Children's Home, Residential special school run by Young Foundations Limited in Northumberland

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2607536 1

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to eight children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties. The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2021.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is located on the same site as a small independent school that is owned and managed by this provider. The inspector only visited the children’s home.

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. Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious incident that occurred at the setting since the previous inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered (where appropriate) alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was in response to a notification which was submitted to Ofsted on 14 January 2022. The purpose of the visit was to ensure that the children living at Howard House School children’s home are supported by staff, following the recent child death, to protect them from harm.

p.1

This monitoring visit

At the time of the visit, three children are living in the home. However, one child was spending large amounts of time at his family home as part of his plan.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The children are following their daily routines and managing their emotions with the help of staff following the death of another child who lived at the home. Senior leaders have ensured that both children and staff receive ongoing support from the Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2607536 2 in-house psychologist throughout the recent weeks. Plans are in place for individual sessions to continue for everyone who wants them in the future.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A tour of the building showed that bedrooms were unduly messy, and, in some cases, carpets were dirty. There are no clear instructions for staff to follow about how and when to intervene to ensure that children’s bedroom environments were clean and comfortable. In addition, where the risk of self-harm is known for a child, there are no detailed strategies about where to search in the bedrooms or what to look for. The only instruction on the checklist was to conduct a visual check and remove any unsafe objects or uneaten food. Despite information in one child’s file, that detailed the need for room searches to ensure protection from self-harm, there were no records of room searches. This means that staff are unable to fully evaluate the risks and take remedial action to keep children safer.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A review of files and documents found contradictory information and that there are multiple copies of the same documents held on file. Staff recorded some incidents of physical intervention for individual children but then did not add these to the monitoring record. This affects the manager’s ability to have clear oversight of practice.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children’s care plans do not identify each child’s full range of needs and strategies for staff to work with children. For example, there were many incidents of children being unhappy with each other’s behaviours. Staff addressed the incidents as they occurred. However, this does not lead to strategies to prevent further incidents, and incidents are repeated, which has a negative effect on children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Information known by the manager and staff, either prior to children’s admission to the home or that emerges as incidents occur, is not transferred to the risk assessments, for example the potential risks posed by the internet to specific children. This leaves those children at potential risk of harm

p.2

This monitoring visit

Records of achievements and incentives for children show that each child is working towards an individualised goal. However, staff record that pocket money is used as an incentive. The regulation prevents pocket money from being used in this way.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The children’s families and social workers do not always receive important information about incidents that have happened in the home. This hinders decision- makers and families from having full information about their child.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Training records do not show that staff had attended all relevant courses, nor did they include the dates of attendance for practice-related courses, in particular in relation to self-harm, which is a risk for the current children placed.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A restriction of accommodation and two compliance notices have been issued to address the major shortfalls. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2607536 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/12/2021 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2607536 4

p.3

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.4

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)) This refers specifically to updating the social worker and family about incidents that occur. 27 February 2022

p.4

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(i)) This refers specifically to the cleanliness and safety of children’s bedrooms and staff assisting children to maintain a healthy environment. 27 February 2022

p.4

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if 27 February 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2607536 5 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)) This refers to specifically ensuring that all known and emerging risks are added to risk assessments and care plans along with strategies for staff to follow to mitigate against or

p.4

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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 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; and 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)(f)(h)) This refers specifically to the registered manager ensuring that training records are up to date and any courses are delivered to meet the specific needs of each child. The

p.5

Requirement Due date

registered manager must review the quality of records to ensure staff have up-to-date and accurate information. 27 February 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c)) 27 February 2022 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2607536 6 This specifically refers to the manager ensuring that care plans contain all the relevant needs of children and that strategies for managing the care is detailed. In addition, progress needs to be tracked through the plan.

p.5

Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. The following measures may not be used to discipline any child– imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(f)) This specifically refers to pocket money for each child. 27 February 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.6

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2607536 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 Grosvenor Street, Chester CH1 2DD

p.7

Inspectors

Susan Atkinson-Millmoor, social care regulatory inspection manager Miss Paula Kelly, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2607536 8 regulates and inspects 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.7

Inspectors

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.8

Inspectors

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

p.8

Inspectors

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

p.8