Children's home run by Lincolnshire County Council in Lincoln

Inspection report for children's home: SC042994 1 SC042994 Registered provider: Lincolnshire County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a local authority. It provides short breaks for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager left the home in January 2022.

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Inspection date: 17 March 2022

Date of last inspection: 7 December 2021

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Inspection date: 17 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 17 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC042994 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.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has met three of the six requirements raised at the last inspection. However, requirements relating to the administration of medication, management oversight of restraints and staff appraisals are restated. Although improvement is clear since the last inspection, further improvement is still required.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two children have recently started to take short breaks at the home. Staff have worked closely with the children, their parents and other agencies to ensure that the children settle well during their short breaks. Parents say that they are happy with the care their children receive at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have put new procedures in place to ensure the effective safeguarding of children. Staff now have clear guidance to follow and know who to contact should they identify a safeguarding concern. Staff have completed safeguarding training and have received training from the local authority designated officer. This has further improved their skills in identifying and reporting concerns about children. Consequently, any safeguarding concerns are managed appropriately, and children are kept safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff benefit from clear guidance on how to respond to incidents of children self- harming. Consistent strategies enable staff to support children effectively when they are upset.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children are progressing well at the home. A social worker confirmed that staff are supporting children to develop independence skills and providing a good range of activities. A parent noted that staff make children’s time at the home enjoyable and fun.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been two incidents of restraint since the full inspection. The details of these restraints were not clearly recorded, and information is missing from records. Management oversight of the records does not evaluate whether the restraint was necessary or proportionate. As a result, learning from these incidents has not been effective.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have implemented processes to minimise the risk of medication errors. Staff complete medication competency assessments and medication training before they can administer medicines to children. When medication errors are identified, appropriate actions are taken, such as the staff receiving additional guidance and external health professionals being consulted. However, errors in the administration Inspection report for children's home: SC042994 3 of medication continue to occur. Errors are not always identified swiftly. Consequently, medication processes are still not rigorous enough.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff said that they feel supported by managers and receive regular supervision. Supervisions include discussions about children’s needs and how they are met, as well as staff’s professional development. However, annual appraisals are not completed for all staff. Therefore, managers do not have sufficient oversight of staff performance and development needs. Inspection report for children's home: SC042994 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/01/2020 Full Outstanding 03/09/2018 Full Outstanding 14/08/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC042994 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 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

ensure the staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and

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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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff’s understanding of the policy around the administration and recording of medicines, and management oversight of systems in place to prevent medication errors.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 24 March 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 14 April 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC042994 6 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 effectiveness and any consequences of the use 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 (3)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to making sure that records of restraint are completed in a manner that meets the statutory requirement and that the manager reviews and evaluates all incidents of restraint.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 24 March 2022

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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. Inspection report for children's home: SC042994 7 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: SC042994 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lincolnshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Offices, Newland, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN1 1YL

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Inspector

Laraine Edmondson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC042994 9 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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