Children's Home run by Sunlight Children’s Care Limited in Derby

Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 1 Registered provider: Sunlight Children’s Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, there was one child in placement.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and is registered with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

p.1

inadequate

Date of last inspection: 11 January 2022

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 3

p.2

inadequate

Despite some progress being made by the child, the home has been judged as inadequate in all areas because of safeguarding concerns.

p.3

inadequate

On occasions, the home has been chaotic, and staff have failed to understand why children are behaving in certain ways. Staff have not always provided the sensitive and nurturing care that children need. This has led to children’s behaviour escalating and has added to their distress.

p.3

inadequate

One new child at the home did not have an up-to-date local authority care plan. This prevented staff from having clear knowledge and understanding of the child and being able to plan fully for their care.

p.3

inadequate

On several occasions, inspectors observed staff speaking to a child through a locked office door. This does not promote a sense of inclusivity and nurturing or a child- centred approach. Leaders and managers have failed to explore options and implement plans to manage risks with regard to the child entering the office.

p.3

inadequate

Despite these shortfalls, the child currently living at the home told the inspectors, ‘I like living at the home.’ The child has positive relationships with staff and regularly spends time doing activities they enjoy, such as cooking, climbing and going shopping. Staff ensure that children have a healthy and varied diet and encourage them to try different foods.

p.3

inadequate

Staff support the child to maintain positive relationships with those who are important to them. Staff facilitate the child seeing family in his home town. These arrangements make family time more comfortable for the child, and help him to maintain relationships with loved ones.

p.3

inadequate

The child had started to make some progress in education. However, attendance has been intermittent, and he is now refusing to attend school regularly. One teacher said, ‘[Name of child]’s attendance is not great, and he will often refuse to attend school or turn up very late.’ The staff at the home are supporting the child to understand the importance of education and how this will help him in his ambition to become a chef.

p.3

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The child’s risk assessments are not up to date and do not contain relevant information about the nature and level of known risks. For example, travelling in the home’s car is a known risk and serious incidents have occurred in the car, but this is not identified as a risk in the child’s assessment. As a result, staff are not provided Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 4 with clear guidance. The actions required to manage risks are ineffective and leave children at risk of harm.

p.3

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Missing-from-home plans are not accurate. The manager has not ensured that staff are provided with consistent plans outlining the action they must take should the child go missing. For example, the child’s missing-from-care plan states that he is to be reported to the police immediately if he is out of the sight of staff. However, within the same plan, it later states that the child is to be reported missing to the police after 30 minutes of being out of sight.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Managers do not ensure adequate oversight of incidents. Children and staff do not regularly have debriefs following concerning incidents. There is not always a prompt review of practice. There are limited opportunities to evaluate and learn from incidents to prevent children from coming to harm in the future.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff do not record consequences given to children in relation to their behaviour. As a direct result, the manager has not been able to ensure that the child’s behaviours are supported consistently and fairly by the team.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

There have been several allegations against a staff member in the last year. While investigations were taking place, the staff member was moved from elsewhere in the organisation to work at this home under a ‘no lone working’ risk assessment. This risk assessment was not shared with the manager and staff. Therefore, the plan was ineffective. By not adhering to agreed risk-management plans, leaders have failed to protect children.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Children have regularly been missing from the home. Return home interviews are not being undertaken. There is no evidence that the home has challenged the local authority in relation to this shortfall. As a result, opportunities to explore why the child is away from home and reduce potential risks are missed. This does not ensure the safety of children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managerial monitoring systems are poor. The manager has not identified shortfalls in practice and has not thoroughly evaluated incident records and risk-management strategies. For example, managers have approved risk-management plans that have not included all the required information. In addition, managers have not adequately reviewed physical intervention records and have failed to identify and challenge potentially inappropriate staff practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been a significant amount of turnover within the staff team. This has contributed to staff being unable to implement clear structures, routines and boundaries, creating instability and uncertainty for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff are not suitably trained to meet the child’s needs, with specific gaps in training around restraint and professional boundaries and around the specific needs of the Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 5 child. There are currently a low number of staff who have achieved their Level 3 diploma. This fails to equip staff with the skills they need to care for children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

One staff member stated that they had not had a formal induction. Staff are not receiving regular supervision. This fails to prepare staff to care for children and to promote the home’s ethos and values. These are missed opportunities to improve standards and develop staff’s knowledge and experience in their role.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not use adequate monitoring and review systems. This prevents them from having oversight of the home. For example, managers had failed to ensure that children’s medication was correctly disposed of. On one occasion, a staff member took medication off site to dispose of it, flushing it down their own home’s toilet. The manager was unaware of safe procedures for the disposal of medication. This has the potential to place others at significant risk of harm.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children are supported to personalise their bedrooms. However, other areas of the home are starting to look tired, and some maintenance issues have not been addressed in a timely manner. For example, screws are sticking out of a wall where pictures have previously been secured, damaged walls remain unpainted, a blind had been partially pulled down and walls are marked. This does not promote a homely environment.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager and senior leaders recognise the shortfalls identified. They acknowledge that the team has been through a difficult period. They accept that, at times, care practices and the safeguarding of children have not been effective. They have decided not to admit additional children until they are confident in staffing levels and the abilities and skills of staff to meet children’s needs. Leaders have also implemented an action plan to address current concerns. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 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, 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 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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;

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; 19 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 7 that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2) (a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(b)(d)(e))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children live in a safe and suitable environment, free from hazards and risk; that risk assessments provide guidance to staff on how to manage risks; and that staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children and taking effective action when concerns are identified. It also relates to ensuring that children have return home interviews when they have been missing from home, and challenging the local authority when interviews do not take place.

p.7

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.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.7

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;

p.7

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)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers using monitoring systems in the home to improve the quality of care provided, 19 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 8 and to staff receiving training in line with the needs of the children.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation (14) (1) (2)(b)(ii))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that children’s local authority care plans are up to date. 19 February 2023

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

p.8

Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child.

p.8

Requirement Due date

Paragraph (2) does not apply to medicine which—

p.8

Requirement Due date

is stored by the child for whom it is provided in such a way that other persons are prevented from using it. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b) (3)(a))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to medication being disposed of safely and children being prevented from taking other people’s medication. 19 February 2023

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.8

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff receive regular, meaningful supervision that is recorded. 19 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 9 The registered person must ensure that—

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.9

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.9

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration;

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

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;

p.9

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”)—

p.9

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.9

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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

p.9

Requirement Due date

This specially relates to the use of physical intervention being accurately recorded and oversight undertaken by managers and leaders. 19 February 2023

p.9

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 10

p.9

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the language used by staff members when talking about children is respectful and positive in tone. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.6)

p.10

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: 2591911 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sunlight Children’s Care Limited

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 73 Francis Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 8SP

p.11

Inspectors

Linda Mason, Social Care Inspector Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2591911 12 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.11

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.12

Inspectors

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

p.12

Inspectors

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

p.12