Children's Home run by Somerset County Council in Somerset

Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 1 SC030439 Registered provider: Somerset County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides short breaks, shared care and permanent accommodation for up to five children who have a learning disability and complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned in February 2021. A new manager was appointed and applied to register with Ofsted but resigned in September 2021. An acting manager was appointed temporarily but this person has also now resigned.

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Inspection date: 22 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 22 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 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 this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two children live in this home currently, and their experiences differ considerably. One child has lived here for three years and has made good progress, but the outcomes and progress for the other child are poor. The approach to her care is unacceptable.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of this inspection, the Responsible Individual is leading the home, in the absence of a Registered Manager. However, the Responsible Individual has been unable to enable staff to respond positively to plans or direction in relation to one child and consequently the quality of care for this child is poor. This situation is detrimental to the child’s emotional well-being and has a negative impact on her perception of herself, her sense of belonging and her feelings of security in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staffing situation for this child lacks direction and a cohesive approach. The current arrangement is unacceptable. Agency staff and substantive staff do not work together to devise strategies to deliver good care to the child, to engage her and support her and to help her to feel safe. Leadership is lacking, and no one is in day- to-day control of the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Key-working arrangements for the child are concerning. Careful consideration has been given to which member of staff is most suitable to work with the child, taking account of the staff’s background, knowledge and experience. However, staff are resistant to working with the child and Leaders have been unable to move this position. The current arrangement must not continue. A requirement was made about the skills and experience of staff following the last inspection; this has been restated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Arrangements to manage allegations that may be made about the staff fail to protect the child because they do not follow the usual referral process. As a result, allegations are not always subject to independent, external scrutiny by the local authority designated officer.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, staff have received training in the safe handling of medication. Unfortunately, this training has not been effective, and errors in medication administration continue to occur.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The property is not a domestic-style dwelling, and it is not conducive to modern residential childcare. The structure of the building, with its central office atrium and accommodation wings, creates a distinctly institutional feel. To further compound Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 3 this, doors between each area are locked. Entry is gained by numerous fob locks or keys. Consequently, staff carry around bunches of keys and use walkie-talkies to communicate. Some fixtures and fittings, such as hospital style waste bins, paper towel holders and industrial-style linoleum flooring, detract from a homely feel. A requirement was made about the environment following the last inspection. However, insufficient action has been taken, and the requirement is restated following this inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On one occasion, the child left the home during the night without the knowledge of staff; this was despite two waking night staff being on duty. Following this incident, additional audio devices have been installed, and additional sleep-in staff are in place. In addition, an external shutter on the child’s bedroom window has been permanently lowered.. This restriction detrimental to the child’s needs for space, light and air during the day. A requirement about restrictive practices was made following the last inspection. This is restated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child’s social worker has created a good-quality, detailed plan setting out how the child’s needs should be met. This information has not translated into care practice in the home and has not informed the home’s own documentation. For instance, staff responses to incidents involving the child are, on occasions, inappropriate, and the police have been called unnecessarily on several occasions. In addition, on occasions, the staff’s response to the child’s behaviours has exacerbated the situation. The child has been consulted about some aspects of her care, but this is insufficient and too tardy to inform the home’s care plan effectively. A requirement about seeking children’s contributions to their care plan and about the quality of care was made following the last inspection. This is restated following this inspection. An additional requirement is made about effective care planning.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The independent visitor now regularly meets with children during their monthly visits. This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The three recommendations raised at the full inspection have not been reviewed at this inspection and will remain in place for review at the next full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following this inspection, a decision has been made to issue a notice to restrict the home’s registration. As a result, the provider cannot allow any more children to stay in the home during the restriction period. Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/11/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(ix)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to improving the homeliness of the environment, taking into consideration the use of institutional-style fixtures and fittings in bathrooms, tired décor throughout the home, use of walkie-talkies, carrying of 5 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 6 keys and travelling through one child’s accommodation to access communal areas.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to prepare for any review of the child’s relevant plans and to make the child’s views, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children are helped to contribute to their care plan and are helped to provide feedback on the quality of care they receive. 5 May 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

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; 5 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 7 help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, ensure that the child’s bedroom window is not covered by an external shutter during the day.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each 5 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 8 child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; 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)(a)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)) 5 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if— there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the register provider is an organisation or a partnership;

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(i)(ii)(b) (2)(a)(b)) 5 May 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they consult with children and other stakeholders to obtain their views about the quality of care provided by the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside of the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5) Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 9  The registered person should ensure that actions from previous supervision sessions are consistently reviewed at the next meeting. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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 for children's home: SC030439 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Taunton, Somerset TA1 4DY

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Inspectors

Paula Lahey, Social Care Inspector Michelle Oxley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC030439 11 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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