Children's Home run by Monarch Intervention Services Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 1 Registered provider: Monarch Intervention Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A small, private provider owns this home which Ofsted registered in February 2021. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not have a registered manager. A new manager has taken over the day-to-day running of the home and intends to register with Ofsted.

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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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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: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

None Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 3

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improvement to be good

Three children currently live in the home. Before children move into the home, the manager assesses the needs of children. However, the assessments do not consider the suitability of the home’s location or the skills and experience of staff meeting those children’s needs. Although the assessments name the behaviours presented by the children who already live in the home, there is no analysis of the impact of the children living together.

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improvement to be good

Managers request children’s relevant plans from professionals. However, when these are not provided, managers do not take effective action to challenge this. As a result, staff are caring for children without up-to-date information.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to access routine health appointments. Discussions between staff and children provide opportunities to reflect on topics that affect children’s health, such as smoking. This practice helps children to make good decisions about their health and promotes leading a healthy lifestyle.

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improvement to be good

The clinicians provide children and their family members with regular direct therapy, as well as consultation and training for staff who look after them. One child advised the inspector that, through therapy and support from staff, they now have strategies to help regulate their emotions. This has helped them to manage their behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff support children to keep in touch with those people who are important to them. In one example, the manager worked with the child’s local authority to share their concerns about the arrangements in place, and suggested alternative plans to enable the child to keep in touch with people who are important to them without compromising the child’s safety.

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improvement to be good

All children access education and have been making good progress with their learning since living in the home. Managers advocate on behalf of children to ensure that they can attend a school that meets their individual needs. As a result, one child who has previously not attended school for several years is now attending regularly. Another child is on track to complete their first year of college.

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improvement to be good

Managers, staff and clinicians are child centred and invest their time in building positive relationships with children. Staff speak compassionately about the children they care for. As a result, children benefit from positive relationships that are based on mutual respect. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 4

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improvement to be good

Managers have not ensured that all staff are safely recruited. This compromises the safety of children. For example, managers do not consistently verify references, explore gaps in employment, or confirm staff’s right to work in the UK.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, safeguarding procedures were not followed by the previous registered manager. Specifically, the registered manager completed an internal investigation in relation to an allegation about a staff member before they had consulted with the local authority designated officer. This had the potential to affect any external investigation that may have been required. Furthermore, there was a delay in notifying Ofsted of the allegation.

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improvement to be good

Staff rarely use physical intervention. However, when such measures of control are used, the records related to these incidents lack detail. This means that the records do not provide a clear account of what happened. Furthermore, a record of the debriefs completed with staff and children is not always kept on file for future scrutiny. The poor recording in relation to physical interventions means that it is difficult to assess whether the use of such measures of control was appropriate and/or if there is any learning from such incidents. Despite these administrative shortfalls, staff are given the opportunity to meet with a physical intervention instructor following incidents in which a restraint has been used.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond well when children are not where they should be. Staff contact people the child is likely to visit and search known locations. Children are quickly found and supported to return home. Records to manage children’s absences provide staff with guidance including triggers, warning signs, and strategies to manage risk. New information gathered from missing from home incidents is not always used to inform the child’s records. This is a missed opportunity that may help staff to manage the risk in the future.

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improvement to be good

Children living in the home feel safe and can speak to staff about things that are worrying them. Staff speak to children about topics such as gang culture and substance misuse. These opportunities help children to make good decisions and develop skills to manage risk themselves.

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improvement to be good

Staff manage children’s behaviours well. Children are supported to develop skills to help them manage their emotions. For one child, there has been a significant reduction in them hurting themself. Managers carefully consider the influences outside of the home that may affect a child’s behaviour. They share concerns with professionals and follow plans agreed to reduce the risks.

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good

The home does not currently have a registered manager. A new manager is in post and intends to apply to Ofsted to be registered. The new manager is still Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 5 establishing themselves in their role and is in the process of reviewing and developing systems to help the day-to-day arrangements of the home.

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good

Staff and managers are still learning how to use a newly introduced electronic recording system. The lack of familiarity with this system means that they sometime struggle to locate and record relevant information. This means that, in some instances, children’s records are not accurate, and the staff are not easily able to access the information they need to understand how best to meet the needs of the children.

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good

Since the last inspection, there have been two complaints in relation to the same incident. The previous manager has investigated the concern and identified some learning. However, the outcome of the investigation has not been formally concluded and shared with individuals who raised the concern.

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good

The responsible individual has recently clarified team members’ roles and responsibilities with managers and staff to ensure that there is a clear line of accountability for completing tasks. For example, the manager now completes a monthly audit of the home that monitors care planning, children’s progress and tasks to support the day-to-day running of the home.

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good

Staff receive training to support them with their role and to ensure that they can support the individual needs of children who live in the home.

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good

Incentives are in place for staff to work additional shifts to reduce the number of agency staff required. This means children are cared for by staff they know.

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good

Staff feel supported by managers who are always accessible for advice and guidance. Managers ensure that staff receive regular supervision and plans are in place for them to have their performance appraised annually.

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good

Managers have a good understanding of children’s plans and are very child focused. They are reflective and use feedback to improve practice. Managers have a good understanding of what the service does well and are motivated to develop. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 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 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should promptly notify the local authority designated officer and Ofsted of safeguarding concerns. 23 March 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

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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

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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)(iv)(viii) (b)(i)(c)) 23 March 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 7 In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the description of restraint techniques is sufficiently detailed to provide a clear explanation to the reader of the record, and a record is kept of discussions held with children who have been held by staff.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the following items, which may be kept in electronic form, are kept in an accessible manner—

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Requirement Due date

children’s case records (see regulation 36);

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Requirement Due date

other records (see regulation 37). (Regulation 38 (i)(j))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that accurate and detailed records are maintained and stored in a way which is easy to access. 23 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that outcomes of complaints are clearly recorded and communicated with relevant individuals. 23 March 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that the basis of the care provided to children is informed by a relevant written plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.1)

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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) Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 8 Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Monarch Intervention Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Glades Festival Way, Festival Way, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire ST1 5SQ

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Inspector

Helen Malanaphy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2624457 10 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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