Children's Home run by Worcestershire Children First in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 1 Registered provider: Worcestershire Children First Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was previously owned by the local authority. It was re-registered in October 2019 when the local authority moved to be a holding company. It is registered for up to four children who have suffered adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting with complex behaviours.

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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 (SCIFF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 7 October 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on our website. This is the first full inspection since the home was re-registered.

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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: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of this inspection, four children lived at the home. Children’s experiences and progress are mixed. Children have made good progress in some aspects of their lives. However, at other times, children have not received the help and care that they have needed.

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improvement to be good

Children’s placements plans do not always provide sufficient information in line with children’s care plans and specialist assessments. This has prevented staff from providing one child with individualised support in line with her learning needs. For example, staff have not used visual resources to help her understand the structure of her day.

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improvement to be good

Despite the shortfalls identified, children have made progress. One child who had not been in education for a significant period now attends school every day. In addition, staff are supporting him to visit colleges and think about the next steps for his future. Another child has made progress with her independence and is being supported appropriately to prepare for her next steps.

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improvement to be good

The manager ensures that appropriate referrals are made when children require support with their emotional well-being. This helps children to learn positive strategies for managing their emotions in the future. One child engages in family therapy to help them repair their relationship with their parent. Because staff know that it is important for children to spend time with their families, they support this and family time well.

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improvement to be good

Overall, children speak positively about the staff who care for them. Professionals are also positive about the care provided to children. For example, one social worker said, ‘The staff are friendly and spend time with the young people who they support. I am extremely impressed with the [home] and the staff team.’

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to participate in activities which they enjoy. For example, one child regularly attends girl guides and is going on a trip to the Harry Potter Studio in London. Staff have supported another child to build his own computer.

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improvement to be good

Planning is not always effective when children move into the home. Managers do not give enough consideration to the needs of new children alongside the needs of children already living in the home. Potential risks are not always identified. As a result, there is an absence of effective strategies to equip staff to manage challenges and support all children appropriately.

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improvement to be good

Despite this, the manager has recently introduced creative ideas to support children’s transitions when they move into the home. For example, he created a Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 4 video for one child with a commentary throughout to help the child feel at ease and welcome. He has also personalised a children’s guide to a child’s specific interests to engage the child. This helps children to feel valued and important.

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improvement to be good

Children have opportunities to express their views wishes and feelings. One child likes to use a letter box to write down her views. Another child prefers to use email as a method of communicating with staff. While the manager responded to children, on most occasions, this was inconsistent. For example, one child had recorded that she had trouble sleeping, but there was no evidence to show how this had been explored. This does not provide children with reassurance that those caring for them are listening and acting on what they say.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding practice is not consistent. Risk assessments are in place but do not include all known risks to children or clear strategies for staff to manage these risks. For example, known risks around internet safety and criminal exploitation are not included in one child’s risk assessment.

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improvement to be good

Because of these shortfalls, staff are not equipped with all the information and strategies to keep the child safe. Consequently, safeguarding measures, such as exploration of the child’s whereabouts when out in the community, do not always happen. This leaves the child vulnerable and compromises his safety.

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improvement to be good

The manager does not ensure that return home interviews are always undertaken with children by someone who is independent of the home. This prevents information being gathered to support children to reduce the likelihood of them going missing from home.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always help children to manage their emotions effectively. This is because staff do not consistently follow children’s behaviour support plans. In addition, not all known strategies to support children are included in their plans.

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improvement to be good

Consequences are not always appropriate. This has resulted in staff removing items that children use to help keep them calm. Because of this, situations have escalated and resulted in police involvement. As a result, one child has been arrested and charged with assault and is now at increased risk of being criminalised.

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improvement to be good

Physical intervention to keep children safe is only used as a last resort. There has been an increase in physical interventions for one child living at the home. Guidance around physical interventions is not clearly documented in children’s plans. Children do receive debriefs, but these are not always completed by someone who was not involved in the incident. Managers and leaders do not always review records. This does not enable staff to reflect or learn from incidents or ensure that any review informs future practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 5 When complaints or allegations are made about staff, the manager’s response is generally good. He ensures that he follows safeguarding procedures and notifies safeguarding agencies. On one occasion, there was a delay in the manager seeking advice from the designated officer, and this affected timely actions being taken. The manager was reflective about this incident and took appropriate action as soon as

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improvement to be good

Children say that they feel safe living in the home and told the inspector that staff complete work with them to help them understand risk. However, staff do not always record work they complete with children, and the manager was unable to demonstrate how children had been supported.

