Children's Home run by Active Ark Limited in Cumberland

Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 1 SC465634 Registered provider: Active Ark Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has been registered since May 2014. There is currently no registered manager in post. There is a manager in post who is in the process of registering.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 23 February 2022

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/02/2022 Full Good 05/08/2019 Full Good 03/10/2018 Full Good 16/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Children’s plans are individualised and include actions that staff are working on to help children to make progress. Children’s plans demonstrate that children make some progress. However, care planning is poor, which means that children are not always getting the guidance and support that they need from staff. This is because staff are not aware of the outcomes from reviews and health assessments as they are not incorporated into children’s plans.

p.3

improvement to be good

Throughout the inspection, warm and nurturing relationships were observed between the children and staff. Both children told inspectors that they are happy living in the home. However, relationships between children in the home can be difficult. Children are not being provided with consistent support to manage peer relationships. The impact of inappropriate behaviour and comments is not explored with children. This does not help children to develop positive peer relationships or provide them with support to address the impact of this behaviour.

p.3

improvement to be good

Some areas of the home are well presented. Children’s bedrooms are individualised to the taste of each child; however, some areas of the home need repair. These repairs detract from the homeliness of the environment. Immediate action was taken during the inspection to address hazards identified by inspectors.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s progress in education is variable. Staff support children to attend their education provision. When children are having difficulties with their education, staff work collaboratively with school and key professionals to try and resolve issues and return children to school as soon as possible. One child’s education plan is not meeting their needs. They are not being educated in a registered setting, although they remain on role at a registered school.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support children to see their families. For children who live a long distance from their families, staff actively support and encourage regular time with their families. This helps children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s views and wishes are recorded and acted on. This helps children to feel listened to and their views valued.

p.3

improvement to be good

Risk assessments provide some good detail and include steps for staff to take in response to children’s behaviour, as well as preventative steps. However, not all risks are included in these plans. This means that staff do not have consistent strategies to follow in practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 4 Children’s risks are not reducing because staff do not provide children with specific work to help them to understand risks. There are missed opportunities to help children understand risks such as bullying, e-safety, mobile phones and healthy relationships, which would help children to learn how to keep themselves safe. However, when there are incidents, staff do try to help children, although this is reactive practice.

p.3

improvement to be good

Although staff understand the risks that the internet poses to children, there is not a coordinated response to manage this risk. Staff are not always recording that they have followed agreed strategies in children’s risk assessments. Daily phone checks are detailed in risk assessments. However, there is no record of these taking place and plans do not give guidance about what staff are checking for. Therefore, there is not appropriate scrutiny of mobile phones, which may pose a risk to children.

p.4

improvement to be good

Imposed consequences are not evaluated for their effectiveness. The manager should ensure that all incidents of control and discipline have regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and effective.

p.4

improvement to be good

The manager has failed to notify Ofsted in a timely manner of some significant events in the home. This affects external monitoring of children’s safety and welfare.

p.4

improvement to be good

Relevant training is not completed. This includes topics required to help the staff understand the children’s needs, such as lesbian, gay bisexual and trans (LGBT) issues, attachment and sexualised behaviour training.

p.4

improvement to be good

The are gaps in staff recruitment checks. The provider needs to ensure that the recruitment of staff is consistently robust and in line with regulation to ensure that all staff are safe to work with children.

p.4

good

The manager has been in post since September 2022, but has not yet applied to register with Ofsted. The manager shows an ambitious vision, with high expectations for what all children can achieve. However, this is not yet imbedded into practice. The manager has a good understanding of the children’s progress and needs, and instigates appropriate action when needed. An example of this is ensuring that there is a multi-professional approach to children’s education.

p.4

good

The staff are positive about the manager and describe a supportive environment. Staff spoken to describe the managers as readily available to provide advice and guidance.

p.4

good

There are gaps in respect of the manager’s overall monitoring and review systems. This does not support the manager to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. For example, the manager needs to review children’s plans to ensure that these are up to date and include all relevant information. Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 5 Staffing is consistent. There is a core team in place who are suitably trained in mandatory subjects. However, staff do not have training that is tailored to the specific individual needs of the children.

p.4

good

The manager has failed to notify Ofsted in a timely manner of some significant events in the home. This affects external monitoring of children’s safety and welfare.

p.5

good

The manager and staff do not receive effective supervision and appraisals. They are not completed frequently and are not practice related. This does not give staff the opportunity to reflect on their practice and support their development.

p.5

good

The home’s statement of purpose is not up to date. This is a breach of regulation and means that Ofsted does not have an accurate record of who is working at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(xii)(xiii)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that direct work takes place with children to support them to understand the risks that their actions may pose. In addition, staff must support the children to understand that bullying is unacceptable. 29 December Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 7 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.7

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.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.7

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s risk assessments accurately reflect the current risks for the children and include robust strategies for staff to follow. 29 December

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1) (2)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that children’s plans are available for staff to read and understand.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that up-to-date plans are obtained from placing authorities and that outcomes from these plans are used to inform the home’s plans for the children. 29 December

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— 29 December Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 8 employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.7

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.8

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the manager and staff receive regular practice-related supervisions and yearly appraisals. 29 December

p.8

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—

p.8

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii))

p.8

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the effectiveness of consequences is evaluated. 29 December

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 29 December Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 9 a child protection enquiry involving a child —

p.8

Requirement Due date

is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.9

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

p.9

Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

p.9

Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

p.9

Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI

p.9

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (2)(b)) 29 December

p.9

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: SC465634 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Active Ark, Unit E, Baron Way, Kingmoor Business Park, Carlisle CA6 4SJ

p.10

Inspectors

Katie Tomlinson, Social Care Inspector Emma Thornton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC465634 11 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.10

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.11

Inspectors

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

p.11

Inspectors

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

p.11