Children's Home run by Hygge Care Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 1 Registered provider: Hygge Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A small private provider owns this home. The home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in September 2021 and is suitably qualified.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 9 and 10 August 2022. Due to the concerns identified during the inspection, Ofsted issued four compliance notices, under regulation 10 (the health and well-being standard), regulation 13, (the leadership and management standard) and two notices under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the progress made against the four compliance notices. Inspectors found that three compliance notices, in relation to regulations 10, 12 and 13, have been met. However, some actions under regulation 12 were met and others not. A requirement has been issued to address these.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, the same three children have remained living in the home. The children say they like living in the home and they like the staff.

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This monitoring visit

Managers’ review and evaluation of physical interventions continue to be weak. This is because managers do not fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Managers do not always identify shortfalls in staff recording. They are not curious about potentially poor practice. For example, managers do not explore with staff their lack of action when a child says he is being hurt during a physical intervention. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 2 Managers do not always update children’s plans and risk assessments with information that will help staff to manage children’s complex behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff do not always follow the home’s safeguarding policy and procedures. They continue to fail to inform the regulator when a child makes an allegation of harm. This means that incidents lack independent scrutiny and vulnerable children are left at potential risk.

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This monitoring visit

Despite these concerns, managers have taken action to improve in many other areas.

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This monitoring visit

Managers now have effective systems to monitor all staff training. Managers and staff have received face-to-face training in medication, behaviour management, safeguarding, and reporting and recording. However, most training is completed online, and managers have failed to embed a system to test the impact of this training on staff’s ability to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have made vast improvements to the environment. Children’s bedrooms have been personalised and new furniture has been purchased. One child now has a sensory area in their bedroom. They told the inspector, ‘I spend lots of time in here now, it helps me to relax.’ Improvements have also been made to the outside area, which means children can now play safely in this space.

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This monitoring visit

Measures are in place to ensure that the home is free from hazards. Comprehensive risk assessments and regular health and safety checks are completed with management oversight. Regular fire drills are now carried out to ensure children know what to do in the event of an emergency. This means that staff now understand the risks posed to children and children now live in a physically safe environment.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have obtained statutory documentation for children which is available to staff. Children’s health needs are therefore known and are recorded in their plans. Staff support and encourage children to lead a healthy lifestyle. They also ensure that children have access to the relevant services for their physical, emotional and mental health. Children have been supported by staff to attend their medical appointments and specialist services. Children’s involvement in managing their own health needs has improved and key-work sessions cover strategies to support with low mood and self-esteem. As a result, children’s overall health needs are now promoted.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing arrangements are now more consistent. No staff have left the home since the full inspection and additional staff have been recruited. Managers have arranged consistent cover for shortfalls in staffing. Although agency staff are still used, managers’ reliance on these staff is reducing. Children say that they like the staff and that they can speak with them if they are unhappy. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 3 Managers have implemented monitoring systems to enable them to identify any shortfalls in the care that children receive and to be proactive in addressing them. This includes regular monitoring of children’s educational achievement, care planning and health needs. This means that the registered manager now has good oversight of children’s progress.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have reviewed staff learning and development needs and are providing additional training to meet them. This includes staff training in the therapeutic model of care. Staff attendance at therapeutic training sessions is recorded and monitored. This means that managers are ensured that staff have the skills to support children in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have received at least one supervision since the full inspection and new staff have received additional supervision. A tracker is in place to ensure that staff receive regular dedicated time to reflect on their practice and discuss their well- being. Learning and development are standing items on the supervision agenda. This means that there is management support for staff and effective oversight of staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

During this monitoring visit, inspectors reviewed some of the requirements from the inspection in August 2022. Inspectors judged requirements in respect of regulation 20, regulation 35 and regulation 45 as not met. These requirements have been restated. A requirement under regulation 44 was not reviewed and is also restated.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received training in reporting and recording. However, staff still do not ensure that records of restraint contain a clear description of the measure used to manage a child’s complex behaviours. Records continue to lack detail, such as the time that a measure was used.

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This monitoring visit

Although the manager has submitted a quality of care review, it does not contain feedback from children or parents and carers. The review fails to focus on the quality of the care provided by the home, and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. Additionally, managers have reviewed the quality of care over a one-month period rather than the six months required by regulation.

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This monitoring visit

More positively, inspectors found that requirements made under regulation 6 (the quality and purpose of care standard) and regulation 14 (the care planning standard) are met. Children now have what they need to live comfortably in the home. For example, a child now has adequate storage in his bedroom and damage to his bedroom walls has been repaired. Children’s plans are up to date and they reflect the local authority care plan. Plans are regularly reviewed with children and they evidence the progress children make.

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This monitoring visit

Additionally, managers have ensured that all actions in the fire risk assessment have been completed. They have also updated the location risk assessment with all known risks and ensured this is shared with agencies. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2022 Full Inadequate 22/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 5

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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 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 any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that there is an effective review of physical interventions. In doing so, the registered manager must ensure that staff practice is challenged and any concerns are reported to the appropriate professionals. Also, that staff have clear guidance to keep children safe, and include strategies to manage future incidents and reduce risks. 6 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 6 This also relates to managers implementing systems to ensure that all staff have the skills to understand, recognise and assess potential risk to children and implement appropriate strategies to manage these risks. Additionally, when managers monitor incidents of restraint, they should show professional curiosity and challenge potentially poor practice.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that records of restraint contain enough accurate information to assess if the measure used was necessary and proportionate. 6 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

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the managers helping the independent person to regularly seek feedback from parents, carers and children. Additionally, that managers ensure that the independent person makes sufficient enquiries to ensure 6 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 7 that the children are safeguarded and their well-being is promoted.

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Requirement Due date

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”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 6 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 8

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Grosvenor House, 11 St Pauls Square, Birmingham, West Midlands B3 1RB

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Inspectors

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1220887 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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