Children's Home run by Cumbria County Council in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children's home – monitoring visit: SC061810 1 SC061810 Registered provider: Cumbria County Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by Cumbria County Council to provide care for up to six children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to review the actions taken by the provider since the previous monitoring visit in December 2021. In addition, it was to check the provider’s compliance with the restriction notice served on 12 November 2021.

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This monitoring visit

No children have been admitted since the restriction notice was served.

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This monitoring visit

Steps taken to meet the compliance notices have become routine practice.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has recruited more staff to work in the home. Some staff have increased their hours and other staff have moved from other roles in the home to care roles. This has increased the number of staff providing care while maintaining familiar relationships with children. Some new staff have yet to join the home as they are subject to safer recruitment checks.

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This monitoring visit

The increase in staffing has reduced the times that managers are on the rota and has increased the oversight they have in the home. Additional systems have been introduced so that checks are made on a daily and weekly basis of practice in the home. These checks will consider any themes or lack of consistency, and will also have oversight by senior leaders. In addition, discussions have taken place to strengthen the independent person’s review of the home. Inspection report for children's home – monitoring visit: SC061810 2 All aspects relating to children’s health have improved. Records are clearer, showing much better engagement with children. Relationships have improved and children are supported in different ways to understand the importance of maintaining good healthcare. Children have attended telephone consultations, face-to-face appointments at the optician’s and received dental treatment. The provider has

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This monitoring visit

sourced a private consultation for one child to manage a concern quickly. Key-work sessions with children include regular discussions about their health, including keeping themselves safe. Team meetings allow staff to reflect on what has worked well and to share ideas on how to promote children’s health.

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This monitoring visit

Staff spoke of moving away from a rewards/sanctions approach, as they had found it less effective, and focusing on building better relationships with children. This was having a positive effect. Some staff have received research-based training around understanding children and young people from a different perspective. Managers are considering expanding the training across the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no further incidents of bullying in the home. Bullying is frequently discussed so that children understand different forms of bullying and what effect it might have on someone. Staff have received online training to identify and manage incidents of bullying, specifically for children who are looked after. Bullying policies have been reviewed and a comprehensive form has been created which helps children reflect on incidents of bullying should they happen.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments have been reviewed and individualised. There are strategies to minimise risk and steps for staff to follow in the event of an incident. If changes are made to the level of risk, staff are quickly notified and changes are highlighted on the risk assessment document. Staff identify that they have been made aware of the changes.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector reviewed the most recent missing-from-home incident. The incident report lacked sufficient detail to give a clear overview of the incident and the action taken. Significant additional risk factors at the time that children went missing from home meant that immediate action was necessary to ensure that they were reported missing from home and that staff continued to search for them. Staff had not recognised the risks, nor had staff followed the risk assessment by raising an alert at the earliest possible moment. This placed children at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Overall, the staff said that changes had been positive. The staff team had been working hard and morale had improved since receiving the previous inspection judgement. Handovers were now clearer, meaning that all tasks were allocated. Routines and boundaries were now in place, which has provided structure for children and, as a result, children have been more settled. The staff team has expanded and is working together well.

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This monitoring visit

Following the inspection, a case review was held. Although the monitoring visit highlighted a concern in relation to a recent missing-from-home incident, the number of concerns that led to the restriction of accommodation were no longer Inspection report for children's home – monitoring visit: SC061810 3 evident and the notice of restriction was allowed to expire. The requirements set at the previous inspection were not considered at this monitoring visit and will be considered at the next full inspection. Inspection report for children's home – monitoring visit: SC061810 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2021 Full Inadequate 05/03/2020 Full Good 09/05/2018 Full Good 02/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home – monitoring visit: SC061810 5

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulations 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that staff recognise what action must be taken when children go missing from home when there are additional risk factors. Staff must ensure that they take all reasonable steps to ensure that children are returned to the home quickly and safely. 14 February 2022 Inspection report for children's home – monitoring visit: SC061810 6 The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)) 10 December 2021

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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, help children by undertaking direct work and education in relation to their needs and behaviours. Support them to understand decisions and behaviours and the impact that these may have on themselves and others. 30 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)) 10 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. 10 December 2021 Inspection report for children's home – monitoring visit: SC061810 7 In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Information about this inspection

This purpose of this visit was to review the actions taken by the provider since the previous monitoring visit in December 2021 and to check the provider’s compliance with the restriction notice served on 12 November 2021.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home – monitoring visit: SC061810 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cumbria County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cumbria House, 117 Botchergate, Carlisle CA1 1RD

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Inspector

Mark Broomhead, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children's home – monitoring visit: SC061810 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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