff consistently report that they feel well supported by the manager and are happy and content in their work.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following the inspection, three compliance notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection of children; regulation 13, leadership and management and regulation 14, care planning. Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 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, 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 2 January 2022

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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that short-breaks arrangements are based on the child’s assessed needs and not a standard organisational policy. 2 January 2022

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; 2 January 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 7 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.7

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that each child has the equipment that they need and are supported to use it, such as walking frames, standing frames and a wardrobe.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

p.7

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(b))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to children’s risk assessments; rigorous action when a child injures themselves at the home; and suitable staffing levels. 2 January 2022

p.7

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.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 2 January 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.8

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.8

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)(d)(e)(f)(h))

p.8

Requirement Due date

*The care planning standard is that children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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;

p.8

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that when a child is accommodated at the home in an emergency, which is outside of the home’s statement of purpose, statutory procedures are implemented. 2 January 2022

p.8

Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected; 2 January 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 9 children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

p.9

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

p.9

Requirement Due date

kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

p.9

Requirement Due date

This relates to the routine locking of doors in the home.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.9

Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 2 January 2022

p.9

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.9

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

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. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)) 2 January 2022

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; 2 January 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 10 are kept up to date; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

p.10

Requirement Due date

This relates to all staff having access to children’s statutory plans and assessments. The home’s plans should reflect the statutory plans and be reviewed, updated, clearly signed and dated.

p.10

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 once every 6 months.

p.10

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—

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

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”).

p.10

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 completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(b) (3) (4)(a))

p.10

Requirement Due date

This relates to improving the quality of the Regulation 45 report and ensuring that it reflects children’s experiences and views of the home. A copy of the report must be sent to Ofsted within the required time frame. 2 January 2022

p.10

Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (1))

p.10

Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager undertaking a thorough and meaningful assessment of the home’s location. 2 January 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 11 * These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.10

Recommendation

 Children with disabilities or illnesses may have physical or emotional difficulties which mean that participation in leisure or cultural activities in the community is difficult to achieve. The registered person should, in conjunction with any relevant person, such as a parent or school staff, assess what would be safe, achievable and reasonable for each child, in line with their relevant plans, and ensure that appropriate opportunities are available for each child to have fun, form friendships and enjoy life, relative to their stage of development and individual needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.10)

p.11

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: SC036298 12

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Oriel Road, Bootle, Merseyside L20 7AE

p.12

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Matthew Greenhalgh

p.12

Inspector

Marina Tully, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC036298 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.

p.12

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.13

Inspector

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

p.13

Inspector

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

p.13