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

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 1 Registered provider: Our Place Limited

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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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Inspection date: 2 August 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 2 August 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children are settled in the home. Many of the children have lived in the home for over two years. They enjoy positive relationships with the staff. During the inspection, the inspectors noted warm interactions between the children and the staff.

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The care of children

The children participate in a range of activities and experiences. They enjoy spending time in the outside cabin, where they can play pool. One child has started judo lessons, which they enjoy. Another young person is in part-time employment, which has promoted his independence. These opportunities help children to develop their social and developmental skills.

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The care of children

All but two children are in education. Staff promote children’s education and they work closely with professionals to ensure educational targets are met. This ensures that children are receiving education in line with their needs.

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The care of children

There were nine children living at the home at the time of the inspection. Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home. The planning for this child was not child-centred and the managers had not considered the complexities and risks of the other children in the home. In addition, the child’s needs were not matched against the staff’s skill set. Although the child has settled, this practice does not ensure that all children will receive care in line with their needs.

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The care of children

Overall, the home is welcoming, however, some aspects of the home look tired. For example, one child’s bedroom wall has different colours patches of paint and another child’s bathroom has stains on the floor. The additional play equipment and sensory hub in the garden are beneficial for the children. The outside area needs maintenance. During the inspection, the inspectors noted areas overgrown with nettles and weeds. This does not help children to feel valued.

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The safety of children

Staff understand the children’s needs, risks and behaviours. However, inspectors found that risk assessments for children who are subject to deprivation of liberty orders (DLO) do not always include information about how staff are expected to keep children safe in line with the DLO. Furthermore, one young person’s risk assessment should be reviewed with him every time he has free time in the community. However, this is not always done by staff. This means that strategies in place to manage risks to the children are not available to staff, which has the potential to leave the children at risk of harm. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 3 Incidents of physical restraint have reduced. When physical restraints are used, this is as a last resort and to keep children safe. Staff ensure that any physical restraint is carried out in line with the children’s behavioural support plans and is

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The safety of children

proportionate. Managers use several communication tools to ensure that children are given the opportunity to express their views. However, staff are not always spoken to after they have been involved in a restraint. This means that they are not provided with the opportunity to evaluate or reflect upon their practice.

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The safety of children

The home has a location risk assessment. However, the assessment does not include any consultation with the wider community, such as the police. Therefore, the risks in the home’s local area are not considered and strategies for managing these risks are not clear.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Since the last inspection, the newly appointed manager has withdrawn his application to register with Ofsted. A new manager has been appointed and was due to start at the end of August. The responsible individual and head of care currently have day-to-day responsibility for the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The managers have monitoring systems in place that identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The introduction of regular meetings also supports the managers to identify and address any staff practice issues. These systems are in their infancy and not yet fully embedded, however, they are starting to support the managers to develop the quality of care provided to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There are sufficient and consistent staff in place to support the children. Any gaps in the rota are covered by the core staff team and the home rarely uses agency staff. This means that children are cared for by staff who know them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Shortfalls identified at the previous inspection with regard to staff training have not been addressed. For example, not all staff have completed their first-aid training, and on a significant number of occasions there were no staff on shift who had undertaken first-aid training. At the time of writing this report, the managers had taken steps to address this shortfall. The lack of appropriate training does not provide staff with the opportunity to develop their skills and learning and embed these into their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The home’s statement of purpose is not updated in line with regulation. Children are living in the home beyond the age that is stated in the admissions procedure. In addition, the document does not reflect the circumstances in which young people over the age of 18 can live at the home. This means that Ofsted does not have the most up-to-date information about the care provided. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/05/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 5

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home;(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(I)(ii)))

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Requirement Due date

The specifically relates to the home being appropriately decorated, maintained and clean. 13 September

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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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. 13 September Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 6 (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that risk assessments contain up-to-date, clear and specific guidance for staff to follow.

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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

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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)(a)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that staff have received training which is specific to meeting the needs of the children. Additionally, the manager must review and evaluate the quality of care and improve practice. 13 September

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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. 13 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)) 13 September Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 7 This specifically relates to ensuring that door alarms, CCTV and radios are only used as set out in a child’s agreed risk assessment.

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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)) 13 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs.

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (1) (2)(a) 13 September

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Recommendations

 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 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 8 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 9

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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

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2553111 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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