Children's Home run by Enhanced Young Persons Care Limited in Middlesbrough

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC455864 1 SC455864

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Registered provider: Enhanced Young Persons Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care for up to eight children with social, emotional and/or mental health disorders, excluding learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector spoke to two of the three children who live in the home during this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager. There is an interim manager in day-to-day control of the running of the home.

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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. The inspector 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: SC455864 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

The home is well presented, and some areas have been redecorated. Children are consulted, and their views are incorporated when decisions are made about updating the home. This inclusion helps to show the children that their input is valued.

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The care of children

The competing needs of the children already living in the home are assessed when new children move into the home. One professional said, in relation to the support a child received from staff when they moved into the home:

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The care of children

‘The staff understand that the matching process is really important. There were plenty of opportunities for [name of child] to build relationships before they moved in.’

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The care of children

Leaders swiftly and persistently escalate their concerns when they identify that the children’s educational needs change. This approach has helped to secure a tutor for a child while an education placement is sourced. Consequently, each child continues to make progress with their education.

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The care of children

Closed-circuit television devices are appropriately placed so that they act as a suitable security measure to help to protect the home from intruders. However, the necessary permission for this measure is not obtained for any of the children. This means that there is no written consent in place for this practice.

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The safety of children

Safeguarding concerns are promptly shared with the relevant agencies, and leaders swiftly put measures in place to help to protect the children from harm.

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The safety of children

Children’s risk assessments contain their known vulnerabilities and the actions that the staff should take to reduce the risks to children. Staff adhere to the strategies that are in place, which helps to keep the children safe.

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The safety of children

Staff respond with a sense of urgency to children who go missing from the home, and they follow the appropriate protocols. In addition to children having an opportunity to speak to an independent person following a missing-from-home incident, staff also talk to the children. This approach promotes a collective effort to understanding and supporting the children with the issues that they face. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC455864 3 Key-work sessions focus on pertinent issues so that children receive topical and relevant guidance from staff. This helps the children to broaden their understanding of what it means to be safe.

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The safety of children

Consequences are used to help to teach the children that they are responsible for their behaviour. However, the records of the consequences used do not always include the details of why the consequence was imposed or for how long this is in place. Additionally, leaders do not always scrutinise this practice to help to ensure that this is fair and proportionate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The interim manager is supported by senior staff and leaders. Together, they have implemented monitoring systems which they use to scrutinise and evaluate how to raise the standard of care that the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders keep the statement of purpose under review and ensure that it contains the current management arrangements. The relevant contact details for those who are in charge of the home are included. This enables those who need to, to make contact with the senior leaders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff have regular supervision where they reflect on their practice and discuss any concerns. Staff are set targets to help them to focus on improving specific areas of their practice. This enables the staff’s ongoing development, which ensures that the children receive a good level of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Following any significant incidents, the leaders hold reflective discussions with the staff to help to identify and address any practice issues. However, there is sometimes a delay in disseminating the learning from this process to the wider team. This missed opportunity hinders the staff from working effectively as a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Five of the seven requirements and all the recommendations made at the last inspection have been met. However, the requirement under regulation 36 and one element of regulation 13 have not been met, and these are restated. A further requirement under regulation 35 and a recommendation have also been raised to address the additional shortfalls identified during this inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/08/2019 Full Good 18/07/2018 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC455864 4

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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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 21 October 2022

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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

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use 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 21 October 2022 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC455864 5 confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s case records are kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 21 October 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they obtain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC455864 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Enhanced Young Persons Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Fox Street, Sunderland Road, Gateshead NE10 0BD

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Inspector

Paula Kelly, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC455864 7 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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