Children's Home run by North Yorkshire County Council in North Yorkshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 1 SC034235 Registered provider: North Yorkshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority under the ‘No Wrong Door’ model. Some children stay in the home for a short time; others are there for several months.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to six children between the ages of 13 and 18 years who have social, emotional or mental health difficulties. The home can also care for a further two children in separate accommodation for up to 28 days.

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Information about this children’s home

The qualified, experienced manager registered with Ofsted in February 2020.

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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. Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 2 Date of last inspection: 3 September 2019

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/09/2019 Full Outstanding 18/02/2019 Full Outstanding 16/01/2018 Full Outstanding 23/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 4

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improvement to be good

Children’s progress in this home is mixed. Some children stay in the home for a long time and enjoy a level of stability that for some is a new and positive experience. However, other children find the frequent coming and going of children unsettling. One child described the home as feeling frantic. Consequently, some children are anxious about staying in the home and this affects their investment in the care they receive.

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improvement to be good

Children are living in a home that looks tired and in need of improvement. There is graffiti on many walls. Most of the time, at least one window in the home is broken. Children are not consistently helped to keep their bedrooms tidy and to look after their home. This does not give children a sense that they are valued. The registered manager accepts that more needs to be done to provide children with suitable physical surroundings.

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improvement to be good

Children’s educational needs are not consistently met. Some children make progress. However, too often, this progress is not sustained. Other children move into the home with a reasonable history of school attendance, but this declines within a short period. There is not a culture of good school attendance in the home. This means that too many children are without the structure of a school day and do not achieve their academic potential. The immediate and longer-term ramifications of this are significant.

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improvement to be good

Children come to know staff very well. Staff are skilled at quickly showing children their commitment to them. Staff are endlessly positive about the children in their care. This is a powerful message for children, including those who stay in the home for very short periods. Children who move on from the home often stay in touch with staff. They report that they value the support they were given, even if they did not appreciate this at the time.

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improvement to be good

Children’s physical and emotional health needs are prioritised. The support from an on-site psychologist is available to children when they need it. Some children use this help regularly. Staff have an excellent understanding of the impact of trauma. This helps staff to offer children compassionate care, including when children struggle to understand their own emotions. Staff encourage children to attend health appointments, including for vaccinations and regular check-ups. Medication is safely stored and administered by staff who have been suitably trained. Consequently, the health outcomes for many children improve over time.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to develop their independence skills. They help older children to think about where they would like to live when they become adults. Some children struggle with the idea of moving from the home. Staff continue to provide these children with practical and emotional advice. Although gaps in appropriate Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 5 adult social care can cause delays in some children moving on, most have arrangements in place when they reach 18 years old.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not manage children’s behaviour well and there is a high number of significant incidents in the home. This often leads to damage and there have been many occasions when staff and children have been hurt. The police are regularly called as a result. Staff particularly struggle to manage behavioural difficulties when children are in a group. On these occasions, children do not experience staff as being effective. This adds to the likelihood of further difficulties arising.

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improvement to be good

Individual support plans do not help staff to respond to behavioural incidents successfully. The range of suggested strategies is poor and in some plans, non- existent. Plans do not help staff to respond consistently to reduce tensions and to help children to become calm. Some children are frustrated at what they perceive to be a poor response to these challenges. Children are not developing confidence in staff. This lack of security increases the likelihood of further incidents occurring.

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improvement to be good

Incident reports do not help staff and managers to reflect on children’s behaviour. Records do not always provide a clear account of what took place. The views of children are not clearly set out and there is no evidence that a manager routinely speaks to children about what happened. Serious incidents do not consistently involve staff debriefs. One member of staff said that their voice is not always heard. The oversight from managers does not identify learning to improve responses to children. As a result, staff continue to respond to children in a way that is often ineffective.

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improvement to be good

Serious safeguarding incidents are not consistently notified to Ofsted without delay. Some serious incidents that should be notified are not. This means that Ofsted cannot be confident that safeguarding responses to children are appropriate and safe.

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improvement to be good

Individualised risk assessments help staff to understand and respond to children’s risks. Concerns such as self-harm or substance misuse are clearly outlined. There is an emphasis on the impact on the child. Required responses from staff are specific and effective. Consequently, children’s risks reduce, and over time, they become safer.

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improvement to be good

Staff prepare detailed missing-from-home plans. Staff have an agreed understanding of the risks to children who are missing. Their responses focus on individual risk, rather than a general approach. This is successful and children rarely go missing. For some children, this is very good progress.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment of new staff follows appropriate guidance. Checks and references are undertaken in line with local authority policy. Any gaps in information are explored Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 6 with applicants. This means that children are only cared for by staff whose background has been thoroughly considered before they begin working in the home.

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good

The registered manager is passionate about the children in her care. Her enthusiasm for understanding the impact of trauma on children is shared by her staff team, including the specialists based in the home. This ethos helps staff to remain positive, including when they are challenged by children’s behaviour.

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good

Monitoring undertaken by the registered manager is not consistently effective. Quality of care reviews do not include feedback from children, their families or professionals, including staff. These reports lack evaluation. For example, the registered manager does not analyse whether staff’s understanding of trauma is matched by a knowledge of effective behaviour management strategies. This lack of evaluation means that the registered manager cannot set out the required actions to improve the level of care provided.

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good

The registered manager does not ensure that all regulatory requirements are fulfilled. For example, she has not provided Ofsted with a statement of purpose. This reduces Ofsted’s understanding about the care being provided to children, including staffing arrangements.

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good

Staff receive training to help them to understand and meet the needs of children. They undertake considerable training about the impact of trauma on children. The evidence for this was apparent during the inspection. Staff also undertake training on management of behaviour. However, this training does not include specific strategies about meeting the behavioural issues of the group of children. Given the difficulties that have arisen in the home, this is a gap in learning.

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good

Staff turnover in the home is very low. Most staff are qualified, and many have worked in the home for several years, building up considerable experience. The staff team is large. Individual members of staff work flexibly when required, meaning the use of relief staff is kept to a minimum. This means that children are cared for by staff they know well, including throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision and appraisals of their practice. Sessions are structured and include an opportunity for reflection. These important meetings take place consistently, including during periods of alternative arrangements due to the pandemic. This means that children are looked after by staff who have regular opportunities to focus on their knowledge and skills.

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good

Leaders forge good relationships with a range of professionals involved with children in the home. For example, multi-agency risk management meetings work well because of the quality of professional trust between members of the group. Most professionals who contributed their views to the inspection are positive about the commitment shown to children by managers and staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

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

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; and

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(viii)) 27 May 2022

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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—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 27 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 8 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must meet the behavioural and emotional needs of the group of children living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 27 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. 27 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 9 The registered person must ensure that—

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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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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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

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) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 27 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 10 a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5)) 27 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 11

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children live in a homely, domestic environment that limits an impression of being institutional. This will require that repairs are carried out swiftly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.19)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate resources to support their training needs. This should include ensuring that staff receive training on the effective management of behaviour of children living as a group in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: SC034235 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Yorkshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Northallerton DL7 8AD

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Inspectors

Jane Titley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC034235 13 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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