Children's Home run by North Yorkshire Council in North Yorkshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034189 1 SC034189

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to six children between the ages of 11 and 18 years with social, emotional or mental health difficulties. The home can also care for a further two children in separate accommodation for up to 28 days.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a local authority under the ‘No Wrong Door’ model of care. Some children stay in the home for a short time; others are there for several months.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager voluntarily cancelled her registration with Ofsted on 22 July 2022. A new manager has been appointed and is in day-to-day charge of the home. This manager has submitted her application to be registered with Ofsted. This application is under review.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 17 and 18 August 2022. There were significant shortfalls in the assessment and safety for children and in the leadership and management of the home. These shortfalls placed children at serious risk of harm. As a result of that inspection, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation and four compliance notices under regulations 11, 12, 13 and 21.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress and actions taken to meet the compliance notices and the notice restricting accommodation. This monitoring visit included the review of documents and discussions with the manager, the responsible individual, the staff and the children. The inspectors concluded from this monitoring visit that steps set in the compliance notice with regard to regulation 11, 12 and 13 were not fully met. Aspects of these notices have been reissued as a result of this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034189 2 How staff respond to incidents and significant events does not consistently protect children from the risk of harm. Staff’s responses to the children’s alcohol and drug misuse are inconsistent as they do not follow the children’s plans or practice expectations. Children are not always appropriately monitored when they are

p.1

This monitoring visit

described by staff as ‘being under the influence of an illegal substance’. Staff do not complete the necessary bedroom checks to ensure that there are no illegal substances in the home. Not all children receive the message that staff worry about them and will act to keep them safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Substance and alcohol misuse is still a risk for children in this home. Children have not engaged with assigned external health professionals to discuss their misuse. The children’s plans do not direct any targeted work to be completed by staff or specialist professionals from within the team.

p.2

This monitoring visit

There is a lack of management reflection and response to known risks. A letter opener has been used by a child to threaten a staff member, and inspectors were informed that this object contained a blade. The manager could not provide evidence that a room search was completed and the whereabouts of this letter opener is unknown. This risk has not been managed and this places children and others at risk of harm.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager’s monitoring of the home provides ineffective oversight of all incidents and associated risk. The manager showed limited knowledge of a child’s police- enforced curfew. This impacts directly on ensuring that staff have clear practice expectations to follow. Inspectors were not assured that staff were monitoring and reporting potential breaches in line with police protocols.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Discrepancies in a completed incident report were not identified by the manager. This means that learning has not been identified or changes implemented.

p.2

This monitoring visit

There has been an increase in missing-from-home incidents. Each child has a missing-from-home action plan. However, these plans fail to provide staff with clear and specific direction. For example, they lack information about the frequency of calls to children or when to report a child missing to the police. This is confusing for the staff team and does not promote a consistent approach to safeguarding children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff are not fulfilling their roles and responsibilities. The manager has not ensured that a high standard of care is delivered. She has not had oversight of all significant incidents and presenting risks for children. This has impacted on practice reflection and the guidance being given to staff, and children are not consistently protected from the risk of harm.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager has reviewed the children’s risk assessments. The risk assessments reflect children’s current issues and provide staff with guidance on how to reduce risk. Procedures linked to the review and dissemination of risk assessments have been created. When consistently applied and understood, these assessments provide staff with the direction to reduce children’s risks. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034189 3 Children live in a home that looks and feels more welcoming. There are evident improvements to the home’s condition, furnishings and decoration. This is an ongoing project, with further improvement plans scheduled, particularly for the kitchen. The staff are maintaining the home and helping the children to maintain their bedrooms. The children and staff express how happy they are with the changes, and this positivity generates a sense of pride.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children now live in a home that is free from hazards. The manager’s improved oversight of the maintenance of the home, including the children’s bedrooms, means that the home is kept to a good standard and the risk of accidents and injury has been reduced.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Children have access to areas in their home without unnecessary restrictions. Any actions taken by the manager to lock access to areas of the home at specific times of the day or night are assessed. This enables the continued review of the suitability of such restrictions.

p.3

This monitoring visit

The remaining two requirements and one recommendation issued in August 2022 have not been reviewed at this visit and are repeated. Since the last inspection, no children have moved in to this home. This means that the manager has adhered to the restriction of accommodation. However, this restriction remains in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034189 4

p.3

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/08/2022 Full Inadequate 04/01/2022 Full Good 01/05/2019 Full Good 05/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034189 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)) 25 September

p.5

Requirement Due date

*The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; and 6 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034189 6 communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v))

p.5

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.6

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; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(Vi)(b)(d)) 6 November 2022

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each 6 November 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034189 7 child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

p.6

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)(f)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(e)) 25 September

p.7

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that there is a clear record when a child’s bedroom has been searched. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.20)

p.7

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.

p.7

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034189 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Yorkshire County Council

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Northallerton DL7 8AD

p.8

Inspectors

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Deb Duffy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC034189 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.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9