Children's Home run by Fairfield Residential Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 1 SC397987 Registered provider: Fairfield Residential Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to two children with learning disabilities. It was registered by Ofsted in October 2009.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since December 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: 22 February 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/10/2019 Full Good 06/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 3

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improvement to be good

There is one child living in this home. The child has several health needs that limit their social interaction and communication. The child was able to communicate to the inspector that they were happy and safe living in this home. In addition, the inspector observed the child being well cared for by staff, who demonstrated that they knew the child’s routines well. A parent said, ‘My son is confident to express his needs. Staff treat him like one of the family.’

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improvement to be good

Health records identify the child’s specific health needs. There are clear protocols around the child receiving as needed medication and prescribed medication. The child has a health passport that helps health professionals to care for them well. However, the same information regarding the child’s health needs is in five separate documents, such as their medical diagnosis and a list of medication. There is little information about the progress the child has made with their health. In conjunction with this, the deputy manager and staff are not aware of the local offer that sets out the support available for children with special educational needs or disabilities. This is a missed opportunity to access additional resources for the child.

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improvement to be good

The child attends the company’s school and their attendance is very good. The deputy manager has the child’s education health care plan (EHCP) and personal education plan (PEP). The deputy manager knew that these documents were poorly written and had not been updated with the correct information, but she had not challenged the local authority about these issues. For example, the EHCP states that the child’s reading age is nine years old, but the educational report, provided by the school for the child’s EHCP review, states that the child’s reading age is15. Likewise, the PEP has a list of potential court orders and placement options that are all ticked. Plus, the next review date, for each section, is the same date that the PEP meeting was held. In addition, the deputy manager has not formulated an education plan that would help staff to understand how to support the child with his education.

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improvement to be good

The child’s file is cumbersome because old information has not been archived. For example, there are three PRN risk assessments, old PEPs and several care plans on the file. This does not ensure that staff have the most relevant information to support the child well. Further to this, there is little information about the child’s starting point, what staff have done to help the child progress and what progress the child has made. Therefore, the home’s records do not represent a significant contribution to the child’s life history or journey through care.

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improvement to be good

The child lives in a home that is furnished and maintained to a good standard. He is offered a range of activities to help him to develop his social skills and to have fun. The staff understand the importance of family relationships for the child. As a result, the child has been able to build secure attachments with their family members. Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 4

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improvement to be good

Staff’s good safeguarding practice means that the child is protected from harm. Since coming to live at the home, the child has become significantly safer. However, there is little information in the child’s records to show how this was achieved.

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improvement to be good

There have been no safeguarding incidents to report to the relevant safeguarding professionals. Staff are not complacent and understand the child’s vulnerabilities and risks. They know what they must do when they are concerned about the child’s safety at home or out in the community.

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improvement to be good

Staff actively assess potential risks to the child. They follow up-to-date plans to keep the child safe. Staff take reasonable precautions, based on the child’s needs, age and understanding, to support him to take risks as part of his development.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff have created a safe and positive environment that helps the child to be emotionally secure and to thrive. Staff help the child to self-regulate their own behaviour. They anticipate issues well and have a good understanding of the triggers for the child’s behaviour. Consequently, staff respond to incidents in a calm, controlled, professional and sensitive way.

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improvement to be good

Physical restraint has not been used in this home for some time. The staff only use physical intervention when it is necessary to keep children or others safe. This demonstrates the staff’s skills and ability to defuse potentially unsafe behaviour successfully. Likewise, children have not been reported missing from this home.

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improvement to be good

The deputy manager has a location risk assessment but she has not identified any risks within the local community, such as nearby bridges, roads and bodies of water. Therefore, she is unable to demonstrate that consideration is given to these risks when children come to live at the home.

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good

The registered manager resigned in December 2021. The company is actively recruiting for the manager’s position. The deputy manager is being supported to undertake this role until a manager has been recruited.

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good

Staff receive monthly supervision sessions which support them in their role and enable them to reflect and develop their skills and practice. Appraisals focus on the development of individual staff members, as well as the home overall. However, the deputy manager does not have a workforce plan that identifies things such as the timescales for induction, probation and supervision.

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good

Regular team meetings give staff the opportunity to reflect on the child’s progress, on how to improve the support they give to the child on how to develop their skills Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 5 and knowledge, and on the emotional impact of the work. As a result, staff said that they were supported and enjoyed working in this home.

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good

Staff have a range of life experiences and qualifications. They are skilled in working with children, and they are passionate and compassionate. Staff receive training to support their learning, and the deputy manager has a clear system in place to make sure that staff have received mandatory training.

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good

Monitoring and review systems are weak. The independent visitor report and the quality of care review lack analysis, evaluation and reflection and have not been sent to the regulator in a timely manner. This does not ensure that the acting manager has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Further to this, some records, such as key-working sessions, have not been signed and evaluated by the deputy manager. Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 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 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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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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 any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of 31 August 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 7 exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8(1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that there is clear information about a child’s educational history, needs, academic level and progress.

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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

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the home’s records show the child’s starting point, journey and progress. 23 August 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

does not satisfy regulation 28; or 31 August 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 8 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)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the regulator is kept up to date with the steps taken to appoint a registered manager.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5) 31 August 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 9 Specifically, ensure that the report is evaluative, analytical and includes consultation with children, parents and stakeholders. Also, that the report is sent to the regulator in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the report is evaluative, analytical and includes consultation with children, parents and stakeholders. 31 August 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 10 The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should include the immediate and surrounding risks within the community in the location report. Also, whether these risks would have an impact on any future placements in the home. 31 August 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a placing authority does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs. Specifically, ensure that poor or incorrect information is challenged appropriately. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that managers and staff are aware of the local offer setting out the support available for children with special educational needs or disabilities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 26, paragraph 5.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20) (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. This is specifically in relation to the structure of the children’s files. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records kept in the children’s home are signed, dated and evaluated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 11

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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 children’s home: SC397987 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Fairfield Residential Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 108 Whitworth Road, Rochdale OL12 0JJ

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Inspectors

Pam Nuckley, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC397987 13 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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