Children's home run by Lincolnshire County Council in Lincoln

Inspection report for children’s home: SC042994 1 SC042994 Registered provider: Lincolnshire County 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 by a local authority and is registered to provide short breaks for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted and is suitably qualified.

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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.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC042994 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/01/2020 Full Outstanding 03/09/2018 Full Outstanding 14/08/2017 Full Outstanding 17/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC042994 3

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improvement to be good

The staff have worked hard during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep the home open and to provide care to children and families. Parents described the home as a lifeline and spoke positively about the care their children receive. They are confident that their children are safe and cared for during their short breaks. However, the quality of care has been affected by shortfalls in safeguarding and this requires improvement to be good.

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improvement to be good

There is careful planning for any child using the home. Staff work with parents and carers to understand children’s needs. Children receive careful introductions, with regular visits prior to overnight stays. This allows for relationships to be built and for care plans to be devised that accurately reflect the child and their individual needs and preferences.

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improvement to be good

Staff know the children well. They are responsive to children’s care needs. Children are treated with dignity and respect. The staff are warm and nurturing in their approach. The home is adapted to reflect the individuality of the child and the things they enjoy when staying at the home.

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improvement to be good

The relevant plans for children are sufficiently detailed and individualised. They contain a range of information designed to ensure staff know how to support children during their stay. Staff use a range of communication methods to try and capture the voice of the child and provide them with choice. Children’s plans incorporate targets that support children in meeting developmental milestones. These are in areas such as communication, independence skills and socialisation with peers.

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improvement to be good

There have been several errors in the administration of medication to children. This has included children not being given their prescribed medication. On one occasion, a child was given the incorrect amount of medication. The manager has undertaken a review to understand why these errors have been made.

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improvement to be good

The staff work closely and positively with schools, parents and other professionals. Social workers and schools are happy with the care that children receive and said children love the home. Regular multi-agency meetings are held, which help agencies coordinate the care and support provided to the children and their families.

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improvement to be good

At times, the behaviour management practices of staff have been hampered. In the case of one child, this is because approaches to the use of physical intervention have not been discussed and agreed by all the agencies involved. This prevents an Inspection report for children’s home: SC042994 4 agreed response to the behaviour that is appropriate for that child, known and agreed by all involved professionals.

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improvement to be good

When physical intervention has been required, it has not always been undertaken in a way that fully safeguards the child and protects their dignity. Recording of the use of physical intervention is not yet robust. Recording does not sufficiently describe actions taken by staff to prevent the use of the physical intervention or the justification for the intervention. For example, one physical intervention was not recorded on the appropriate form and did not contain a staff or child debrief or management oversight of whether the restraint was necessary and proportionate.

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improvement to be good

Staff failed to alert the manager or external safeguarding agencies when they had concerns for a child. This prevented a thorough and timely investigation into the concerns and had the potential to place the child at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

The comments made by some staff members about children’s behaviour fails to demonstrate a caring and nurturing approach. The views of team members about children’s behaviour are not fully explored with the team or individual staff members, to ensure they are receiving the support they need to understand the reasons that often lead to difficult or challenging behaviour displayed by children.

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improvement to be good

Children are provided with a safe environment. The home is adapted to meet the needs of the children accessing the service. All children have fire evacuation plans and staff practise scenarios with children of what to do in emergencies. The home is maintained to a good standard in line with guidance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff have access to personal protective equipment and measures are taken to ensure the safety of children, staff and visitors.

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good

Leaders and managers have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus for leaders and managers has been on maintaining the service and continuing to provide short breaks to children and supporting families.

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good

At times, management oversight of all areas of the home has not been sufficient. This has led to a decline in standards in the management of staff, staff training, the professional supervision of staff and overall management oversight.

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good

There has been a lack of staff training and development. Team meetings have not provided the opportunity for staff to discuss and reflect on working practices. Additionally, staff shortages have meant staff have had to work additional shifts and this has reduced their capacity to attend training and take up other developmental opportunities.

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good

Despite significant shortfalls in staffing at times, the staff team has worked together to ensure children’s care has remained consistent. They have not had to use temporary staff to cover sickness and self-isolation periods. The team has been Inspection report for children’s home: SC042994 5 adaptable and supportive and pulled together to cover shifts. This has taken its toll on the team.

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good

The management oversight of incidents and behaviour support practices has not been consistent. This has allowed some poor practice to go unchallenged. Behaviour support plans have not been reviewed in a timely and satisfactory manner and incidents have not always been recorded correctly, which has prevented rigorous management oversight.

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good

Arrangements for working with partner agencies are a strength in this service. For example, when required, external professionals deliver additional training to the staff team to support them to provide care to children with complex needs. Regular multi- agency meetings are attended and communication with agencies is good. This leads to well-coordinated plans for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC042994 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 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

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;

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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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the recording and reporting procedures for any safeguarding concerns. 20 January 2022

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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— 20 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC042994 7 ensure the staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff understanding of safeguarding procedures, administration of medication and management oversight.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the use of restraint in managing behaviour that is agreed within the behaviour support plan, including an assessment of environmental factors. 20 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medications received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff having adequate training and assessment of competencies to minimise risks of medication errors. 20 January 2022

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 1 March 2022

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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—

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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; 20 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC042994 8 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use 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 (3)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to records of restraint being completed in a manner that meets the statutory requirement and that the manager reviews and evaluates all incidents of restraint.

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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 for children’s home: SC042994 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lincolnshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Offices, Newland, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN1 1YL

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Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC042994 10 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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