Children's home run by Middlesbrough Borough Council

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 1 SC472381

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Registered provider: Middlesbrough Borough Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and managed by a local authority. It provides care for up to four children who experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager left the home on 16 April 2023. A suitably qualified and experienced interim manager, who plans to register with Ofsted, has been appointed. At the time of the assurance inspection, the new manager was not working in the home.

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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 this inspection, the inspectors 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: SC472381 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Staff do not consistently recognise and respond effectively to children’s risks, including when they are challenged by children’s behaviour.

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Findings from the inspection

 Leadership arrangements do not provide children and staff with clarity about who makes decisions.

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Findings from the inspection

 The arrangements for fire protection, as documented in the fire risk assessment, are unclear, including the location where firefighting equipment is stored.

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Findings from the inspection

 Staff do not consistently and effectively help children to become calm, resulting in children’s risks increasing.

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The care of children

The assurance inspection took place to look at specific concerns that were notified to Ofsted following a fire in the home that was started deliberately by one of the children. Inspectors evaluated how children were affected as well as the actions of leaders and staff. Children and staff were not harmed during the incident.

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The care of children

The effect of this serious incident on the children living in the home has been significant. One child has moved from the home due to their concerns about future risks. This sudden change to their care plan resulted in disruption to longstanding relationships with staff. Although some staff supported the move with the child, this unexpected ending to their time in the home does not provide them with a sense of security and stability.

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The care of children

The effect on another child’s emotional well-being has been considerable. Staff have tried to support the child, and expert psychological help has been provided. However, it is apparent that the child is struggling to come to terms with the fire at the home.

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The care of children

Staff work hard to maintain positive relationships with children. Staff try to respond to children’s needs effectively. This has been successful some of the time. However, there has been a recent decline in children going to health appointments. Children’s attendance at school has also decreased. This has a detrimental effect on their overall progress, and children do not benefit from regular routine and structure. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 3

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The safety of children

Staff do not consistently protect children. On one occasion, staff failed to evaluate and respond to a child’s risks, leading to a serious incident. The effect on all children and staff has been significant.

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The safety of children

The arrangements to keep children and staff safe from fire are substandard. Information in the home’s fire risk assessment is unclear, leading to the potential for confusion. A fire extinguisher was moved without consideration of the potential consequences. During the inspection, leaders recognised these concerns and took steps to clarify the action staff must take in the event of a fire.

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The safety of children

Staff use their relationships with children to try to encourage positive behaviour. They use a variety of strategies to help manage children’s behaviour. However, staff are often reactive when an incident emerges and do not pacify situations well. Some staff lack confidence to respond well to the needs of one child, which leads to the child experiencing uncertainty. Consequently, incidents increase in number and severity.

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The safety of children

Individualised risk assessments help staff to safeguard children. Steps to reduce children’s unique risks are clear and are regularly reviewed. Missing-from-home plans are detailed, including the specific action that staff should take for each child. Children understand the content of these plans. As a result of the consistent approach of staff, the risks around children being missing from home are being reduced .

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The leadership of the home is uncertain following recent changes, including changes in the wider organisation. Staff and children are unclear about who is in charge of the home and who is making decisions. A newly appointed manager had made some changes in the home that were intended to be positive for the children. However, during these changes, essential firefighting equipment was removed, and this was overlooked by the manager and staff. This significantly increased the risks to children and staff when the fire broke out.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Management oversight of the home is not well established. Leaders failed to ensure that essential aspects of a child’s care plan were followed. As a result, a child became involved in a serious incident while missing in the community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers are aspirational for children. They are focused on children’s needs and make efforts to improve children’s experiences. However, managers have not fully understood the consequences for children when staff struggle to cope with some aspects of their roles. Opportunities to help staff to be more effective are lost, resulting in children’s care deteriorating. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 4 Managers, including senior managers, accept the shortfalls raised at this assurance inspection. There is a determination to make improvements so that the likelihood of another serious incident is minimised. Managers have made changes to the staffing of the home. Plans are in place to give further support for staff to help them provide safe and effective care for children. Senior managers have provided assurance that children will not be admitted to the home while these changes are being

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

consolidated. However, it is too soon to evaluate the effectiveness of these plans. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2023 Full Good 07/03/2022 Full Good 19/11/2019 Full Good 22/01/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered persons 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should develop skills to recognise and act on risks, including when managing behavioural incidents that they find challenging. 30 June 2023

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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

promotes their welfare. 30 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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

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; and

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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)(a)(b)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders should comply with the home’s policies and children’s plans, including at times of crisis.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)) 5 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; 30 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 8 are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; and

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should receive the support they need to provide consistently safe and effective care to children.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)) 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should provide children with educational opportunities while suitable school placements are being identified. This requirement is restated as the assurance inspection took place before the required date. 30 June 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 9 The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 (c)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, all professionals involved in reviewing such limitations should know how the restrictions work and how they affect the child. This requirement is restated as the assurance inspection took place before the required date. 30 June 2023

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, arrangements must be made to ensure that any errors in recording the administration of medication are identified quickly so that these processes improve. This requirement is restated as the assurance inspection took place before the required date. 30 June 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person must ensure that children are able to access all shared areas of their home, unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet their needs. When limitations on children’s access to areas of the home are required, efforts must be made to make the home as appealing as possible. This recommendation is restated as the assurance inspection took place before the shortfall could be rectified. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Middlesbrough Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Middlesbrough House, 50 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RH

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Inspectors

Jane Titley, Social Care Inspector Cat Clasper, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472381 11 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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Inspectors

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