Children's Home run by Barnardo Services Limited in Liverpool

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2541467 1 Registered provider: Barnardo’s Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a registered charity. It provides care for up to four children. The home operates under a block contract arrangement with the local authority in which it is situated.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager is in post and is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2541467 2

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Findings from the inspection

During inspection, the inspector did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care and safety of children or the leadership and management of the home.

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The care of children

The home is warm and welcoming. Staff have decorated for the festive period and children have been encouraged to personalise their bedrooms. Children said they feel ‘comfortable’ and ‘at home’. Locks are no longer in use on internal doors in the home. This provides children with a safe environment from which they can develop and make progress.

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The care of children

Poor matching processes have led to challenging dynamics between children in the home, which staff have been unable to effectively manage. This has led to children moving out of the home in an unplanned way. The manager has, however, taken important learning from this, and children currently live together harmoniously and are settled.

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The care of children

Children are now all accessing suitable education. Since the last inspection, the manager has effectively advocated on behalf of a child who was out of education. Staff have worked well with the virtual school and the local authority, offering robust challenge when necessary, to ensure that children’s education needs are being met.

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The care of children

Children feel listened to and cared about. One child said, ‘These [staff] are honestly the best adults I’ve ever known. I feel like I can trust them.’ As a result, children experience nurturing, supportive care.

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The care of children

Special occasions and achievements are always celebrated. One child recently celebrated her birthday, and the staff created a pink balloon archway and decorated the lounge for a party. This child said she felt ‘special’ and another child reported feeling loved by staff.

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The safety of children

The manager promotes a positive safeguarding culture that helps to protect children. Staff work closely with statutory agencies in order to promote multi-agency working. The manager has also taken steps to ensure that local authority care plans are up to date. As a result, children say that they feel safe and supported.

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The safety of children

Staff respond well when children go missing from home. Staff follow the missing- from-home protocol and share information quickly with the multi-agency team. As a result, children are found and brought home quickly, reducing the risk of harm. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2541467 3 Staff understand their role in a range of safeguarding scenarios. However, they are not as confident with behaviour management approaches. This may have contributed to the police being called on several occasions to help manage children’s behaviour. This could result in children being criminalised.

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The safety of children

Physical intervention is rarely used, as the ethos of the team is a nurturing approach to care. However, written records still do not always include details necessary to meet regulation. Additionally, records are not written in a way which would be easy for children to understand. This could limit the opportunity for learning and reflection for both staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A suitably qualified and experienced manager is in post. Her application for registration is in progress. The manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of her team. She has started implementing positive changes and has a clear vision for developing practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff feel supported by leaders and managers. This promotes effective teamwork. One member of staff said, ‘They [managers] will really do anything to help. Their door is always open.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager does not yet have an effective system of oversight of training. This has led to lengthy gaps in staff training records. Although staff have completed some training that helps them meet the specific needs of the children, some mandatory refresher training, such as safeguarding and behaviour management training, is significantly overdue.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has made improvements to the quality of children’s case records. However, staff do not always sign and date important documents, and records are not always fully completed. In one child’s record, the wrong gender identity and pronouns are used. This means that staff do not always have accurate information to support them in caring for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff receive regular supervision. Discussion is focused on children’s needs and progress. Supervision also offers staff an opportunity to reflect on their practice and discuss any recent significant incidents. This helps staff to take learning from difficult situations and improve the care they provide for children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2541467 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/04/2021 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2541467 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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the manager must ensure that staff are signing important documents and that all records are completed in full. 30 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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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 the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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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 30 March 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2541467 6 confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(iv)(v)(vii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the manager must make sure that all staff are familiar with the behaviour management approach for each child. This should include appropriate de-escalation techniques.

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Requirement Due date

Also, records of restraint should be written in a way which clearly explains what has taken place, in a way which the child would understand. The duration of each individual hold should be included. Every attempt should be made to carry out a debrief with the child and these attempts should be noted.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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)(a)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the manager should have a robust system in place to monitor staff training and effectively challenge staff when mandatory training is not completed within expected timescales. 30 March 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records are reflective of children’s identity in a non-stigmatising way. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraphs 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2541467 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Barnardo’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Barnardo’s, Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Ilford IG6 1QG

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Inspector

Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2541467 8 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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