Children's Home run by Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited in Stockport

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1263425 1 Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) 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 registered to care for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home has been in operation since September 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned in December 2022 and the provider is actively recruiting a new manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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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. Inspectors have 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: 1263425 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, four children have come to live at the home and two have moved to alternative placements or returned to live with family.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has lived at the home for four months and is making significant progress. He enjoys warm relationships with the staff and has positive experiences, including going for drives, playing pool at a local club, and watching films at the cinema accompanied by staff. This child could articulate well the progress that he has made and how the staff have helped with his attitude, confidence and decision-making. He said that the staff had encouraged him to do things that he would not have otherwise done, such as ‘things like going to school, taking my exams, and seeing my mum’. He wants to stay at the home until he is 18 years old, and attend college to do business studies so that he can become successful.

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Findings from the inspection

One child came to live at the home in early January and was placed very quickly by the local authority, meaning that the staff are still getting to know her. Despite this, she was starting to make positive relationships with the staff. She said, ‘I don’t want to be in ‘resi’ [residential care] but if I have to, this place is okay.

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Findings from the inspection

Children take part in direct work sessions and children’s meetings, and spend time with staff in less formal situations so that they have lots of opportunities to express their views, wishes and feelings. This has enabled one child to build up their positive relationships with staff through encouragement and conversations on a range of subjects.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have returned to school after a long period of exclusions and non- attendance. The staff have proactively engaged with the virtual school head and the named schools, and advocated for the children. On occasion, they have challenged the school to ensure that the children can return to school and maintain their places. One child said, ‘The staff have really stood up for me and sorted things out so that I can stay there.’

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported to enjoy safe and positive time with family and friends. Staff undertake safe-and-well checks when children have sleepovers with friends, and stay close by when children visit family and friends who live a distance away from the home. This means that children are less likely to go missing, and it encourages children to develop trusting relationships.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff arranged a Christmas eve party for one child and their family at the home, which included Christmas dinner and presents, so that they could all enjoy a family Christmas celebration supported by staff in the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1263425 3 Both children expressed dissatisfaction with the food in the home. Both complained that they are offered too much processed food. The menu on display was inaccurate and lacked variety. For example, three of the meals used the same main ingredient. One child prefers to make their own meals and not join the staff and others at mealtimes. This is a missed opportunity to promote healthy eating and socialisation.

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The safety of children

Children said that they felt safe and that the staff made them feel welcome and safe at the home. There has only been one missing episode for the children currently living in the home, and this was appropriately managed by the staff. One child said that there was no need for him to go missing anymore.

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The safety of children

Since the last inspection, there has been one significant safeguarding incident involving one child, which led to a member of staff being injured and a child arrested by the police. The matter remains under investigation by the police. Leaders and managers have reviewed the incident and the reasons for why the escalation and incident were outside of their control. Staff offered to continue support the child even when the placement at the home was no longer viable.

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The safety of children

The staff have not issued a sanction or received any formal complaints since the last inspection.

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The safety of children

A requirement of the last inspection was to update risk assessments and risk reduction plans. Although this work has been completed, the risks identified for one child failed to identify the specific and particular risk faced. This means that staff may miss relevant signs that could lead to one child becoming involved with people who could harm them.

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The safety of children

Door alarms are fitted to the bedroom doors for both children and the decision for this was based on a risk assessment. The risk assessment for one child has not been reviewed since the measure was implemented, and it was not clear why it was still necessary to have the door alarm on. This means that at least one child was subject to a level of monitoring and surveillance that was intrusive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager left her position, giving the provider very little notice. The assistant manager is in an acting-up role, supported by the responsible individual, who visits the home at least three times per week. The provider is actively recruiting a new manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff reported that they thought that the management of the home was now more consistent and organised, that there is a ‘plan’, and everyone knows what they must do. Staff said that morale had improved, and it was an enjoyable place to work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Most of the requirements made at the last inspection have been met, but some remain outstanding. The previous manager submitted a review of the quality-of-care Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1263425 4 report in October 2022. However, this report did not include any comments from children, families, staff or external professionals. There was no analysis or meaningful plan of priorities for the next six months. The responsible individual agreed with this summary and has delivered training to managers within the organisation so that managers know how to undertake a review to ensure that the review of quality of care is effective and leads to improvement .

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The provider’s policy is for the manager to submit the independent person’s monthly reports to Ofsted and other agencies. Although visits have taken place, the process for submitting the reports is a breach of regulation and not in line with Ofsted’s published policy. The previous manager failed to submit two reports, and two reports were submitted outside of the required timescale. This means that Ofsted was unable to monitor the operation of the home effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Due to the assistant manager acting as the manager, the home does not have enough staff. However, this vacancy is being covered by staff undertaking overtime and by one staff member from another home. This creates consistency for children. Therefore, the impact of this is limited as the children know the staff member. However, this is not a long-term solution.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/06/2021 Full Good 04/11/2019 Full Good 05/03/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1263425 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, 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 ensure that the independent person provides a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44 (7)(a)) 28 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality-of-care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)) 31 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the registered person should review the risk assessment for the bedroom door alarms and remove them if they are no longer required for safeguarding or welfare purposes. 28 February 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1263425 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are provided with healthy and nutritious meals that are suitable for each child’s needs. Where appropriate, children should be involved in choosing and preparing meals, and opportunities to sit together and eat should be promoted. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 15, paragraph 3.8)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should continually and actively assess the risk to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them, and ensure that the specific risks are known to staff and recorded accurately in the risk assessments. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 42 paragraph 9.5) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1263425 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Social Care Services (Clayton) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31 Shaw Rd, Heaton Moor, Stockport SK4 4AG

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Inspector

Helen Humphreys, His Majesty’s Inspector, Social Care Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1263425 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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