Children's home run by Sunbridge Childcare Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 1 Registered provider: Sunbridge Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in July 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors spoke to two of the four children who were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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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 widespread failures that mean children are not protected.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 3

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inadequate

Children’s care planning is not robust. There are documents missing from the children’s files that include key information about the children’s needs. Therefore, staff are not provided with clear plans to meet the children’s overall needs. Furthermore, some children’s plans are not updated, and others are updated with different information. This does not provide staff with accurate information for them to follow to safely support the children.

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inadequate

Decision-making about which children come to live in the home is not always clear. Children’s plans do not consider how the staff can safely manage the needs of these children alongside the needs of children who already live in the home.

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inadequate

Key-work sessions provide the children with an opportunity to talk to the staff about the things that are important to them. Staff provide positive advice and guidance, with the aim of supporting the children to make informed and safe decisions. Staff revisit topics of discussion when needed. However, key-work sessions are not consistently offered to children following significant incidents. This missed opportunity means that staff do not fully understand the triggers and the children’s feelings so that they can support the children to manage their emotions more effectively.

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inadequate

Educational outcomes for children are mixed as the staff’s ability to support children to engage with their education and learning varies. The staff struggle to help the children who experience difficulties with learning to engage in their alternative learning programme. This limits the children’s educational prospects. Other children have been helped to make progress by attending school five days a week, after a long period of being absent.

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inadequate

Staff are unable to consistently help one child to access the health support they need. However, staff are well connected to health services and create the opportunities for children to go to their appointments. When children do not attend, staff talk to them about the impact this can have on their physical and emotional well-being.

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inadequate

Children are provided with opportunities to engage in a wide range of activities. This helps to widen their social networks and has a positive effect on their self-esteem.

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inadequate

Overall, feedback from children, staff and professionals is positive. Staff have a good understanding of the progress the children have made from their starting points. Children are developing strategies to express themselves in healthier ways. Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 4

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

Safeguarding incidents have not been managed effectively. Therefore, children have been placed in high-risk situations. Significant safeguarding incidents have occurred because staff have failed to supervise children according to their known risks and vulnerabilities. As a result, children safety and well-being has been compromised. Furthermore, the manager does not report these incidents promptly or accurately to Ofsted. This oversight has prevented Ofsted from scrutinising how significant incidents and potential safeguarding matters are investigated. This prevents Ofsted from being assured that the manager and staff have taken effective action to safeguard the children.

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

Children’s care plans and risk assessments are not sufficiently robust. Staff do not update the children’s care plans and risk assessments following significant incidents. Therefore, strategies for staff to follow to keep children safe are not up to date and effective. This has resulted in children not being safeguarded on multiple occasions.

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

The manager has failed to ensure that significant safeguarding records are maintained accurately. Some of the children’s missing-from-home episodes have not been recorded. When these are recorded, staff’s responses to the children’s missing- from-home episodes vary. It is unclear if the staff have followed the agreed protocols when the child’s whereabouts are unknown. Furthermore, return home interviews are not consistently requested. Therefore, the children are not consistently offered an opportunity to discuss their experience with an independent person. This oversight prevents the manager from obtaining information that may be useful to prevent further reoccurrence. This also hinders the children from talking about their experience and learning about the risks associated with going missing from the home.

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

Communication is not effective, which means that children’s safety is not prioritised. The staff do not always share information with the manager effectively. The lack of information-sharing hinders the manager’s ability to devise plans that help to keep the children safe.

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

Children’s emotional responses and behaviour are not managed consistently as the staff do not provide clear boundaries or a consistent response. While the consequences used to manage the children’s negative behaviour are restorative, these are not effective. The manager has failed to identify this or why the consequence has been given because the rationale for the use is not fully recorded. Poor record-keeping also means that the consequences used can appear punitive. As a result, children have not been supported to consider the effects of their actions.

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

Children’s records are incomplete. Some children’s files do not include important documents, such as their looked after review minutes, personal education meeting minutes and their health assessments. The manager has failed to challenge the children’s placing local authorities about this. Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 5 The manager follows a safe recruitment process. This reduces the risk of children being cared for by inappropriate adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is managed by an experienced and qualified registered manager. The manager and staff demonstrate a commitment to the children in their care and they strive to make a positive difference to their lives. The stable core staff team provides a consistent level of care in a family-style home environment. The manager has demonstrated her commitment to ensuring that the children receive consistent caregivers by providing the day-to-day care to the children. However, this has impacted on her ability to review the quality of the care that the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management oversight and monitoring of the home are inadequate. The manager and responsible individual have not identified or rectified the shortfalls that have been identified in the internal care planning for children, the gaps in the children’s records or the failures in the staff’s practice. This significantly compromises the children’s safety and the quality of care that they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of record-keeping is poor. The staff do not record sufficient information about the children, which means that some significant incidents have not been captured. When this was brought to the attention of the responsible individual and the manager, they reviewed these records. However, they have failed to record the date that they have amended these records. This questions the authenticity of the children’s records as it is not clear by whom and when the children’s records have been completed and reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider’s external monitoring and review systems are ineffective. The manager has failed to act on a recommendation to improve their risk assessment and care planning process that was made by the independent visitor. This is a missed opportunity for the manager to improve the quality of care provided to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has not received effective supervision from the responsible individual. This has resulted in a lack of oversight of the home. This has contributed to a lack of reflection, learning and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

All staff have received up-to-date mandatory training, and they receive regular supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager and the senior management have a good understanding of some of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that they escalate their concerns to the director of children’s services of the child’s placing local authority when key documents, such as health assessments, local authority looked after care plans and personal education meeting minutes, are not received within a reasonable time frame. 13 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe; 25 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 7 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that children’s risk assessments are reviewed following an incident and that missing-from-care episodes are recorded. The registered person must ensure that the manager and staff understand risks to children and follow risk assessments.

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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

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;

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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)(f)(h)) 13 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 8 In particular, the registered person must ensure that the staff are provided with up-to-date information and strategies so that they have the knowledge and skills that they need to care for the children. In addition, the registered person must ensure that there are effective monitoring and reviewing systems in place to continue to support the staff and children.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the needs of the children are fully considered before they move into the home. In addition, the registered person must fully consider the needs of the children already living at the home and any other factors, such as recent incidents. 13 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c). (Regulation 26 (1) (7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the responsible individual maintains accurate and up-to-date records and makes it explicitly clear when they have amended any records. 13 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if— 13 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 9 the person is of integrity and good character. (Regulation 28 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the registered manager maintains accurate and up-to-date records and makes it explicitly clear when they have amended any records.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and 13 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 10 has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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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 confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that consequences used to manage negative behaviour are fully recorded in accordance with the regulation.

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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

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that the children’s case records include a copy of their local authority looked after care plan, health assessments and the minutes of their personal education plan meeting. 13 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child, which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 13 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2686524 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sunbridge Childcare Limited

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Inspectors

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Joanne Wallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2686524 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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