Children's Home run by Hertfordshire County Council in Hertfordshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 1 SC444176 Registered provider: Hertfordshire County Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a local authority and provides care for up to four children. It aims to provide high-quality care that makes children feel safe and enables them to reach their full potential.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since June 2022 and is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 15 February 2022

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2022 Full Good 27/07/2018 Full Outstanding 08/09/2017 Full Outstanding 20/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 3

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inadequate

Several serious incidents, significant shortfalls in behaviour management and poor managerial oversight have resulted in an inadequate judgement. The children and staff have experienced a turbulent and unsettled time. Children have not experienced the stability that they need.

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inadequate

There are two children living at the home. The dynamics are unstable, as the manager has failed to ensure that the children are appropriately matched. Children feel unsafe. One child spends most of the time in her bedroom or away from the home, due to prolonged incidents involving the other child. This prevents the staff from offering enough support to both children. The first child said that she felt that this was affecting her mental health and well-being.

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inadequate

One child experienced an unplanned move from the home. The staff could not safely manage and support the child, which meant that the child, staff and the other children were not safe.

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inadequate

The home fails to provide children with a safe, welcoming and homely environment. Some carpets need replacing, there are no pictures or ornaments on display and the house needs redecorating. Children are using plastic plates and cups and have to request cutlery from staff. The staff have removed the kettle for safety reasons. These restrictions fail to provide children with the resources and facilities that they need.

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inadequate

The staff do not provide a forum for children to share their views about the home. Children can talk to the manager if they want or need anything. However, there is no record of these discussions and therefore children do not know if their wishes and feelings are being listened to or acted on.

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inadequate

The staff support family visits. Staff take the children to see their families when appropriate and children’s families are welcomed to the home.

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inadequate

Since the last inspection there has been a significant increase in physical restraints. The restraints are recorded, however, the children and staff are not always debriefed afterwards. The records do not include the manager’s evaluation of the effectiveness of the restraint. On a number of occasions, staff have been injured and police have been called to assist the staff.

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inadequate

There have been several complaints made by the neighbours, including one to Ofsted, regarding children’s anti-social behaviour in the local community. Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 4 Children know how to make a complaint. However, the manager does not acknowledge children’s complaints and they do not receive an response . Therefore, it is unclear if children have been spoken to.

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inadequate

Seven of the core staff have recently left the home. This has left a high proportion of agency staff working at the home. The manager is unable to retain staff due to behavioural incidents and related staff injuries. This does not support children to build and maintain positive relationships with the adults who look after them.

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inadequate

Risk assessments are not good enough. These do not include children’s behavioural triggers or clearly guide staff to support children. There is no risk assessment regarding the use of restraints for one child. This is despite restraints being used to prevent potential injuries to the child and staff. The staff regularly use high-level restraints that involve several staff. Although the staff have been trained in high-level restraints, clear guidance in the use of these is not included in behaviour management plans or risk assessments.

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inadequate

Children’s health plans lack detail. For one child, there is no information about her health needs or protocols for the staff to follow. This could result in an inconsistent approach to a child’s needs.

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inadequate

Despite the concerns, the remaining staff have established and maintained positive relationships with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has been in post since June 2022 and has the relevant experience and qualifications to manage the home. However, decisions to take new children, combined with staff shortages and poor matching, have resulted in the children and staff being unsafe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Internal and external monitoring systems are not effective. The independent person’s monthly report does not include the shortfalls identified at this inspection. There has been a failure to address shortfalls, despite some of these being identified by the manager. The management team has failed to review incidents and evaluate these properly. This has compromised the quality of care and led to children feeling unsafe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not received regular supervision. Although agency staff work numerous shifts, supervision has not been provided. This support has not been available at a time when staff feel unsupported, and morale is low.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Some staff have not had comprehensive induction training. They have not been provided with learning opportunities or debriefs to give them the strategies to work with a child with complex behaviours. The staff said that they feel unsupported by senior managers. Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 5 There have been serious incidents, including when police have been called to the home. Ofsted has not always been notified. This failure to share information makes it difficult for Ofsted to monitor the home effectively. Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 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

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 28 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in 28 October 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 7 the child’s best interest when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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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)) 28 October 2022

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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

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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure risk assessments detail strategies for behaviour management. 28 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

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e)) 28 October 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 8 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. (Regulation 13 (1) (2)(a)(h)) 1 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 30 September 2022

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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)) 28 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— 30 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 9 has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 30 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 1 November 2022

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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: SC444176 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hertfordshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Pegs Lane, Hertford SG13 8DQ

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC444176 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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