Children's Home run by Amicus Residential Care Ltd in Reading

Inspection report for children’s home: SC059221 1 SC059221 Registered provider: Causeway Care Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This small, privately owned home provides care for up to three children aged between 12 and 16 years on admission, for either short- or long-term placements. The children may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 16 February 2022

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC059221 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/02/2022 Full Good 06/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/10/2019 Full Good 31/10/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC059221 3

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inadequate

Significant failings by leaders and managers have left children at risk. The monitoring and oversight by leaders and managers fail to identify and address shortfalls in safeguarding and care practice. Leaders and managers’ responses to serious incidents are ineffective and poor practice is not always addressed.

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inadequate

There have been a number of changes in the home. Two children live there currently, one child having recently moved in. Two children moved out of the home following a serious incident.

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inadequate

In one serious incident, two children used aerosols to make flames, putting themselves, another child and the staff at risk. The staff called the police and remained in the office because they did not feel safe, leaving the other child upstairs. No action was taken to address this failure to protect the children. The registered manager said that she was worried about police actions during this incident, but she failed to escalate her concerns.

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inadequate

On another occasion, police searched a child’s bedroom and found a Class B drug. There were concerns about this incident, but the child’s social worker and parent/s were not informed until the following day. This prevented those who are responsible for the child’s care agreeing to the police actions and supporting him. After the drugs were found, the registered manager instructed staff to search the child’s room every day. However, the registered manager was unable to demonstrate that this had occurred.

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inadequate

Managers have not provided sufficient information for staff to reliably care for a child who has recently moved into the home. Staff who spoke to inspectors were not aware of the risks relating to this child. Staff have not been equipped with the necessary knowledge and guidance to meet the child’s needs.

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inadequate

Managers and staff have not provided the necessary safety measures with regard to the use of the internet. They have not agreed safe use of mobiles with a child who recently moved in. Managers and staff rely on turning off the Wi-Fi at night, without knowing if children have their own data or if there are any specific risks that they should be aware of.

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inadequate

Restrictive practice is used in this home. The doors to two communal rooms are locked at night. The registered manager has not reviewed these practices; consequently, they are not subject to assessment in response to any changes of risk. Crockery and utensils for staff are locked away to prevent the children using them; this does not promote a homely culture. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059221 4 Staff do not provide adequate care for children. One child’s room was left in an unsanitary state, despite managers and staff being aware. Managers and staff do not ensure that children sit down together to eat healthy meals.

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inadequate

Managers did not ensure that arrangements were in place prior to a child moving in, to support his school attendance. This contributed to the child not attending school and losing his school placement. Another child does not have planned activities on a daily basis while waiting for a school placement. Staff have supported one child to attend school, which is a great achievement for him. He previously did not attend school regularly.

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inadequate

Staff failed to recognise that a child who had recently moved into the home was at risk when he left, without permission, with the other two children. The child’s vulnerability due to not knowing the other children and the area was not recognised. The records did not reflect the children’s individual circumstances and risks. Staff failed to immediately report the child as missing.

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inadequate

Staff have been ineffective in reducing a child’s missing episodes. The child has lived at the home for five and a half months and has been recorded as missing 30 times, 17 of which were overnight.

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inadequate

Despite the serious incident of aerosol misuse, leaders and managers have failed to ensure that the actions and recommendations from the fire risk assessment and fire service visit were addressed. Furthermore, the registered manager has not reviewed fire evacuation arrangements following the children failing to evacuate the home when the fire alarm was activated. The staff have not ensured that children are familiar with the actions to take if there were a fire during the night. The registered manager was unable to demonstrate that a child, who has recently moved into the home, is aware of fire evacuation processes.

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inadequate

Significant health and safety concerns were identified during the inspection. Despite these being brought to the attention of the registered manager and staff, no action was taken. For example, hazardous bathroom cleaning products were left in a communal room.

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inadequate

The main maintenance contractor is related to the registered manager, and he does not have an up-to-date DBS certificate. While the contractor is supervised when he is in the home, there is no assessment of how staff should raise any concerns given the personal relationship. The recruitment process now includes a question about any past criminal convictions on the application form in line with the recommendation issued at the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059221 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are serious failures in the oversight and leadership of the home. The registered manager and responsible individual do not have a consistent physical presence in the home. The responsible individual works full time elsewhere and she informed the inspector that her monitoring of the home does not include reviewing incidents or notifications to Ofsted. During the month of August, the registered manager was only in the home for six days. The absence of the registered manager, and the insufficient arrangements in place to ensure good managerial oversight, led to shortfalls in monitoring and taking action when needed. This lack of leadership and management prevents the home from delivering the outcomes set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager and responsible individual informed the inspector that there were no performance issues relating to the staff. They failed to notify the inspector of a disciplinary incident that had occurred during the inspection period. This prevents the regulator from having accurate oversight of the agency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The debrief records completed by managers following incidents do not include the children’s experiences or identify any learning to improve practice. Therefore, it is unclear what measures are in place to stop incidents from recurring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not ensure adherence to the company’s policies and procedures. A staff member was working on his own during the inspection, despite the staff policy stating that two staff should always be present.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A requirement from the previous inspection in relation to staff taking effective action following substance misuse has not been met. Two children’s substance misuse risks have increased. Face-to-face training in managing substance misuse had not been sourced in a timely manner. This requirement is repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have completed core training. However, one staff member has not completed her Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare within the required timescale. Training specific to the child who has moved in has not been identified or sourced. The manager and staff who spoke to inspectors showed limited understanding of the child’s cultural and learning needs. In other circumstances, the staff have undertaken training in areas such as health and safety, but have not put the learning into practice. The requirement relating to staff training is repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The requirements and recommendations made at the full inspection in February 2022 remain unmet. Managers and leaders have failed to take effective action to rectify shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following this inspection, a restriction of accommodation notice and a compliance notice have been served on the provider. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059221 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to ensuring that staff take effective action if they become aware that a child has been misusing a substance. 20 November

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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

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

ensure the staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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 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. 20 November Inspection report for children’s home: SC059221 7 *(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose; (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff are equipped with the care planning documents and information to care for the child moving in. 20 November

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 20 November

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the responsible individual should have the capacity to supervise the management of the home. 20 November

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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. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 20 November Inspection report for children’s home: SC059221 8 This is with specific reference to ensuring that staff undertake training relevant to the individual needs of children.

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Requirement Due date

* This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and well-being, and particularly challenge the use of a vape. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10)  The registered person should ensure that records are kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). This is with specific reference to ensuring that records of missing-from- home episodes are written in respect of the individual child and their circumstance. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)  The registered person should ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. This is with specific reference to ensuring that all regular visitors or maintenance contractors have an up-to-date DBS

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Recommendations

record. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that all children’s case records (regulation 36) are kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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: SC059221 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Causeway Care Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 118B Oxford Road, Reading RG1 7NQ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Humphries

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC059221 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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