Children's home run by North Yorkshire Council

Inspection report for children’s home: 1256500 1 Registered provider: North Yorkshire County 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 pre-planned and emergency short-breaks in a residential setting for children with profound learning disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder and complex health needs. The home also offers extended and bespoke packages of care.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left this home in July 2022. Interim management arrangements are in place.

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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

Date of last inspection: 11 November 2021

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1256500 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/11/2021 Full Outstanding 14/01/2020 Full Outstanding 05/02/2019 Full Outstanding 21/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1256500 3

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improvement to be good

The local authority’s decision to accommodate a child on a full-time basis at this home has affected the short-break offer for children. Children’s overnight stays have been cancelled, and this has placed additional pressure on families. One parent said, ‘We have had our breaks cancelled and this impacts massively on us and places additional strain on our family.’ The cancellation of children’s breaks affects their routines and prevents them from enjoying time with friends and gaining new experiences.

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improvement to be good

In response to an emergency placement of a child into the short-break setting, the short-break service operated from holiday lodgings for a couple of weeks. Some families chose not to disrupt their children’s routine and did not send their children to an unfamiliar environment. For children who did continue to attend, their care plans and risk assessments did not reflect this change of environment. Guidance to staff was also not amended to reflect this change. For example, how to make a call to emergency services with no mobile phone signal.

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improvement to be good

A child’s behavioural responses have led them to harming themselves and others. To prevent harm to other children, this child lived in a segregated area of the home until an alternative placement was found. This meant that children’s access to all areas of the home and garden was restricted. Staff adapted the main home to reduce the effect on children, for example by creating a second television area.

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improvement to be good

The children who access the short-break service are welcomed into a nicely decorated and creative environment that is equipped to meet their collective and individual needs. In contrast, the area that has been segregated requires extensive decoration and repair. No children currently live in or access this area.

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improvement to be good

While the child who lived full time in the home waited for the local authority to source a suitable long-term placement, education became an integral aspect of the child’s care needs. Tutoring sessions were implemented to provide the child with some education and learning.

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improvement to be good

The staff provide the children with new experiences that also develop their independence skills. Staffing ratios and a ‘can do’ attitude provide children with their first experience of going swimming and going on theme park rides. Children may not get these opportunities with their families.

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improvement to be good

Children are consulted and their wishes heard. There are numerous examples where the children have been involved in the decision about their care or chosen activities. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256500 4

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improvement to be good

Concerns have been raised about bruising on a child’s body. Appropriate steps were taken to investigate, and no further action was taken. However, managers’ and staff’s observations of this child failed to highlight these potential safeguarding concerns. The management oversight of this child’s extensive daily records was not evaluative and did not provide reflection on the effect of staff practice on the care of this child.

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improvement to be good

Allegations against staff have been managed and investigated. This has been done in partnership with other professional agencies, including the local authority designated officer, social worker and the police.

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improvement to be good

Body maps had not routinely been completed for children and there was no management or leadership oversight of any completed records. This shortfall has been identified through recent management oversight. Greater expectations are required of the staff, and daily body maps for children are now recorded. There is now transparency in practice, and all bruising to a child is mapped and investigated.

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improvement to be good

When a child is physically restrained, the child’s incident record does not have adequate management oversight. Restraint practice is not recorded and reviewed in line with legislation. Staff fail to provide a clear overview of the holds used on a child. The manager’s evaluation is not timely, and this evaluation does not explore if the hold was proportionate and necessary.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not consistently supported one child in line with their bespoke health care plan. These plans are in place to safeguard and protect the child from potential medical complications. Disciplinary action has been taken. However, learning from this shortfall was not discussed as a team or within specific staff supervision.

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improvement to be good

There is no evidence within one child’s plan that they are subject to a local authority child protection plan. There are specific concerns that the staff should be reporting to the social worker. Staff are sharing necessary information, but this guidance should be recorded within records.

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good

Management instability has had an effect on the oversight of this home and contributed to the gaps in care practice. Staff have not had clear practice expectations, and the inconsistency of team meetings and staff supervisions means staff have not been provided with a safe space for practice reflection and analysis.

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good

There has been a high use of agency staff. This has been necessary to provide the appropriate support for children. Staff retention has been difficult as a number of staff are on sick leave or have resigned. Staff report that they have not been Inspection report for children’s home: 1256500 5 supported to develop within their roles. The use of agency staff has brought challenges both with embedding consistent care practices and the quality of recording.

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good

Managers have not ensured that there are enough staff within the home to administer medication in line with their own procedures. Steps have been taken to resolve this shortfall, and staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. However, any errors involving controlled medication could have a significant impact, and therefore, the shortfall in staffing this element of the shift plan could have a detrimental effect on children’s safety and well-being.

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good

The leaders of this home have failed to ensure that the home’s statement of purpose is kept under review. It does not reflect the changes within this home. The statement of purpose needs to reflect the service offer and provide accurate detail to the reader, this could be parents or carers.

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good

External monitoring routinely takes place at the home. The resulting reports provide practice guidance and challenge leaders and managers about the impact of their decision making on the safety and well-being of children. However, the regulators insight into this home is hindered impacted by the delay in these report being sent to Ofsted.

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good

Although it is recognised that the difficult times at this home have had an impact on children, professional and family feedback contains elements of positivity. Current leadership arrangements bring back confidence to professionals and families. They see how things are improving, and how this will positively affect children’s experiences.

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good

Current managers are striving to improve the service and outcomes for children. There is a planned review of the children’s records, as current recording and documentation do not provide an accurate overview of each individual child. However, there is no doubt that the staff know the children. Children are developing their independence and gaining experiences, but this is not currently reflected in children’s records. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256500 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 home’s overall 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)) 30 December

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 30 December

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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 30 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1256500 7 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)(b) (2)(a)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)) 30 December

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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)(c)) 30 December

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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 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 (3)(a)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 30 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which— 30 December Inspection report for children’s home: 1256500 8 include the 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))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person makes a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care and that these assessments are sent to Ofsted within an accepted timeframe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  The registered persons should ensure that the children’s home provides a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children. In particular, extensive and necessary repair and redecoration is required to some parts of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 1256500 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Yorkshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Northallerton DL7 8AD

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Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1256500 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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