Children's Home run by Hapin Care Limited in Wirral

Inspection report for children's home: 2527654 1 Registered provider: Hapin Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2021.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: 24 January 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Serious and widespread shortfalls were identified at this home during an interim inspection on 24 January 2022. As a result, compliance notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 10, the health and well-being standard. Following a monitoring visit on 1 March 2022, further compliance notices were issued under regulations 12 and 13. Inspection report for children's home: 2527654 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/02/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2527654 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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improvement to be good

The child is cared for by a friendly staff team. The child feels well supported by the manager and staff. Warm interactions between the staff and child were observed during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff know the child well. Their in-depth knowledge and understanding of the child’s needs and interests helps them to provide personalised care and support.

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improvement to be good

The manager works with the virtual school to overcome barriers to education. Staff constantly use incentives to encourage the child to engage with education. Despite this, school attendance and educational progress continue to be a significant concern for the child living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff have meaningful discussions with the child about smoking, sexual health and the importance of attending health appointments. Staff ensure that the child attends all health appointments. As a result, the child’s physical and emotional health is improving.

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improvement to be good

When children are moving out of the home, the manager and staff work closely with the child to ensure that their wishes and feelings are heard and considered. Additionally, effective joint working between staff, placing authorities and parents ensures that the transition is a positive experience for the child.

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improvement to be good

The home is welcoming and homely. The manager ensures that all repairs are carried out swiftly. However, the downstairs toilet does not have handwashing facilities. This is unhygienic.

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improvement to be good

The child’s welfare and safety has improved since the last inspection. The manager and provider have taken sufficient steps to meet the compliance notice issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard.

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improvement to be good

Staff have a thorough understanding of the child’s vulnerabilities and presenting risks. They understand their safeguarding roles and respond to risk appropriately. For example, they sought medical guidance when a child returned home under the influence of a substance. Inspection report for children's home: 2527654 4 Improved relationships between staff and the child are enhancing the child’s safety. The child is starting to trust staff and take on board their guidance and support. High-risk behaviours, such as going missing from home and being involved in gangs, are decreasing.

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improvement to be good

Restraint is rarely used in this home. Staff use rewards and incentives to encourage positive behaviour. However, restraint and sanction records do not provide sufficient information to enable a thorough review of the incident and action taken. This also highlights shortfalls in the manager’s monitoring of these records.

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improvement to be good

The quality of serious incident records has improved. However, on occasion, information is not recorded accurately, such as the date and time other professionals were informed. These recording shortfalls highlight weaknesses in the manager’s auditing of records.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are regularly updated and reflect the child’s needs and vulnerabilities well. At times, the strategies identified in risk assessments are risk averse and do not reflect the child’s progress.

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improvement to be good

Serious incidents are reported to all safeguarding professionals swiftly. However, the manager does not notify Ofsted of all serious incidents as required. This undermines external scrutiny of safeguarding incidents and practice in the home.

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good

The home is led by an experienced manager. She is a child-centred and reflective leader. The manager and provider have taken sufficient steps to meet the compliance notice issued under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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good

Since the last inspection, the organisation of records has significantly improved. The manager is now able to readily access information and evidence improvements. However, some weaknesses in the manager’s monitoring of records continue.

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good

The manager’s oversight of incidents does not provide sufficient analysis of staff’s practice. Consequently, opportunities to identify staff’s strengths and any areas for development are sometimes missed.

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good

The manager’s monitoring of staff’s qualifications needs to improve. Most of the staff do not have the required professional qualification. For some unqualified staff, the required date for obtaining this has passed.

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good

Staff say that the manager is approachable, and they feel supported. They benefit from regular professional supervision where they are encouraged to reflect on their practice and identify future learning. This is evident in the detailed supervision records that were sampled during the inspection. Inspection report for children's home: 2527654 5 The manager is a present and hands-on leader. Her oversight of the home is improving. However, the quality of care review reports lack analysis. For example, they do not provide insight into how the care provided to children is impacting on their lives, experiences and progress. Furthermore, children’s views of the home and actions to continuously improve are not clearly reflected in these reports.

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good

Partnership working with all relevant professionals and parents is strong. The manager ensures that social workers and parents are regularly updated on any concerns or achievements. A parent said, ‘The manager and staff are brilliant. They keep me updated and communication between us is good.’ Inspection report for children's home: 2527654 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

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the downstairs toilet has handwashing facilities. 5 June 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—

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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)) 5 June 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2527654 7 This relates to ensuring that the manager’s monitoring systems secures continuous improvements in staff’s practice, for example recording.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that all staff obtain the relevant qualification within the required timescale. 5 June 2022

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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

a description of the measure and its duration;

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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)(iv)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to restraint and sanction records. 5 June 2022

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 5 June 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2527654 8 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 quality of care provided for children;

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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

and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the review evaluates the care provided to children and reflects children’s views about the care that they receive. 5 June 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child. Individual risk assessments should be based on the child’s current needs. Strategies for managing risk should be regularly reviewed, realistic and achievable. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should build a strong safeguarding culture in the home. Incident records must consistently provide all necessary information to enable a thorough review of the incident and the actions taken. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.8)

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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: 2527654 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 14 Foundry House, Waterside Lane, Widnes WA8 8GT

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Inspector

Marina Tully, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2527654 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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