Children's Home run by Shropshire Council in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC382730 1 SC382730 Registered provider: Shropshire Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers a short-break provision for up to five children who have social and/or emotional difficulties, and/or learning disabilities. It is owned and operated by a local authority. The current manager was registered in September 2021, and had previously worked at the home as the deputy manager. He is undertaking a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Inspection date: 2 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 2 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC382730 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Four requirements were made at the previous inspection. Three of these requirements have been met. One of the requirements has been raised again and one additional requirement has been raised as a result of this visit.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, senior managers have continued to respond to the needs of children and their families who need support at times of crisis. This has resulted in managers cancelling some children’s short breaks, often at short notice, to provide care for other children. Managers and staff keep in touch with these children, and their parents and carers, through regular phone calls and occasional trips out. This ensures that vulnerable children and their families continue to receive much-needed support, and helps to maintain relationships.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Difficulties in finding suitable placements for children with complex needs continue to result in some children staying beyond the 17 days. Managers and staff are flexible in their approach, in order to meet the needs of these children. Managers ensure that when a new home is found, children experience a positive move. The manager remains proactive in keeping the regulator informed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, managers have been vigilant in only admitting children whose needs fall within the home’s conditions of registration. Managers have successfully applied for learning disabilities to be included in these conditions. The statement of purpose has been updated and staff have received comprehensive training to raise their knowledge and awareness in this area.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has received training in the safe recruitment of staff and this training has been identified as an area for development for the deputy manager. Managers have implemented systems to ensure that safe recruitment is a high priority within the organisation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Monitoring by managers now ensures that staff receive regular monthly supervision and an annual appraisal. Additionally, safeguarding is a standing agenda item on all supervisions. This promotes staff development and a culture of safeguarding in the staff team.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Missing-from-home protocols for children who are on short breaks have been included in children’s risk assessments. However, these are still not individualised and they do not tell staff what to do to keep a child safe. For instance, they do not prompt staff to search for a child and they do not say how a child should be supervised. Additionally, staff are not advised to contact important people, such as a Inspection report children’s home: SC382730 3 child’s parent or carer. This shortfall was identified at the last inspection and has not been fully addressed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers work in partnership with important agencies, including the police and children’s social workers. Effective working with the virtual school has ensured that a child who was admitted to the home at a time of crisis, and has stayed beyond the 17 days, is now receiving face-to-face tutoring. This is a significant achievement for the child, who had been out of education for some time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Careful matching ensures that children enjoy a calm atmosphere during their short- break stays. Additionally, children who come to the home with high-risk, complex behaviours at a time of crisis become calm and are better able to manage their emotions. Incidents are well managed and on the rare occasion that restraint is used, staff work hard to de-escalate children’s behaviours and repair relationships. The consistency of the staff team and their skill in quickly forming relationships with children is a strength of the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When there is an incident where children are at risk online, staff do not act quickly to educate the children about keeping safe. They do not undertake regular checks of children’s electronic devices and mobile phones. This means that online risks for children are not managed, and children remain unsafe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and staff lock internal doors without good reason. For example, the doors to a computer room and to a bathroom were locked, and this is common practice. This places unnecessary restrictions on the children’s ability to move freely in the home, and does not create a homely environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, areas of the home have been redecorated. Also, there have been improvements made to children’s bedrooms, and to the communal living spaces. Further improvements are planned. Overall, the home is a homely place for children to spend time. However, staff do not always support children to tidy their bedrooms and to keep their bathrooms in a hygienic state. These shortfalls could have a negative impact on children’s self-esteem and self-worth.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have updated the children’s guide with photos of staff. However, the guide does not have essential information, such as details for the Children’s Commissioner. This limits the children’s ability to express their views to an independent person. The guide informs children that day-to day-routines include restricting children’s access to areas of the home. This compromises children’s sense of being given a warm welcome to the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC382730 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/02/2020 Full Good 27/02/2019 Full Good 29/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC382730 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that risk assessments are updated following any new potential risk to children. 10 April 2022

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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, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that monitoring systems are effective to identify shortfalls, such as insufficient information in the missing-from-home protocols. 10 April 2022

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Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: SC382730 6  The registered person should ensure that staff provide a nurturing environment which is welcoming and supportive, and which provides appropriate boundaries in relation to children’s behaviour. Homes must also meet children’s basic day-to-day needs and physical necessities. Staff should seek to meet the children’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met; doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that just as in a family home, children should be able to access all shared areas of their home, unless there are specific

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Recommendations

reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21(c)(i)). 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)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide helps children to understand: – what the day-to-day routines of the home are (‘what happens in the home’); – the statement of purpose of the home (the care they can expect to receive while living there); and – how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 children’s home: SC382730 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6ND

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC382730 8 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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