Children's Home run by A-Triangle Care Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 1 Registered provider: A-Triangle Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a private provider.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2022.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted.

p.1

inadequate

Date of last inspection: 23 November 2021

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 16/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 3

p.2

inadequate

Children who live at this home experience varied outcomes. At the time of this inspection, there was one child living at the home. The child is settled and he is engaging well with the activities on offer. However, other children have experienced a lack of robust care planning and poor risk management. These shortfalls have contributed to the breakdown of their placement at the home.

p.3

inadequate

Some children experience a lack of structure, and their day-to day care is not well planned. For example, when children are not in education, the manager has not always ensured that activities and routines are in place to support their re- engagement with education. A lack of routine meant that one child would stay up late into the night and often stay in bed during the day.

p.3

inadequate

Children do not always receive effectively planned care. For example, one child was admitted to the home following several failed placements. Despite this child’s history, there was no clear plan outlining how staff should engage this child and disrupt the cycle of broken placements. Staff were not able to engage this child in planned activities or education while he lived there.

p.3

inadequate

Staff do communicate expectations about behaviour to children. The child currently living at the home is engaging well with staff and accepting new rules and boundaries. However, other children have been more unsettled and staff have been unable to engage them with daily routines and structured activities.

p.3

inadequate

Child’s care plans are brief and do not contain detailed information about children’s additional needs and how staff should support them. Some sections of children’s care plans are incomplete. This does not support staff to care for children in a consistent way. Some staff demonstrated a lack of knowledge about children’s histories and current needs. For example, the manager did not know why one child was on medication.

p.3

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

The risks to children living at this home are not consistently identified or understood. For example, one child was found in possession of a knife which he told staff he carried for protection. The manager failed to undertake an assessment of this risk or take action to understand why the child felt unsafe and what he felt he needed protection from.

p.3

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

Risk management plans do not contain sufficient detail about known risks to children. Furthermore, staff do not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of these risks. For example, one child has previously attempted self-harm using a ligature made from a cable. This occurred at a previous placement; however, the manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 4 has not assessed whether this is a current risk. In addition, staff told the inspector that they were unaware of this aspect of the child’s history. The manager took action during the inspection to address shortfalls in the risk management plan for this child. However, a requirement is made to secure improvement.

p.3

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

When risks to children are identified by staff, the manager has not always ensured that there is a robust risk management plan in place to reduce these risks. For example, when one child self-harmed using a razor, the manager failed to assess this specific risk and provide staff with guidance about how they should act to reduce risk.

p.4

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

One child has unsupervised time in the community and has made friends with other children who live nearby. This has helped the child to settle in and grow in confidence. However, the child has told staff of occasions when he has felt threatened by other children in a local park. The risks associated with unsupervised time have not been assessed. In addition, while staff do conduct welfare checks on the child when he is out of the home, they have not been provided with guidance about the timing of these checks. This does not support staff to care for children in a consistent manner.

p.4

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

There are significant shortfalls in the records of significant events in the home. Some reports contain gaps in information that pertain to the actions staff have taken to protect children. The manager has not taken action to investigate these gaps and assure himself that staff have taken effective action to safeguard children. For example, when one child refused to hand a razor in to staff, there is no record of the action staff took and no record that the razor was retrieved from the child.

p.4

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

The manager has not made sure that timely and appropriate repairs are made to the fabric of the building. In addition, he has not ensured that some aspects of the environment do not present a risk to children. For example, the manager has not assessed the risk of the presence of cables in the bedroom of a child with a history of using a ligature to self-harm.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are shortfalls in the leadership and management of this home. These shortfalls have an adverse impact on the way children are helped and protected. Furthermore, leaders and managers have not yet been effective in prioritising and making improvements. A requirement made under regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, at the last full inspection is repeated at this inspection to secure improvement.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager’s monitoring system is not sufficiently robust to identify shortfalls in risk management and care planning standards. The manager does not use learning from significant events to shape practice. For example, he has not always ensured that additional risk management measures are put in place following significant safeguarding incidents to minimise the risk of their reoccurrence. Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 5 The registered manager has failed to adequately assess all known risks to the safety and well-being of children. This means that staff are not always provided with written guidance to support them to manage risks safely and consistently. In addition, there is a reliance on verbal handovers between staff. Records of these discussions do not record important information about changes to children’s care. This makes it difficult for staff to access information about how they should care for

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

children in the manager’s absence. For example, when a decision was made for a child not to have access to razors, this is not recorded in the day’s shift handover, the child’s care plan or as a control measure in the child’s risk management plan.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Not all documents are signed by their author and some records have the incorrect dates recorded on them. Furthermore, the language in some reports about children is judgemental and not written in a way that is helpful to the child. A recommendation was made about this matter at the last inspection and it is repeated at this inspection.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not have effective oversight of events in the home. For example, the manager was unaware that a child’s bedroom had been searched by staff and there is no record kept of this room search. This lack of oversight is compromising the manager’s ability to monitor and evaluate the quality of care provide to children at the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are shortfalls in the records the manager is required to keep in relation to a children’s home. For example, the statement of purpose is not updated with the names and experience of staff currently employed at the home. In addition, the admissions and discharge register does not comply with regulation. Requirements are made to address this.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is high staff retention and this means that children benefit from continuity of care. Staff report that morale is high and that they feel supported by their manager.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Six requirements have been made to address the shortfalls identified during the inspection. Two requirements are subject to compliance notices and the progress the provider is making will be closely monitored by Ofsted. Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

* The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(d)) 26 June 2022

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 26 June 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 7 promotes their welfare.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

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.

p.7

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)(b)(f)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(e)(i)) 26 June 2022

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 26 June 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 8 The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

p.7

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 26 June 2022

p.8

Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date.

p.8

Requirement Due date

This refers specifically to the home’s register of children. 26 June 2022

p.8

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered person should undertake a review, every six months, that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. This review should include the feedback and opinions of children and other stakeholders. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way and non-judgemental way that distinguishes between fact and opinion. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children who are not engaging in education should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15) Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 9  The registered person should ensure that a record is kept of any searches of children’s bedrooms conducted by staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20) Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 10

p.8

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: 2557064 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider: A-Triangle Care Ltd

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Crescent East, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire FY5 3LJ

p.11

Inspector

Sophie Thomson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2557064 12 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.

p.11

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.12