Children's Home run by Lakeside @ Our Place Limited in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children's home: 2553111 1 Registered provider: Our Place Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this children’s home. It is registered to provide care for 10 children who have learning disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder, and associated challenging behaviours. Children may stay after they reach 18 years old.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not have a registered manager.

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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

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: 2553111 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2553111 3

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improvement to be good

Staff provide the children with opportunities to express their views. They do this by using a range of formats, including visual aids and verbal prompts. Recently, staff have introduced a toy animal, which is being used to prompt discussions around concerns or worries. Staff also use picture sheets and cards that enable children to indicate their feelings. This support is helping the children to learn new communication skills and influence their experiences in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote education and communicate on a regular basis with all the education provisions that the children attend. They enable the children’s good attendance by providing transport and supporting in lessons when required. They are aware of the children’s educational targets, and where possible integrate them into activities in the home. As a result, the children enjoy school and are continuing to develop skills.

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improvement to be good

The children participate in a range of activities and experiences. They enjoy spending time in the newly installed sensory hub and relaxation pod, which overlooks a lake. They also like the outside games cabin, which has a pool table and a large television. The staff in the home enjoy planning and engaging the children in activities specific to their needs, for example, an edible sensory game for a child with pica. This variety of opportunities helps children to develop their interests and increase their confidence.

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improvement to be good

Staff work in partnership with external health professionals and the service’s clinical team to ensure the children become healthier, both physically and emotionally. For example, staff are skilled at supporting children to overcome fears and anxieties around attending medical appointments. As a result, the children receive the treatment they require.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children develop life skills at a pace that suits them. The staff set achievable targets for the children and regularly review their progress towards achieving them. This helps staff to identify where additional support is needed. However, activities, targets and forward planning for those children moving towards adulthood is limited. There are missed opportunities for organising joint age- and ability-appropriate activities, outings and social events. Instead, older children spend time on their own or in the company of staff. As a result, they are not being supported to learn valuable new independence and social skills in advance of moving out of the home.

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improvement to be good

The home is pleasant, warm and welcoming. Since the last inspection, children’s bedrooms have been redecorated and the gardens have benefited from additional play equipment. There are plans in place to further improve the home, including painting the lounges and replacing furniture. This will ensure that the home remains comfortable. Inspection report for children's home: 2553111 4

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improvement to be good

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs, risks and vulnerabilities and the actions that they are expected to take to keep children safe. Children’s written risk assessments include all known factors that may compromise their safety. This means that staff are informed and competent when responding to risk.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding arrangements in the home require improvement. The manager failed to ensure that all advice given by the local safeguarding team was considered during an investigation into a staff member’s practice. Furthermore, children are not always spoken to when they have witnessed inappropriate practice from staff. This approach to safeguarding fails to protect children and staff.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of physical restraint have reduced. On some occasions, staff have used restraint to keep children safe when they have become distressed. This practice is appropriate and proportionate. Managers ensure that children are spoken with following incidents of restraint and managers complete a monthly incident analysis. This improves the managers’ understanding of the steps that staff take to settle children and helps to identify additional strategies that can be used to support the children.

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improvement to be good

Medication is safely stored and administered. Staff consult with health professionals when changes to medication are required. This action from staff improves well-being for children.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment of staff is safe and robust. All staff are subject to employment checks before they start working in the home. This ensures that staff are suitable to work with children.

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improvement to be good

Surveillance is used in the home as a means to monitor children. CCTV is used in external areas and the staff use radios to communicate with each other about children’s movements. During the inspection, managers told the inspector that door alarms were used on certain doors at night, and then later stated that this was not the case. The use of surveillance is not clear in the home’s statement of purpose and there is no assessment of children’s needs to support the requirement of these measures. This lack of oversight and review means that children may be experiencing unnecessary and restrictive practices.

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improvement to be good

Staff carry out regular health and safety checks. All children have personal evacuation plans and regular fire evacuations take place. The home has a location risk assessment. However, the assessment has not been updated to reflect the changes to the home and to consider the impact of the neighbouring children’s home. Therefore, the risks in the home’s local area are not considered and strategies for managing these risks are not clear. Inspection report for children's home: 2553111 5

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good

Since the last inspection, there has been a change in the management structure. A new responsible individual has been appointed and there are plans for a new manager to join the leadership team. The responsible individual and the head of care currently have day-to-day responsibility for the home. Despite the shortfalls found at inspection, staff know children well and are committed to improving the care they provide.

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good

There are sufficient and consistent staff in place to support the children. However, managers have not ensured the rota is kept up to date to evidence which staff have worked on each shift. As a result, records do not give a true and accurate overview for any future reference or safeguarding investigation.

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good

Staff do not currently receive good-quality training that equips them with the knowledge to provide well-informed care. For example, less than half of the staff have completed water safety training, despite managers identifying this as a requirement, to reduce the risk presented by the lake in the grounds of the home. The manager acknowledges that staff require further support and there are plans to provide staff with additional training. For example, staff are now completing self- injurious behaviour training and deprivation of liberty training. Additionally, despite being involved in the day-to-day management of the home, it is not clear what training the responsible individual has completed. Therefore, the manager cannot demonstrate that staff are suitably trained in understanding and responding to children’s risks and needs.

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good

Staff told the inspector that they feel supported by the leadership team. Staff benefit from regular supervision and have opportunities to discuss children’s progress and examine their practice. As a result, staff understand the children’s needs well and are eager to develop their own skills.

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good

Staff keep children’s written care plans under review. However, the manager has not ensured that agencies provide the correct documents. For example, the deprivation of liberty order for one child living in the home has expired, and staff continue to use the restrictions. This was addressed during the inspection. In addition, key documents, such as the local authority care and placement plans, were not present in children’s case files. The manager has failed to escalate this shortfall within reasonable timescales. As a result, this may impact on the child’s experiences in the home.

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good

The manager has monitoring systems in place. However, while these identify some strengths and areas to develop, their overall impact is variable. For example, raised at this inspection had not been identified. This means that opportunities to improve the quality of care are not actioned.

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good

The home’s most recent statement of purpose is not updated in line with regulation. Children have been admitted to the home who have been younger than the age Inspection report for children's home: 2553111 6 stated in the admissions procedure. In addition, the document has not been updated to reflect the new behaviour management technique that is used or the changes to the staff team. This means that Ofsted does not have the most up-to- date information about the care provided. Inspection report for children's home: 2553111 7

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that concerns about staff practice are responded to promptly and that thorough investigation is completed. In addition, the provider must ensure that children understand the steps taken to investigate and respond to concerns raised against care staff. 02 September

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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

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 that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and 02 September Inspection report for children's home: 2553111 8 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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that staff have received training which is specific to meet the needs of the children. Additionally, the manager must review and evaluate the quality of care and improve practice.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the statement of purpose being clear about the care provided in the home. 02 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children. (Regulation 24 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that door alarms, CCTV and radios are only used as set out in a child’s agreed risk assessment. 02 September

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs a rising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i)) 02 September

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the home having an up-to-date rota. 02 September Inspection report for children's home: 2553111 9

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Recommendations

 The registered person should support staff to be ambitious for every child in the home and to gain skills and experiences that enable them to actively support each child to achieve their potential. To ensure that staff understand and can meet each child’s needs, the registered person themselves will need to have a high level of understanding of the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.5)  The registered person should ensure that the review of the location includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph)

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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: 2553111 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lakeside @ Our Place Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lakeside, Bransford, Worcester, Worcestershire WR6 5JE

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Inspectors

Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Dawn Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2553111 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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