Children's Home run by Eventus Achieves Limited in Wirral

Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 1 Registered provider: Eventus Achieves Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private company. It provides short breaks for up to four children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned in May 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors did not meet or speak to any children during the visit.

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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: Inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

An inspection on 29 and 30 July 2021 identified significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and procedures, and poor leadership and management. Inspectors found that managers and staff did not always act to protect children from harm and not all child protection concerns are appropriately reported and investigated. This lack of understanding of safeguarding roles and responsibilities compromised children’s safety and welfare. Three compliance notices were issued, under regulation 12 (the Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 2 protection of children standard), regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and regulation 23 (medicines).

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit on 13 September 2021 found that the provider was unable to demonstrate that sufficient action had been taken to meet the notices. As a result, three further compliance notices were issued, under regulation 12, regulation 13 and regulation 23.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit on 3 November 2021 found that the provider demonstrated that they had made the required improvements to meet the compliance notices in relation to the protection of children and medicines. However, there were still significant weaknesses in the leadership and management of the home. Therefore, a further compliance notice was issued under regulation 13. Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/07/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 4

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improvement to be good

Children’s overall experiences and progress are not consistent. This is because of weaknesses in the leadership and management of the home. Nevertheless, children stay in a safe home. Staff provide children with individualised care that is helping them to settle and have positive experiences.

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improvement to be good

A parent said, ‘ My child loves it there. He is all smiles when he goes to stay overnight. He is getting out more and is really happy. I can see that the staff are working on his personal care and table manners because I can see a difference already at home.’

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improvement to be good

Staff know the children well and they understand their needs. Staff promote children’s health, well-being and learning. Children are enjoying new experiences, including a wide range of activities in the community. This is providing children with opportunities to develop their confidence.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand how children communicate through their actions and know when children are feeling happy or upset. The interim manager and staff are encouraging and supporting children to use signs, pictures and objects of reference to express their wishes and feelings. A social worker said, ‘The child is more settled because staff are getting to know him better and know how to meet his needs.’

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improvement to be good

The interim manager and staff have positive working relationships with parents and external professionals. Parents and social workers said that staff are good at letting them know about their child’s experiences when they stay at the home.

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improvement to be good

However, the interim manager and staff are not aware of the local offer setting out the support available for children with special educational needs or disabilities.

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improvement to be good

Children’s routines and day-to-day care protect them from harm. The interim manager continually assesses the risk to each child and the arrangements put in place to keep them safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff demonstrate a detailed understanding of the potential risks to each child, including risks from going missing from home and exploitation. They understand the strategies in place to reduce the risks, which are consistent with the child’s current risk assessment and plan.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the risks to children’s health from epilepsy. Staff have received basic training to help them understand children’s specific needs and plans. However, Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 5 staff would benefit from further advice and guidance from the children’s specialist epilepsy nurse to update their knowledge and skills in this area.

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improvement to be good

The arrangements for managing children’s medication are safe. Medication is securely stored. Staff keep detailed records of the administration of medication. The interim manager uses thorough monitoring systems to make sure that children get the medication and treatment that they need in line with their plans.

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improvement to be good

Due to the complexity of their health needs, some children require electronic surveillance at night to monitor their safety and use harnesses when they go out in the community. These measures have been agreed by parents, social workers and health professionals as part of children’s plans.

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improvement to be good

Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of children’s needs and how to help children when they are upset. They are helping children to express their needs and manage their emotions. Children are less anxious and less likely to show behaviour that may result in the need for physical intervention.

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improvement to be good

However, the handwritten records of physical interventions are difficult to read to help to understand what had happened. The manager’s reviews of these incidents do not always evaluate the effectiveness of the measure used to safely support each child. Children and staff are not always given the opportunity to discuss their feelings about the incident. This requires improvement to ensure that all relevant information is recorded and discussed.

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improvement to be good

Repairs to the house have not been carried out promptly to reduce avoidable hazards to children’s health. This is an area that remains outstanding from previous visits.

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good

A lack of stable leadership and management is compromising the home’s ability to provide and sustain a good standard of care that helps children to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. There have been several different management arrangements since the registered manager left in May 2021.

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good

A new interim manager started at the home on 29 November 2021. She demonstrated that she has previous management experience and an understanding of the role and supporting children with complex needs and disabilities. The interim manager has applied to Ofsted for registration.

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good

The responsible individual did not come to the home during the inspection and has not provided the inspectors with information to demonstrate the effectiveness of her supervision and oversight of the home. Furthermore, the responsible individual and managers have not undertaken a review of the quality of care provided by the home and the impact that the care is having on children’s lives. Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 6 However, the interim manager demonstrated that they have taken steps to meet the compliance notice issued under the leadership and management standard and to address most of the weaknesses found at the last inspection.

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good

The home is operating within the aims of its statement of purpose. It now provides only short breaks to children with learning disabilities and complex needs.

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good

The leaders have recruited staff with suitable skills and experience to fill the vacancies at the home. Since November 2021, there have been enough permanent staff working at the home to provide the necessary level of care and support for each child as set out in the statement of purpose.

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good

The new staff have been recruited following procedures and checks designed to minimise the risks to children from unsuitable people. Several of the new staff have previously cared for the children at the home, as agency workers.

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good

The interim manager has reviewed children’s plans to make sure that they reflect children’s needs. Children’s records are now up to date. Children’s activity planners use pictures and photos to help them know what will be happening during the day. The records and comments from staff show that staff are working together to provide children with a consistent level of care in line with their plans.

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good

Leaders and managers are not using supervision and team meetings effectively to evaluate staff’s learning from training or to reflect on how they are caring for the children. This is a missed opportunity for leaders and managers to make sure that staff have the necessary expertise and the skills to safely support and manage children.

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good

The interim manager, who at the time of this inspection had only just started working in the home, had a clear understanding of the areas for development. She demonstrated that she has the capacity and enthusiasm to make the necessary improvements. Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 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 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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person making sure that damage is identified and repaired without delay. 30 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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that 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)(b)(c)(f)(h)) 30 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 8 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 26 (7)(a)(b)) 30 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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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)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the registered person evaluates staff’s learning following training and how they are using it to improve the care and support they provide for each child. The evaluation of staff’s training should be recorded in the minutes from staff supervision and in their development plan. Staff providing supervision should have the necessary skills and experience in reflective practice and their competence should be evaluated. 30 January 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

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

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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 30 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 9 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)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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 once 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, its 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").

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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 completed; 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)) 30 January 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 10

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make sure that managers and staff are aware of the local offer setting out the support available for children with special educational needs or disabilities. ( ‘ Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.4)  The registered person should make sure that staff are skilled in obtaining treatment for children in an emergency. Medication plans should be reviewed by the child’s specialist nurse and clarify what staff must do if a child does not have their medication. In addition, make sure that the child’s specialist nurse provides guidance and training for all staff in the use of rescue medication. ( ‘ Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.20)

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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: 2575842 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Eventus Achieves Limited

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Inspectors

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2575842 12 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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