Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 1 SC043697 Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private home provides care for up to seven children. The home’s statement of purpose states that children living in this home may have a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The current interim manager is due to leave his position in the next few weeks. The home currently has no registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit took place on 6 October 2021, due to an escalation in significant safeguarding notifications received by Ofsted. The visit focused on the safety and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. Three compliance notices were served under regulations 11, 12 and 13. A further monitoring visit was conducted on 15 November 2021 to review the compliance notices. All the compliance notices were found to be suitably met. Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/07/2021 Full Good 07/01/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/10/2018 Full Good 27/02/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 3

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inadequate

There are currently four children living in this home. The quality of care has been impaired by the inconsistencies of different managers overseeing the home. Social workers reported that there has been a negative impact on the quality of care for children because of the changing management arrangements. Inspectors found that, over an extended period, the staff team has not received clear direction and guidance. Consequently, good-quality care for children is not sustained.

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inadequate

Children have also not received continuity of care from a stable staff team. This has significantly affected their overall experiences and progress while living in the home. Inspectors found that the identified therapeutic support is not being delivered to children by the staff team. This is because the turnover of core staff and high numbers of agency staff are resulting in staff working in the home who are not suitably experienced or trained to deliver daily therapeutic-informed care to children. This means that the provider is not working in line with the aims and objectives set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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inadequate

For one child, there has been a significant delay in their therapeutic input starting, despite this being part of their agreed care plan. Additionally, some placing authorities have not been provided with clear plans of therapeutic support for children.

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inadequate

The staff team talk about children positively and recognise their individual needs. Children told inspectors about the positive relationships and fun that they have with staff and their key workers. Children also say that the staff talk to them to help them become calmer when they are feeling upset.

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inadequate

Children enjoy going to school. They understand that this is part of their daily routine. They have consistent school attendance and make progress in their education.

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inadequate

The current manager’s approach to children’s general grumbles and complaints ensures that children are consulted throughout their review of the children’s grumbles and complaints. There are also opportunities for children to share their views and feelings about their experiences of living in the home in a less formal way. ‘Have your say’ consultations take place regularly with all children. The manager responds by providing feedback for children so that they know their views are listened to and can see any action taken.

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

On arrival to the home, inspectors were able to enter the grounds and the home without being stopped or seen by any staff on duty. The independent visitor has also Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 4 been able to access the home without being challenged by staff on one occasion. This lack of security measures means that children are not being kept safe from the busy main road outside the home. Additionally, children are not being kept safe from any potential risks from people in the community being able to access the home.

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

The internal and external premises of the home are not monitored effectively to ensure that children’s safety and welfare are maintained. Inspectors found that outside tables were broken with exposed sharp nails, and the grounds were untidy and presented health and safety hazards. The cleanliness of the home environment and children’s bedrooms is poor.

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

Inspectors found that the staff team does not always understand or consider broader safeguarding risks for children. There has been a lack of professional curiosity by managers and staff to ensure that children are protected from harm when accessing activities in the community. Furthermore, managers have failed to take any action to formally investigate concerns associated with children regularly accessing age-inappropriate activities in the community while being supervised by staff.

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

Managers and staff have failed to consistently follow safe procedures in relation to keeping children safe when managing allegations. On one occasion, the manager has failed to notify Ofsted about a serious concern raised by a child’s parent. There has also been a delay in notifying a placing authority and the local authority designated officer when a child alleged that they had been injured by a member of staff. The staff team failed to seek professional medical advice relating to the child’s alleged head injury. Additionally, when a child disclosed alleged abuse by previous carers, the staff team failed to notify the emergency duty team to immediately safeguard any children still placed with the carers.

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

Children do not always receive support through direct work to help them to reduce risks. On one occasion, the manager identified that a child should be supported to engage in some risk-reduction work following a serious incident on the motorway. However, the staff team has failed to carry out this direct work with the child to help educate them about road and car safety.

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

When managers have identified concerns about staff’s ability to take suitable action to safeguard children, staff have not been provided with the necessary training to help them to develop their broader understanding of safeguarding. This includes whistle-blowing, safeguarding and missing-from-home training.

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

Suitable action is not always taken to ensure that staff are safe to work with children before commencing their work with them. This specifically relates to managers having failed to obtain full and satisfactory checks for new staff. Therefore, children are not always safeguarded effectively from staff who may be a potential risk to them. Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been a lack of oversight by leaders and managers in relation to the operation of the home. This has resulted in children not being adequately safeguarded and has impacted on the quality of care. The home has experienced a long period of instability due to significant changes to management and the staff team. Three different managers have been recruited in the last 12 months.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Social workers and staff told inspectors that there have been some improvements since the current manager has been in post. Inspectors also found some improvements in some areas, including oversight of incident records, action taken by managers to address poor staff practice, and regular lessons-learned practice reviews being undertaken. However, the current manager is due to leave his position soon and so this is not guaranteed to be sustained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been a high turnover of staff since the last inspection. There are 16 members of staff who have left their positions and 13 new members of staff who have been introduced to the home. A further two staff have submitted their resignations. Since the last inspection, the home has used 61 different agency staff on 247 separate occasions. As a result, children are not receiving care and support from a consistent team of staff who are suitably trained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff are not provided with regular practice-related supervision. This means that they are not adequately supported or enabled to conduct their role to keep children safe effectively. From commencing in post, the new manager has not received sufficient levels of support or regular formal supervision from senior managers. There has been a lack of oversight by the senior management team to closely monitor the operation of the home as the new manager settles into their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have failed to proportionately risk assess some children’s behaviour support plans in a way that considers the high number of incidents that children have been involved in. This means that the staff team is provided with inaccurate information about children’s risks, which has impaired the staff team’s level of vigilance in safeguarding children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of restraint records and debriefs with children and staff has improved. However, there has been a significantly high number of restraints over the last 12 months. Managers have failed to identify any patterns and trends relating to these incidents. Consequently, managers have failed to redirect the staff team to work positively with children to help reduce the numbers of restraints and help children to find alternative ways to manage their behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

As a result of the inspection findings, a restriction of accommodation notice has been served, which means that no additional children can move into the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)) 25 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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; 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; 25 September Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 7 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)(b)(d))

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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)(c)(d)(e)(h)) 25 September

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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.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), 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 (1) (3)(a) (5)) 25 September

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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. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 25 September Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 8 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d)) 25 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 25 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 25 September

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC043697 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pearce House, 80 Cawdor Street, Eccles M30 0QF

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Inspectors

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Sarah Urding, Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC043697 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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