Children's Home run by St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council in St Helens

Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 1 SC063550 Registered provider: St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home. The statement of purpose states that the home is registered to provide care for up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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: sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection: none

Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/11/2019 Full Inadequate 11/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 3

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improvement to be good

One child continues to live at this home. The child has positive relationships with staff. The child told inspectors that she likes the staff. The child talked animatedly about how staff surprised her by decorating her bedroom and tying a ribbon around her bedroom door. The child enjoys weekly swimming lessons and playing rugby.

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improvement to be good

The child’s plans are individualised and include information about the child. However, further work is required to ensure that plans include all current information in respect of the child. This is necessary so that staff can identify clear goals and actions for staff to follow to support the child. Furthermore, this will demonstrate the progress of the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote the child’s education and, as a result, the child attends school. The child told inspectors that she enjoys school. The child has an education, health and social care plan. This plan is not up to date. Leaders and managers have escalated this, although the updated plan has not been completed. Therefore, staff do not know if the child’s current school is the best school to meet her needs.

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improvement to be good

The child has complex health needs. Although leaders and managers take action to address the child’s needs, staff practice is inconsistent. Leaders and managers accept that practice needs to be consistent to improve the child’s health.

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improvement to be good

Specialist help is available for the child. For example, a speech and language assessment was recently completed in respect of the child. The assessment recommends strategies to support the child. However, these strategies are not included in the child’s plans. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that practice is consistent and that all staff have the necessary information to care effectively for the child.

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improvement to be good

The child told the inspector that she is kept safe by staff. She said that she can talk to staff and that staff listen to her.

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improvement to be good

Staff help the child stay safe. For example, staff talk to the child about internet safety, road safety and appropriate friendships.

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improvement to be good

The child has a risk assessment that addresses her vulnerabilities. Risk assessments include strategies for staff to reduce risk and support the child’s behaviour. However, plans would be enhanced by robust evaluation from leaders and managers to ensure that strategies to reduce risk and support the child’s behaviour continue to be relevant and include current strategies. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 4 There have been incidents in school when the child was harmed by other pupils. Records demonstrate that leaders and managers communicate with education professionals about this. However, there is no clear plan in place to demonstrate what strategies are in place to manage this situation and reduce the risk of harm to the child.

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improvement to be good

Since the previous inspection, there have been incidents of physical intervention. Records demonstrate that staff use physical intervention to keep the child and staff safe. However, incidents are not always managed in line with regulation. This is particularly in relation to ensuring that the child and staff are spoken to within the relevant timescales. This is necessary to ensure that the true effectiveness of the measure is evaluated.

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improvement to be good

Furthermore, some records in relation to incidents of physical intervention include the child making allegations against staff. Records do not consistently demonstrate if immediate action is taken when the child makes an allegation against a member of staff. Leaders and managers accept that recording needs to improve to ensure that all actions taken are recorded and evaluated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been no registered manager in post since March 2020. This lack of a permanent manager has had an impact on the overall leadership and management at the home, and had an impact on staff’s ability to provide the child with consistent care. Leaders and managers have not taken sufficient action to address this, and a requirement to appoint a manager is repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff talk about positive changes since the previous inspection. Staff describe the acting manager as supportive and say that things are improving. Staff also say that this has helped to improve morale in the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff attend frequent team meetings. Records demonstrate that staff reflect on their practice and talk about the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of the child’s case records is inconsistent. For example, incident reports do not always include accurate information. A requirement is made to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are gaps in leaders and managers’ monitoring and review systems. Therefore, leaders and managers cannot consistently evaluate staff practice to make continuous improvements to the child’s care. Furthermore, because the child’s plans do not contain all relevant information, it is difficult for leaders and managers to consistently measure progress to know that the child is achieving her full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are gaps in staff training. Staff practice would be enhanced by specific training to meet the child’s individual needs, for example training in attention deficit disorder. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 5 Internal monitoring reports are not consistently sent to Ofsted in line with regulation. This means that Ofsted cannot effectively monitor the quality of care provided for the child. This was a requirement at the last inspection and is repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not met all the requirements from the previous inspection. This does not demonstrate that leaders and managers have made improvements in the home to improve the quality of care that the child receives. Repeat requirements are therefore made. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 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 homes 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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to ensuring that all relevant information is included in the child’s plans. 7 November 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

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 harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation ensuring that the child’s risk assessments include all known risks with current strategies to manage risk. 7 November 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

promotes their welfare. 7 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 7 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

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 care provided in the home; 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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is particularly in relation to staff understanding the impact the care has on children’s overall progress and experiences.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers need to improve their overall monitoring and review systems to ensure that improvements to children’s care are consistently made.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) 19 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. 7 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 8 The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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")—

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Requirement Due date

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 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3) (a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)((ii)(c)) Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 9 The registered person must maintain records( "case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 7 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b)(c) (5) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e) 7 November 2022

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 10

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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: SC063550 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Children & Young Peoples Services, Atlas House, 2 Corporation Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA9 1LD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Paula Swindlehurst

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Inspectors

Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Amie Anders, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC063550 12 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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