Children's Home run by North East Lincolnshire Council in North East Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 1 SC477428 Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is operated by a local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children with learning disabilities and physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s position is currently vacant. There is an acting manager in place.

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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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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2019 Full Good 07/08/2018 Full Good 04/09/2017 Full Good 07/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by a motivated and compassionate staff team. Careful consideration, led by the manager, is taken in respect of the care that the children are afforded. This ensures that children’s needs are understood by staff. As a result, the children make progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children go to school each day and are making good progress. When speaking to the inspector, teaching professionals praised the home for the links it has made with the children’s schools. Teaching professionals commented that it was evident that the children are well cared for. These actions foster positive working relationships that benefit the children’s learning and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team takes pride in maintaining a homely environment. This creates a sense of belonging for the children and, therefore, promotes them to thrive and feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who are non-verbal are supported to have their wishes and feelings known and are provided with choice. Efforts are made by staff to ensure that children are consulted about things that are important. For example, the children have had a say in the decoration of their bedrooms.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Constructive working relationships with the children’s birth family are nurtured by staff. Children are supported to have meaningful and fun experiences with their family members. Visits with family are captured through photographs, thus preserving valuable family memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy an array of experiences within their local community. Staff place a strong emphasis on providing activities that fully engage children and help them to thrive socially. This means that children have plenty of opportunities to try new experiences and explore the world that they live in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of helping children to remember positive childhood experiences. Outings and activities are captured through photographs and photobooks. This helps to preserve children’s memories of their time at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

On occasions, staff have used their own personal mobile phone to take photographs of children on activities. This is not safe practice and does not protect children’s confidentiality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When needed, the manager challenges other professionals to ensure that children have the support they need. The manager’s proactive action has on many occasions helped to improve the quality of life for the children in the home.

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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 4 Staff work effectively as a team, and this means that children are supported in a consistent way. Staff are skilled and meticulous in using de-escalation and communication techniques to lessen children’s anxiety and to channel behaviour in a positive direction. This helps to create a relaxed and calm environment for the children.

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

Staff promote the children’s dignity through supporting independence with personal care routines where possible. Team meetings and hand-over periods are well planned, with a focus on identifying opportunities to nurture children’s independence skills. This enables children to learn and thrive in a safe environment.

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

Inspectors identified that one bedroom door had a lock fitted. Although the lock was not in use, there was no rationale that would deem it a necessary requirement. The manager made arrangements to remove the lock during the inspection. However, a recommendation is raised to ensure that this practice is assessed and reviewed.

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

Risk assessments and the use of body maps for individual children are reviewed by the manager. However, not all risk assessments offer clear guidance for staff to follow. Additionally, not all of the information on body maps is shared with professionals and parents. This could have an impact on the care that children receive.

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

Children experience a planned move from the home when they reach adulthood. Young people’s specific needs have been considered and catered for within the planning process. Aftercare has been provided, often through the manager’s own discretion. This level of support offers comfort and reassurance to the young people at a critical point in their care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has established herself as the figurehead for the home and leads by example. The manager is proactive in her planning for the children and there is good awareness that children need a different approach to their care. Staff have adapted practice from the manager’s guidance. This ensures that children are treated as individuals and staff respond to their specific needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has refined the process for matching children to the home at the point of referral. This ensures that children’s transitions are well managed and that existing residents are well prepared for sharing their home. This results in children’s needs being understood, which reduces the risk of children experiencing instability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff do not have up-to-date appraisals or supervision. The manager is aware of this shortfall and, if not remedied, will result in a lack of accountability and ownership. Refresher safeguarding training for some staff is also out of date. This Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 5 increases the risk of safeguarding events being overlooked. The manager has a plan in place to address these deficits.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that children’s care planning is dynamic. Staff make sure that care planning is inclusive of the child’s wishes and feelings. Care plans have clear objectives with monthly management oversight. This ensures that the manager is able to effectively track progress and areas of support that the children need. Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 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 privacy of children is appropriately protected. (Regulation 21 (a)) 31 March 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)) 31 March 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home. Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home, and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that reasonable precautions and professional judgements are made, based on the individual needs and developmental stage, about when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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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, Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 7 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: SC477428 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: North East Lincolnshire Council, Civic Offices, Knoll Street, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire DN35 8LN

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Yvonne Shearwood

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Inspectors

Steve Guirey, Social Care Inspector Jenny Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC477428 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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