Children's home run by Middlesbrough Borough Council

Inspection report for children's home: SC472381 1 SC472381 Registered provider: Middlesbrough Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated and managed by a local authority. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is on extended leave. An acting manager has been appointed, but has yet to be registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 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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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 19 November 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: SC472381 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2019 Full Good 22/01/2019 Full Good 15/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC472381 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are engaging in their learning and making good progress. Alternative education is obtained for children who are unable to attend school. The staff team works closely and collaboratively with education professionals. They learn from each other and swap strategies. This results in a consistent approach being provided, which children respond to positively. One education professional described the staff team as ‘brilliant’ and ‘supportive’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have their own care plans. The design is child friendly with vibrant colours and images, with references to the child’s interests throughout. Children identify what is important to them, what helps them and what they need to work on. This provides staff with an invaluable insight into the children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Regular one-to-one work is carried out with children. This gives children the opportunity to talk about any worries they may have. Staff also use this time to address any concerning behaviours, and a restorative approach is used. This enables children to think empathetically.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are frequently obtained, and their wishes are acted on. This helps children feel listened to and valued. Sanctions are infrequent and, when they do take place, appropriate measures are taken. Praise is plentiful for positive behaviour, and progress is made. This helps children feel important and encourages good behaviours to continue.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Various activities are offered to children. These and special occasions are captured in photographs, which are added to individual memory books. When they leave the home, children take these books with them so that they can be reminded of the many experiences they had while living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend routine health appointments and to gain access to specialist health services. However, staff do not always follow care plans and medical advice. They also fail to coordinate with relevant people, which results in a lack of understanding. As a result, for one child, a particular health need is not being met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with those people who are important to them, in line with their plans. Staff will facilitate and support this time. Furniture has been provided to one family to enable overnight contact. This is significant in promoting the children’s identities and helps to maintain important relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Families are very appreciative of the support they and their children receive from the staff team. For one family, the staff team is working hard to enable the child to return home. This is following significant progress being made emotionally and behaviourally. The child’s parent said, ‘He is a totally different child now.’ Inspection report for children's home: SC472381 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The manager undertakes an impact risk assessment prior to any child moving in. This means that children only move in when it would not increase their risks or the risks of the children already living in the home. The assessment would, however, benefit from further detail around any known risk issues and what behaviours they relate to, and how they might impact on each child. If a gap is identified in staff training, this is arranged so that a child’s needs can be better met.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children’s individual risks are identified and appropriately rated within their risk assessments. Plans detail children’s triggers and de-escalation techniques, which are specific to each child. Staff are given examples of what to say to each child, depending on the situation. This means children benefit from a consistent approach by staff.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff refer children on to services which will help and support them, and work closely with those services already involved. This means that children’s complex needs can be addressed by the most skilled professionals.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children rarely go missing from the home. When they do, staff follow the necessary procedures. Staff are proactive in looking for children and returning them home. This safeguards children and helps them to feel cared for. Children are offered a return home interview from an independent person. As a result, any safeguarding concerns can be addressed and escalated if necessary.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Restraints are infrequent. When a restraint is required, the child is held by staff who are suitably trained to do so. Children are provided with a debrief afterwards which helps them to learn and make better choices. Debriefs are provided to staff. This provides staff with an opportunity to receive support, reflect and improve practice.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff do not always manage children’s behaviour effectively. Some staff have been frightened and have not responded appropriately. This has placed children and staff at risk of harm. The manager has learned from mistakes made and worked hard to ensure that a consistent and appropriate approach is provided to the children from the staff team.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Additional training is undertaken in line with the children’s risk issues, and this enables staff to better meet their needs. However not all mandatory training is up to date, and this could compromise the safety and well-being of children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safer recruitment takes place. The manager is alert to any potential issues and ensures that further checks are carried out if required. She also puts additional safeguards in place in the home if necessary. This promotes the safety and well- being of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for children's home: SC472381 5 There has been a high turnover of new staff for a significant period of time. Some staff have resigned after a matter of days or weeks. This does not provide familiarity for children and impacts on consistency. On occasions, it has affected the care of the children in terms of unclear boundaries and routines. The manager is committed to changing this. She carries out exit interviews to obtain any learning and has changed the interview process for applicants.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a core group of experienced and committed staff in the home who support the manager in the day-to-day running of the home. They like working here and feel supported by the manager and their colleagues. One staff member said she has ‘grown in confidence due to the support received’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At times, only one member of staff is on a sleep-in shift. This is not best practice in the event of any incidents which may occur in the home during the night. It is also not something staff feel comfortable with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision and team meetings take place regularly and offer staff a chance to reflect. The children and any safeguarding concerns are discussed in detail. Specialist services attend team meetings, and staff are taught techniques to use with the children. Suggestions from staff are also welcomed and actioned where appropriate. This practice helps to involve the whole team in raising the standard of care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While staff are routinely praised by the manager, action is taken quickly and thoroughly to address any areas of concern. This safeguards children and promotes their well-being. Staff are supported with issues at work and in their personal lives. This helps them feel important and valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good monitoring systems in place for the children. She identifies any actions required and follows these up with staff. She is able to identify any trends and progress made or otherwise, and then puts in place actions to improve the care of the children. However, not all staff records are up to date, which is required to ensure continuous improvement in all areas.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not notified all relevant safeguarding incidents to Ofsted. This oversight has prevented Ofsted from having a full understanding of these incidents. In addition, this has prevented Ofsted from being assured that all the necessary actions have been taken to safeguard the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The consultation with children is not properly reflected in the six-monthly quality of care review. In addition, there is no consultation included from staff. Such feedback is instrumental in identifying any shortfalls or areas for development. Inspection report for children's home: SC472381 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that all mandatory training is up to date. 26 April 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.

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this refers to the upskilling of staff so that they can manage children’s challenging behaviour. 26 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— 26 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC472381 7 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to the number of staff working overnight.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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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). (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)) 26 April 2022

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

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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)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is reissued. 26 April 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make best use of information from internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. In particular, ensure staff training records are kept up to date and staff debriefs are recorded. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. In Inspection report for children's home: SC472381 8 particular, impact risk assessments should make clear the impact of any known risk on every other child. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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: SC472381 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Middlesbrough Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Middlesbrough Borough Council, Middlesbrough House, 50 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RH

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Inspector

Emma Ridley, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC472381 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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