Children's home run by Oxfordshire County Council

Inspection report for children’s home: SC033896 1 SC033896 Registered provider: Oxfordshire County Council Full 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 is registered to provide care for up to six children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2020.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC033896 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/08/2021 Full Good 26/11/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 26/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC033896 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children currently living in this home are making progress. They are supported by caring, patient and consistent staff. Even though some of the children have been unsettled and have exposed themselves to high-risk behaviours in the community, most children have enjoyed their experiences and have made good progress. One child said, ‘I love it here, it’s a good environment and I have learnt a lot about life since being here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff share good relationships with children, external agencies and families. They are sensitive to children’s and parents’ feelings and needs about maintaining contact and visits, including times when parents have no means of managing this. Careful consideration and creative and risk assessed measures are taken when planning visits between children and families to ensure that these take place in a safe and friendly manner. As a result, children stay in touch and enjoy visits with family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since moving to this home, all children have improved their school attendance. Staff work closely with schools to ensure that special attention is given to implementing school timetables that are in line with children’s individual capabilities. Children with limited concentration spans or those who struggle engaging in large groups have short time-based timetables. They are later supported to complete further schoolwork by staff at home. This is then evaluated by the school team. As a result, children recognise the importance of education for their future. One child said, ‘I am happy to be back to school and hope this will help me to get to university or college.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to address their physical and mental health needs. They work alongside physiotherapists, child and adolescent mental health services, and drug rehabilitation teams. This is to ensure that a well-informed approach and clear guidance is provided to cater for children’s disabilities and meet their psychological needs. A social worker said, ‘Even though he [child] struggles with his mobility, staff always encourage him to make use of his medically provided aids.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are given opportunities to talk about their thoughts and contribute to the decisions made in the home. This is done through regular and exceptionally well- structured key-work sessions, weekly meetings and feedback forms where staff use a ‘curious to know’ approach to encourage children to reflect effectively. However, on some occasions, leaders, managers and staff do not respond to requests or to negative feedback from children. A child said, ‘We have asked for a replacement basketball goal post ages ago but this has not been done.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have fun engaging in a variety of activities. These include visits to the cinema, going out for meals, on drives, playing basketball, visiting friends for sleepovers and enjoying home-based activities such as online shopping, reading and Inspection report for children’s home: SC033896 4 playing electronic games. Children live active lives and this helps them to stay mentally stimulated and physically fit.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff diligently plan and introduce independence skills to children in line with their level of understanding and abilities. This helps children to positively take charge in completing tasks which they would usually find challenging. For example, a child who struggled to access the community due to anxiety now visits the community independently using the bus. He goes to the local barber, visits friends for overnight stays, plans food budgets and buys and cooks the food. As a result, children feel empowered and take pride in their newly developed life skills.

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

Leaders and managers keep children safe by careful planning and making children aware of risks and how to reduce them. Managers discuss safeguarding issues in handovers and actively consider concerns raised by staff regarding children’s safety. A member of staff said, ‘I’m pleased that managers listened to me’, when he raised concerns about a child who was placing himself at risk; and involved me in the child’s safeguarding meetings to ensure all concerns were shared.’

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

Some children have gone missing from the home. Staff use clear protocols and assessments to reach out to children through welfare phone calls. They encourage them to return home, while reminding them of their curfew times. When possible, they pick them up and return them home safely. When children cannot be found, staff carry out searches while working closely with the police and, when possible, parents to find and bring children home safely. Staff do not shy away from challenging and enlightening children with regard to high-risk behaviours and the risks that they face in the community. Missing-from-home incidents are recorded and shared with relevant individuals, however, these lack rigorous management oversight.

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

Children have not been subjected to any physical interventions. Children have secure relationships with staff which enable them to share their feelings and manage their emotions. As a result, children know when to take time to self-soothe and explore better ways to express themselves.

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

Staff ensure that the home is safe for children and everyone visiting. Regular health and safety checks are completed. A generic evacuation plan as part of the fire safety procedure is in place. However, one child’s personal evacuation plan has not been updated in line with his current health needs.

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

Safer recruitment processes are not always adhered to. Leaders and managers have on occasions failed to sign off copies of staff identification confirming that original copies had been seen. Access to recruitment files for leaders and managers is restricted on the organisation’s electronic system. This is an unhelpful barrier to management oversight of recruitment practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033896 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This inspection was led by the deputy manager in the absence of the registered manager. He showed excellent leadership skills and was able articulate how care practice makes a positive difference to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some staff have not had regular supervisions. This was acknowledged by the deputy manager and plans are in place to ensure that all supervisions are carried out. The absence of a full team and lack of reflective space has negatively affected staff morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the strengths and weaknesses of the home. For example, when staffing ratios decreased due to some staff being suspended, staff from sister homes joined the team and managers stepped in and supported direct working with children. Further recruitment processes were completed. This helped maintain consistency in the care given to children soon after an unsettled period. As a result, children are settled, feel safe and are making progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Th registered manager and staff promote equality and diversity effectively. Children are encouraged to respect each other’s cultural backgrounds through engaging in discussions with staff and peers who share different life experiences. They are supported to explore and practise a variety of faiths. Inspection report for children’s home: SC033896 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 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)) 31 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(d)) 31 May 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that good employment practice is maintained, as set out in regulations 31 to 33. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report for children’s home: SC033896 7

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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: SC033896 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oxfordshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Oxfordshire County Council, County Hall, New Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 1ND

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Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC033896 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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