Children's home run by Carbrey Care Ltd in Gloucester

Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 1 Registered provider: Carbrey Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private organisation and provides care for up to three children, aged up to 18 years, with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned her registration in January 2022. A new manager has been appointed and has advised she is applying to register.

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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 inadequate

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 12 October 2021

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/10/2021 Full Good 30/04/2019 Full Good 25/07/2018 Full Good 07/11/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 3

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improvement to be good

More action is needed by staff to help some children to make better progress. Because of weak planning and unclear boundaries two children spend most of their time away from the home. Typically, children are spending time with their family and friends. Staff maintain regular telephone contact with them but as the children are not in their direct care staff do not always know exactly where they are and what they are doing. Staff do take effective action when a family member contacts them with any concerns, for example, if the child has not returned for their dinner or in response to incidents of a child going missing or safeguarding concerns. However, the manager and staff are aware that the children’s time away from the home requires better planning and more structure.

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improvement to be good

The education arrangements for two children require improvement. Children say that they do not enjoy home learning and would like to attend school. In response, the manager has worked with the children’s placing authorities and the headteacher of the virtual school to seek suitable provisions. Despite the manager’s persistence, an improved education provision has not been secured for either child. The manager and staff are concerned that the children’s willingness to continue to engage in their home learning programme will continue to decline if this is not resolved swiftly. In addition, staff say that they do not feel confident or have the right skills to support the children to learn from home.

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improvement to be good

Although children’s general health needs are met, one child has recently refused to take prescribed medication. More action is needed to support the child to explore the reasons for this and to find an appropriate solution.

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improvement to be good

Since moving in, one child has not left the home without permission. This is significant progress and is because of the positive relationships between the child and members of staff. One child has made progress with their self-care and has secured a part-time job at a local hotel. Relationships between the three children are positive. Staff say that the children get along together like siblings; they help and support each other especially when they feel sad or cross. The atmosphere in the home is pleasant.

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improvement to be good

Senior leaders and managers are currently introducing new care plans. This is because they recognise that the current documents are extensive; some are 73 pages long and do not contain clear, measurable targets. Consequently, staff do not have clear and concise information on how to best meet the children’s current needs.

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improvement to be good

Children appear relaxed in the home. It is well maintained, clean and spacious. The manager recognises that the home is not as homely as she would like it to be, and she is consulting the children about how to improve it. Children’s bedrooms are Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 4 personalised. However, staff are not giving one child the support she needs to maintain a clean and clutter-free bedroom. The new manager took immediate action during the inspection to address this.

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improvement to be good

Children say that they feel safe here and feel confident that staff keep them safe. The manager works collaboratively with a range of safeguarding agencies. Staff attend regular refresher safeguarding training and are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities. Despite this, the manager and staff lack sufficient professional curiosity in respect of potential contextual safeguarding concerns. This relates specifically to one child who spends unsupervised time away from the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the children’s historical experiences, their behaviours and some of the associated risks. Risk assessments document this information, but they do not clearly identify all known current risks. This limits staff’s ability to mitigate the risks and implement appropriate strategies.

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improvement to be good

Restraint has not been used in response to children’s behaviour and missing-from- home events are rare. Since the last inspection, there has been one incident when staff lost sight of a child for 10 minutes. Staff took prompt and effective action; they followed the child’s missing-from-home procedures. The manager used feedback from staff and the child to review and update the child’s care plan. There have not been any further incidents.

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improvement to be good

Children live in an environment that is safely maintained. Health and safety checks are completed as required. Children know what to do in an emergency because staff ensure children engage in regular fire evacuation drills. The management of medication is safe and records are well maintained.

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improvement to be good

Children are looked after by staff who have been assessed as safe. Safer recruitment processes are effective. The manager assesses the suitability and skills of temporary and agency staff before agreeing to them working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the last inspection, senior leaders have appointed a new management team. This includes a new head of care and manager. The manager told the inspector she is processing an application to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following the appointment of the new manager, senior leaders made the decision for two children to move into the home. Leaders and managers have had difficulties with recruiting sufficient permanent staff to meet all three children’s care plan needs. To help maintain continuity of care the permanent staff have worked additional hours and on occasions, temporary staff have been used to fill vacancies. Senior leaders have confirmed that recruitment is under way, and they hope to have a full staff team within the coming months. Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 5 Leaders and managers have not ensured that all staff, including the new manager, have completed basic mandatory training. Senior leaders have recognised that staff require specialist training to enable them to understand and respond better to the children’s current needs. The manager and staff say that they receive regular formal supervisions, however, records are not kept of these meetings. As a result, the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

inspector could not verify the quality and effectiveness of these meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The new head of care and manager recognise the home’s strengths and most of the weaknesses. Areas for improvement include developing staff skills and knowledge as well as environmental developments. The manager has yet to include these in the home’s development plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff speak positively about the manager and the changes she has introduced so far. They say that the manager is supportive and leads by example. Staff feel valued and have welcomed the change in ethos and atmosphere in the home. The staff appreciate the time the manager spends with the children and team when she works evenings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Monitoring completed by leaders and managers lacks robust scrutiny. Information in children’s records about what they do during their time away from the home is not clear or concise. Consequently, leaders and managers are unable to identify trends and patterns of behaviour or consider potential contextual safeguarding concerns. Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 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 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;

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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

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(c)(i)) 20 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 7 In particular, ensure that children’s time away from the home is planned and structured and that welfare checks include checking the child in person.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, leaders and managers should ensure that all children are supported to maintain a clean and hygienic bedroom.

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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 such barriers; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment opportunities. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)) 20 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider should ensure that all care plans and risk assessments are clear, concise and relevant to the child’s current needs and behaviours. 20 May 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 20 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 8 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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure 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 child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; 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)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the monitoring by the manager and independent person is effective.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should also ensure that there are sufficient permanent staff to meet children’s care plan needs.

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Requirement Due date

And, all staff should complete all the basic mandatory training and specialist courses to meet the needs of the children they care for. Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 9

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Recommendation

 The registered person should lead and manage the home as set out in the statement of purpose. In particular, the registered person should ensure that the written development plan includes all planned improvements (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

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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: 1155761 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 11, Wheatstone Court, Davy Way, Waterwells Business Park, Quedgeley, Gloucester GL2 2AQ

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Inspector

Sharron Escott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1155761 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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