Children's Home run by Lifeworks Charity Limited in Devon

Inspection report for children's home: SC003792 1 SC003792 Registered provider: Lifeworks Charity Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a charitable trust, providing care and accommodation for children, both on a residential basis and for short breaks.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides six short-break places and four residential places for children who may have learning disabilities, physical disabilities, or a sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager is in post. The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four children were living in the home and 13 children visited for short breaks.

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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 inadequate

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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: SC003792 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/06/2021 Full Good 03/12/2019 Full Good 19/12/2018 Full Good 09/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC003792 3

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improvement to be good

Children and their families are involved with their care, including personalising their rooms. However, many areas of the home lack a homely feel. This includes a broken projector that impacts children’s choices when watching TV. While children have access to a garden, other outside areas are not used because they have not been maintained.

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improvement to be good

Children’s views are gathered in different ways. This includes residents’ meetings that are chaired by children living in the home. Their views inform a range of planned activities that are facilitated by staff. One child spoke to the inspector with delight about day trips and holidays they have enjoyed since living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s positive experiences are not collated or shared in ways that are meaningful for them. Children who rely on visual aids for communication do not always have pictures available to them. This includes photos of staff that help children to understand who is caring for them.

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improvement to be good

Staff demonstrated an understanding of children’s needs in discussion with the inspector. They gave examples of consistent routines, and nurturing approaches used. However, records do not reflect the care demonstrated by staff during discussions. Many children have been supported to develop life skills, such as cooking and washing, and all are receiving education.

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improvement to be good

When significant incidents have occurred, managers and staff have responded swiftly and implemented measures to increase children’s safety. This included appropriate responses to one incident of restraint and one complaint made.

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improvement to be good

Staff who are trained, administer medication to children. When errors have been identified, medical advice has been sought promptly, and action taken to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. However, wider learning has not been implemented. For instance, not all children have plans in place to guide staff what to do if a child is asleep at the time their medication is due.

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improvement to be good

Since the previous inspection, the recruitment of staff has improved. There are robust recruitment procedures in place that reduce the risk of unsuitable people working with children in the home. When agency staff work in the home, the same staff are used to ensure that children are provided with continuity of care.

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improvement to be good

Fire drills involving children and staff are regularly conducted. This helps children to know what to do in the event of a fire. However, the inspector found that the Inspection report for children's home: SC003792 4 children’s evacuation plans are not clearly defined. For instance, they fail to reference how staff should respond at the time of a fire if a child is having a seizure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the previous inspection, the registered manager has resigned. The new manager plans to apply to Ofsted for registration. They have worked in the home for many years and have established relationships with the children and their families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staffing arrangements have been challenging. The home is staffed by a mix of permanent and non-permanent staff. Permanent staff told the inspector that they feel supported. They feel involved with the changes being made in the home, such as improving systems to monitor children’s outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

While staff receive regular supervision, records do not demonstrate reflection and learning that is required to improve practice. Staff receive varied training to support the care of children with complex needs. However, the systems in place to review training are not sufficient. As a result, some staff training is out of date and training recommended at the previous inspection has not progressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The inspector found that there is limited management oversight of records, and that care is not reviewed effectively. Plans do not provide clear guidance for staff to respond to children, including at times of emergencies and when they are distressed. Important information such as education and health assessments are not available.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The recent appointment of the manager and responsible individual has increased oversight in the home. This includes the introduction of audit processes that highlight areas for improvement. As a result, an action plan is in place to address shortfalls that they and the inspector have identified. Inspection report for children's home: SC003792 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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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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;

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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)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(vii) (c)(i)(ii)).

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must take action to review all aspects of the home environment so that it is as homely as possible.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated. 30 September Inspection report for children's home: SC003792 6 In addition, leaders and managers must ensure that children are provided with personalised care that meets their needs. This includes resources for communication.

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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;

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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 the care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; 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)(f)(g)(i)((h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have the necessary training to meet the individual needs of children.

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Requirement Due date

This was a recommendation made at the previous inspection.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there is sufficient oversight of staff practice and records to ensure that care is monitored effectively, and children receive good-quality care. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 30 September Inspection report for children's home: SC003792 7 (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to leaders and managers ensuring that care planning records are kept up to date and clear guidance is provided to staff to meet the current needs of children.

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Requirement Due date

This includes planning that is informed by up-to-date education, health and social care plans.

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Recommendations

The registered person should ensure that staff keep, and encourage children to keep, appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them to record significant life events. In particular, collate photographs and information so that they are organised for individual children to look back on. This recommendation was made at the previous inspection and is restated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC003792 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lifeworks Charity Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Blacklers Park Road, Dartington Hall Estate, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6EQ

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Inspector

Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC003792 9 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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