Children's Home run by PCT Care Services Limited in Norfolk

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC471856 1 SC471856

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Registered provider: PCT Care Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to six children, aged between eight and 18, who may have experienced trauma or neglect. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers.

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Information about this inspection

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: SC471856 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 a failure of leaders and managers to ensure that allegations against staff are managed in line with the home’s safeguarding policies  a failure of leaders and managers to provide effective oversight of the home  shortfalls in relation to the home environment  a failure to provide regular supervision to staff  a failure to notify Ofsted of significant incidents in a prompt manner.

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The care of children

Since the previous inspection in May 2022, two children have moved on from the home. They both left the home in an unplanned manner. Progress for all children has been limited.

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The care of children

The home has gone through an unsettled period, with a significant number of incidents taking place. The way that staff respond to children does not demonstrate that they have a good understanding of how the children’s past experiences, including the experience of trauma, impact on children. There is a lack of understanding of what children may be communicating through their behaviour. Some of the wording and language used in records is not child friendly. When staff reflect on incidents, there is not always consideration of the possible causes of behaviour. While leaders and managers have planned training for the team in relation to child development and trauma, this has come too late to help staff to fully understand the needs of children who have already moved on from the home.

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The care of children

The home environment is unwelcoming. There are a number of marks on the walls, and some flooring and carpets are damaged. The wallpaper covering a substantial area of one child’s bedroom is falling away. Staff were unaware of how long the bedroom had looked like this. Outside, there is broken furniture on which children could potentially injure themselves. Although plans are being progressed to improve the home, managers have failed to ensure that the environment is suitable for children.

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The care of children

Some progress has been made for children in relation to their education. Staff work with other professionals to ensure that children have suitable education plans in place. Children are supported to attend school. One child has continued to make sustained progress at school. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC471856 3 The children living at the home are positive about their experiences. There are positive relationships between children and staff. One child said, ‘It’s my home and I love it.’

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The safety of children

Leaders and managers have failed to respond to allegations made against staff in line with the home’s safeguarding policies. When one child made an allegation against the registered manager, the manager responded to the allegation by discussing it with the child themselves. This was done before the allegation had been referred to the designated officer, and before the child’s social worker was informed. This has the potential to compromise any future investigation into the incident and puts the child in a difficult situation. When another child made an allegation against staff, the registered manager failed to refer this to the designated officer until four days after the allegation had been made. Before doing so, the registered manager began to investigate the allegation themselves. Again, this decision had the potential to affect any future investigations. During the inspection, the registered manager failed to demonstrate an understanding of the importance of

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The safety of children

following the home’s safeguarding procedures in relation to managing allegations made against staff.

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The safety of children

Improvements have been made to children’s risk assessments. These assessments now contain fuller information, including appropriate strategies to support staff in managing risks. Staff generally work in line with children’s risk assessments. When children have gone missing from the home, staff have taken appropriate steps to keep them safe and expedite their safe return.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have failed to provide effective oversight of the home. Of the five requirements made at the previous inspection, three have not been met. Furthermore, a recommendation made in relation to the home environment has not been acted on. Two of the requirements made have been repeatedly raised in inspections. Leaders and managers have failed to take effective action in relation to identified shortfalls over a prolonged period of time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Management oversight of incidents in the home is poor. Some incidents are missing any management review. When incidents have been reviewed by managers, this is after significant delays. These reviews are of poor quality. They lack any depth and fail to consider how effectively staff manage incidents. This means that potential learning from incidents, which could support staff to provide better care for children, is not taking place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff and managers are not provided with regular supervision. The home has gone through a very unsettled period, and a failure to provide supervision means that support for staff has been lacking. Opportunities to reflect on and consider how effectively staff are meeting children’s needs, and how well incidents are being managed, are being missed. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC471856 4 There is a failure to consistently notify Ofsted of serious incidents. There are sometimes significant delays in sending notifications following serious incidents. An allegation made against a member of staff was not notified to Ofsted. This failure to notify appropriately impacts on Ofsted’s ability to maintain effective oversight of the home and the service provided. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC471856 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/12/2021 Full Good 24/10/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/06/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC471856 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 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

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)) 24 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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 how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; 24 October 2022 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC471856 7 are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same.

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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;

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that allegations against staff are referred to the designated officer without delay and managed in line with the home’s safeguarding policy. 10 October 2022

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 10 October 2022 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC471856 8 *(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is effective oversight of incidents, that records of consequences are reviewed for their effectiveness and that improvements are made to the home when shortfalls are identified.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the previous inspection and is restated. 24 October 2022

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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.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC471856 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PCT Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Old Hall Farm, Silfield Road, Silfield, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9NH

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Inspector

Joe Cox, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC471856 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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