Children's home run by North East Lincolnshire Council

Inspection report children’s home: SC069618 1 SC069618 Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority. It provides care for one child who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since July 2021. A new manager was appointed and submitted her application in October 2021. This application is now on hold as she is not in work. There is an acting manager in post, who has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC069618 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2022 Full Inadequate 20/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/07/2021 Full Inadequate 03/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC069618 3

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improvement to be good

The child does not receive care from a consistent staff team. The frequent use of agency staff and relief staff does not help the child to build and maintain relationships. Sometimes, just as the child gets to know the staff, they move on. The acting manager continues to try to recruit permanent staff to build the stability and consistency that the child needs.

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improvement to be good

The acting manager recognises the difficulties the child experiences emotionally when staff leave and relationships end. The acting manager is making sure that these endings are positive by arranging special events so that the child can say goodbye properly.

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improvement to be good

The acting manager and staff promote the importance of education. Bespoke educational placements are in place to suit the child’s needs.

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improvement to be good

New monthly planners are helping to provide structured activities for the child. The child responds well to the routine. This gives the child a sense of security because they know what is happening and when. These activities also provide the child with new experiences and social opportunities, including socialising with friends in the community and welcoming friends into the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff help the child to stay healthy. They make sure that the child attends all medical appointments. They promote a range of physical activities, including dog walking, ice skating and swimming. Specialist services give staff advice to help support the child’s emotional well-being.

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improvement to be good

The child is building independence skills. These skills are helping to improve their confidence and prepare them well for later life.

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improvement to be good

The staff have all revisited safeguarding training to meet a requirement set at the last inspection. The training helps them to understand their responsibilities and to know what to do to keep the child safe. The staff training is new and has not yet been fully tested in practice.

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improvement to be good

A requirement set at the last inspection around the use of appropriate physical restraint could not be assessed at this inspection. There has been no use of physical restraint during this period. Incidents of challenging behaviour are reducing. The acting manager ensures that clear routines and boundaries are established. This helps the child to feel safe. The acting manager is also promoting a positive approach to managing any challenging behaviour. New reward schemes created with Inspection report for children’s home: SC069618 4 the child are working well. The child is investing in these schemes and is enjoying the rewards.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are up to date. These help staff to understand the risks to the child. The risk assessments provide staff with actions to manage and reduce these risks. New monitoring systems ensure that agency staff and relief staff read the child’s assessment before they start work. This approach helps to make sure that these staff are familiar with how to keep the child safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff help the child to recognise danger and carry out work with them around specific risks. The child is learning how to stay safe online and in the community.

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good

The acting manager has applied to register with Ofsted. She is focusing her leadership on improving monitoring systems. This additional oversight helps her to understand what works well and identify the areas where she needs to develop practice. She is introducing some positive ways of working. These changes include new support systems for the staff and a greater focus on the child’s experiences and progress.

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good

There has been no six-monthly review of this service prior to the acting manager coming into post. The acting manager recognises the importance of this in helping her to focus her plans. This report is in progress.

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good

The acting manager is not receiving regular supervision. This shortfall does not help her to develop her role and make improvements to the home. Staff receive regular supervision, which helps then to understand their role and how to care for the child. No staff, including the manager, have had an annual appraisal. This means that neither the acting manager or the staff have the opportunity to reflect on their work and set improvement goals.

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good

Staff complete the basic training that they need to do their job. The acting manager also uses team meetings to help staff recognise the importance of their role. A specialist professional from a mental health agency attends team meetings to support staff’s understanding of how to support the child emotionally. The staff are not yet receiving training to help them to fully recognise the extent of the child’s needs.

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good

Relationships between the manager and other professionals are positive. This helps to make sure that information is shared effectively to support the child. When services are not providing good enough support, the manager is quick to challenge this.

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good

The acting manager makes sure that the child’s wishes and feelings are considered. The child is contributing to the daily running of the home and towards all her plans Inspection report for children’s home: SC069618 5 and routines. This is a new development and helps the child to develop a sense of value. Inspection report for children’s home: SC069618 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)) 17 November

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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; and

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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)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 17 November Inspection report for children’s home: SC069618 7 The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) 17 November

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2)) 17 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 17 November

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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: SC069618 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North East Lincolnshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Offices, Knoll Street, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire DN35 8LN

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Inspector

Jamie Richardson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC069618 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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