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improvement to be good

The manger has developed positive relationships with other professionals and parents. Three social workers were consulted as part of this inspection. They all spoke highly of the communication they receive from the home. One social worker stated that the staff had advocated for a young person when she felt low, requesting an additional visit from the social worker. This proactive approach to multi-agency working helps to promote children’s welfare and safety.

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good

The manager is motivated and committed to improving care for children. The responsible individual supports him in his role. The home has experienced a challenging period and does not have a full staff team. This means that at times the manager has been heavily involved in the direct day-to-day care of children in the home. This has affected his ability to maintain effective oversight and evaluate the care that children receive.

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good

Leaders and managers are open and honest about the barriers that the members of the staff team are experiencing. The manager is working hard to embed therapeutic approaches within the home. He has identified gaps in staff training. However, this has not been done in a proactive and timely manner. Training has now been identified to expand the staff team’s skills and knowledge. Some of this training started during the inspection.

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good

The registered manager has some good systems in place for monitoring the safer recruitment of staff. These include the safer recruitment of agency workers. On one occasion, the manager did not ensure that employment gaps were explored for one member of staff. This means that he has not ensured that appropriate checks have taken place on this occasion.

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good

Staff say that the manager is approachable and supportive. They feel supported through supervision, and they welcome an open environment and honest debate. The staff who spoke to the inspector acknowledged the challenges associated with staffing issues. Staffing gaps are covered through the appointment of agency workers. However, the lack of a consistent and stable staff team increases pressures Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 6 on permanent staff. This also means that children do not always receive care from staff who are experienced and know them well.

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good

The quality of records is variable. Some of the children’s records do not include important information, and managers and leaders have failed to identify this. While the manger has monitoring systems in place, he is not yet using these effectively.

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good

The location risk assessment does not include all known risks and it does not show that there has been effective consultation with other agencies. This demonstrates a lack of effective management oversight and has an impact on the quality of care provided to children.

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good

The manager does not always notify Ofsted of serious events within the home in a timely manner. This means that he does not keep all relevant people informed, and this prevents regulatory oversight when safeguarding concerns arise.

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good

The manager has begun to implement an assessment model within the home. This provides staff with a useful framework, and this tool is used monthly to analyse children’s progress. This helps staff to strategically plan support for children. As a result, children receive a strengths-based approach to care planning, and the most effective ways of supporting them are mapped out carefully. Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans; that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11)(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular that staff follow the guidance as set out in children's behaviour management plans. In addition, that children are supported to build positive relationships with each other. 22 March 2022

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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. 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 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. (Regulation 12)(1)(2)(a)(i)(v)) In particular, ensure that all safeguarding concerns are identified and responded to promptly. In addition ensure that each child has risk assessments in place which include all known risks and provide staff with strategies to follow to keep children safe. 22 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 8 The leadership and management standard is that the

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Requirement Due date

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; (Regulation 13)(1) (2)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that they have effective monitoring systems in place to evaluate the care afforded to children. In addition, the manager must make sure that staff receive appropriate training to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of children. 22 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the 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) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that impact risk assessments include all relevant information. In addition, each should have a care plan that provides guidance to staff about how to meet their individual needs. 22 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's home; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 22 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 9 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(1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to management oversight of incidents requiring physical intervention with a child in the home, the need to review the effectiveness of the measure and any learning following the measure. In addition, ensure that when children receive a debrief this is completed by someone who was not involved in the incident. The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 22 March 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that when children go missing from home the responsible local authority provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should maintain good employment practice to minimise potential risks to children from unsuitable people caring from them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. This should include and take account information sourced from consultation with relevant agencies.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 10

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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: 2548569 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Worcestershire Children First

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Spetchley Road, Worcester WR5 2NP

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Inspector

Natasha Skinner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2548569 12 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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