Children's home run by Carehome Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 1 SC044276 Registered provider: Carehome Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run. It is registered to provide care for up to six children, with four living at the main home and two at an additional home. According to the home’s statement of purpose, it provides care for children who may experience social and emotional difficulties, and/or learning disabilities. It is also registered to provide care for children with physical disabilities and sensory impairment.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2013.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/02/2020 Full Good 14/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Children enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff who provide nurturing care. Children say that they enjoy living in the home, and they were seen having fun with the staff. Good routines are in place which help children to develop a sense of stability. However, some areas of the home are looking tired and not all bedrooms are ready for children to move into.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children are making progress. The staff are proud of the progress that children make, particularly when they can then successfully move on to live with a foster family. External professionals, including social workers and independent reviewing officers, say that the staff communicate with them well and work hard to help children to achieve.

p.3

improvement to be good

However, children’s plans are unclear and information is stored across several locations. One plan contained inaccurate information and did not properly capture the child’s needs. Before one child moved from one house in the company to the other, the manager did not consider the needs of all children and the ability of the staff. Although these shortfalls have not negatively affected children’s progress, improvement is needed to show how children’s care is planned effectively.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children attend school regularly. After a long delay, a school has now been identified to meet the individual needs of one child. Staff challenged the placing authority about the delay and attended several meetings. However, they did not continue to escalate this to advocate for the child’s rights.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children enjoy a range of activities of their choice. Staff make sure that children see people who are important to them. Staff also work hard to allay parents’ anxieties about where their child is living, by inviting them to visit the home when it is safe to do so.

p.3

improvement to be good

The language used in records is not always helpful to children, as it includes outdated terms and can be judgemental about children’s behaviour. Records are not always signed by the author. In addition, children are not aware of their rights to access their records or to access independent advocacy to ensure that their views are heard.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Suitably high levels of supervision, taking into account children’s ages, mean that children are kept safe from harm. Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 4 Plans to reduce risks, including those in place if a child goes missing from the home, are not individualised to children and contain a lot of unnecessary information. This makes it hard to identify the actions that staff would need to take to reduce risks to children.

p.3

improvement to be good

There has been one occasion when a child has been reported to the police as missing after they did not return home on time. The staff ensured that an independent return home interview was offered to the child. However, there is no management oversight of the record to evaluate staff practice or to identify any learning.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children are sometimes held to keep them and others safe from harm. Records do not comply with regulation and information is not consistent across records. Children are sometimes spoken to afterwards by people who were involved in holding them, which limits the opportunity to raise any concerns they may have. Records do not show that staff involved are always debriefed, which limits effective evaluation of practice.

p.4

improvement to be good

Issues of bullying between children are infrequent and staff respond swiftly. The manager decided that a child could no longer remain living at the home following a serious incident.

p.4

improvement to be good

A child made an allegation that a member of staff had hurt them. Although the child was visited by a social worker to discuss what had happened, the matter was not referred to the local authority designated officer for objective oversight. In addition, Ofsted has not always been notified about safeguarding concerns, including when children have made an allegation. This means that the regulator does not have a full understanding of any actions taken to address safeguarding concerns.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff lock doors to downstairs rooms at night because there are concerns that one child may be hurt if they get up while staff are asleep. This restricts access for other children to areas of their home. This practice is not reviewed to ensure that it remains justified and alternative safeguarding measures have not been considered.

p.4

good

The current manager intends to leave the post and a new manager has been promoted from the staff team. He has already taken over much of the running of the home and has recently applied to register with Ofsted. He has identified some areas for improvement in the home and has started to take some action to address them.

p.4

good

The staff team is stable and some staff have worked at the home for several years. Newer staff say that they feel supported by colleagues. However, interviews for potential new employees take place at the home before the provider obtains Disclosure and Barring Service checks. This means that individuals who may not be Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 5 suitable to work with children know the location of the home. This practice does not ensure children’s safety.

p.4

good

Staff feel that they are supported well by managers. They say that they receive regular supervision to support their practice. However, records do not clearly capture reflection on practice and identified actions to support staff development are not consistently reviewed at the next meeting.

p.5

good

Staff access relevant training to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to meet the individual needs of children. One member of staff has not completed their qualification in the required timescale.

p.5

good

The most recent statement of purpose has not been sent to Ofsted. However, it requires substantial revision to meet regulation and to clearly reflect the aims and purpose of care.

p.5

good

There are shortfalls in monitoring systems. This limits the manager’s understanding of practice in the home to identify areas for improvement. For example, the manager was unaware that a staff member had not disposed of a controlled medication safely by returning it to a pharmacy, in accordance with good practice.

p.5

good

Independent monitoring does not currently support the manager’s understanding of any shortfalls in practice or help to drive improvements. Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 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, 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.

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

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

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; and

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, that risk assessments, including those in relation to children going missing, are clear and individualised for each child and provide staff with clear strategies to keep children safe. 30 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 7 All staff should understand their safeguarding responsibilities, including taking appropriate action when a child makes an allegation against a member of staff.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Maintenance issues should be addressed promptly, so that children live in a safe environment and rooms are prepared for children to move into.

p.7

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.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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.7

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.7

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.7

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. 30 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 8 (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.8

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 30 April 2023

p.8

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; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the 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 that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

p.8

Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(c)(f))

p.8

Requirement Due date

Specifically, that children’s plans are clear, and show how staff are to support children’s individual needs. Plans should clearly identify how the support provided helps children to make progress and are written in a way that helps children to understand their journeys. 30 April 2023

p.8

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.8

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 30 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 9 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.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

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.9

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)(c)(f)(h))

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, that the manager ensures that all staff obtain the relevant qualification and have training to support children’s needs.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The manager should have clear monitoring systems in place to ensure oversight of all practice, including in relation to disposal of medication.

p.9

Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

p.9

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

p.9

Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

p.9

Requirement Due date

Specifically, that doors to shared areas of the children’s home should not be locked as a safeguarding measure when this prevents children having access to areas of their home. Any 30 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 10 measure that is used specifically to safeguard a child must be regularly assessed to ensure that it remains necessary.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

p.10

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 30 April 2023

p.10

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.10

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

p.10

Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.10

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.10

Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.10

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

p.10

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

p.10

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 30 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 11 Specifically, recruitment practices, including the location where interviews of prospective staff take place, should ensure children’s safety. Staff should complete a relevant qualification within timescales.

p.10

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records are signed and dated by the author. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should ensure that records are written so that they are helpful to the child. They should avoid use of outdated and judgemental language that can be institutionalised and stigmatising. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged to read and add to their records and are reminded of their right to see information that is written about them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.6)  The registered person should ensure that staff receive supervision that allows them to reflect on their practice and any identified actions agreed to support

p.11

Recommendations

professional development are reviewed. Records should be signed by the supervisor and supervisee. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that staff regularly remind children of their right to access an independent advocate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.7)  The registered person should ensure that staff continue to challenge and escalate to the placing authority when there are delays to children receiving services, advocating as any good parent would. They should consider the use of an independent advocate if children’s needs are not being met. (‘Guide to the Children Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)  The registered person should ensure that the independent person makes a rigorous assessment of the quality of care provided at the home. (‘Guide to the

p.11

Recommendations

Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5) Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 12

p.11

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: SC044276 13

p.12

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hanover Buildings, 11-13 Hanover Street, Liverpool, Merseyside L1 3DN

p.13

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Minogue

p.13

Inspector

Karen Willson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC044276 14 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.13

Inspector

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.14

Inspector

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

p.14

Inspector

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

p.14