Children's Home run by Friends Therapeutic Community Trust in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC025733 1 SC025733 Registered provider: Friends Therapeutic Community Trust Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a charitable community trust and provides a therapeutic programme of care for up to 17 children. The home caters for a specific range of needs, as detailed in the statement of purpose. The facilities include a registered, on-site school and vocational workshops to support accredited work-based learning courses. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site. The community is jointly registered with the Care Quality Commission.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been in post since June 2023 and is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC025733 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/07/2022 Full Good 22/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC025733 3

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improvement to be good

There were 11 children living at this home at the time of the inspection. Five children had moved out, with three of them doing so in a planned way. Staff continue to support these three children as part of the home’s ‘aftercare package,’ which offers support to children for up to 18 months after they move on.

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improvement to be good

The previously registered manager has recently left. There have been widespread shortfalls in the management of the home throughout the period of inspection review. This included a lack of recorded management oversight, and decision- making. As a result, the current leadership team struggled to provide some important information at the time of the inspection. Leaders and managers did not have full information about some incidents that had occurred. However, the recently appointed manager has begun to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home and started to take steps to make the necessary improvements.

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improvement to be good

As well as the previous manager, some long-standing staff members have also left, affecting the stability of the service. Some children had strong attachments to the previous manager and miss her presence. Staff said that the interim management arrangements are supportive and helped them and the children to manage the change well.

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improvement to be good

On occasion, there have been medication errors. On one occasion, one child received a double dose of their medication. This led to the child having to attend the hospital for checks. The new manager had already recognised the need to improve medication procedures and has commissioned external support to reduce the likelihood of errors reoccurring.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from a well-embedded therapeutic programme that focuses on their behaviour and emotional well-being. Children have good relationships with staff. The staff make the home feel cheery and a happy place to be.

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improvement to be good

When children are reluctant to engage in education, staff use their knowledge of the children’s interests to encourage them to do so. This helps children to make progress with their educational engagement and attainment.

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improvement to be good

Staff prepare children well for adult life. The on-site bungalow is an excellent provision for children to experience independent living. The main home has several rooms with kitchenette facilities. These provide children with opportunities to increase their independence by shopping and preparing food for themselves. Inspection report for children's home: SC025733 4

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improvement to be good

Despite the recommendation made at the last inspection, some children’s individual missing-from-home protocols still do not detail the timescales within which staff must notify the police should they go missing. In addition, risk assessments lack detail regarding the required supervision levels for each child, despite the very high risks present. These shortfalls create uncertainty for staff and have contributed to an ineffective initial response to missing-from-care incidents.

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improvement to be good

The importance of online safety is discussed with children. Online safety measures are in place. However, these are not always effective, with children having accessed inappropriate material. Despite the significance of these issues for the children involved, leaders and managers have not taken strong enough actions to address these shortfalls.

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improvement to be good

The local authority designated officer (LADO) said that the previous manager made good use of an advocate and an independent visitor after a child made an allegation. This ensured that the child had appropriate avenues to discuss their concerns with people external to the home. However, although safeguarding concerns have been referred to the LADO, on occasion, internal investigations have taken place first. This has the potential to compromise any subsequent investigation by external agencies.

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improvement to be good

Three community meetings are held each day. All children are expected to attend and contribute. Interpersonal, emotional and behavioural issues are openly discussed in these meetings. Children benefit from the structure and guidance that these meetings bring.

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improvement to be good

Staff generally manage incidents well. Incidents are fully reviewed and explored by clinicians and staff at the community meetings. Behaviours are not ignored or minimised. They are addressed with children in line with the objectives of their placement plans.

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improvement to be good

In April 2023, the home received accreditation from a national organisation in recognition of its therapeutic work. This accolade recognises the core beliefs and values that are central to the therapeutic community at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

At the time of the inspection, a new manager had been in post for two weeks. The manager, along with a reformed leadership team, is beginning to make the required improvements. However, there have been widespread shortfalls in leadership and management that require addressing to improve the experiences and outcomes for children. Inspection report for children's home: SC025733 5 Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff consistently receive training in important areas relating to children’s needs, for example managing sexually harmful behaviours and autism spectrum disorder. This does not provide staff with all the support they require to help understand children’s needs. In addition, managers have not ensured that qualifications held by staff closely correspond with the required level 3 qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers are unsure whether the location risk assessment was informed by feedback from external professionals. Therefore, despite the complex needs of the children, it remains unclear how effectively the risks related to the location have been assessed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children have access to an independent advocate. However, records relating to children’s complaints are not sufficiently recorded. As a result, it is not always clear what actions were taken. Current managers were uncertain regarding the details of the complaints.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have failed to ensure that four staff members have received their annual appraisals. Therefore, opportunities have been missed to review staff targets, set new objectives and discuss improvements in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders’ and managers’ supervision and oversight of staff do not consider issues that may arise from staff who are in relationships working together. Therefore, they have not taken action to identify and allay these issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The statement of purpose contains out-of-date information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management monitoring has not been effective. Leaders and managers have not consistently identified shortfalls in the help and protection of children. When issues have been identified, the actions taken to address them have not always been sufficient. Leaders and managers have recently started to identify and take action to improve management oversight in the home. These changes are in their infancy and are yet to be embedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Monitoring by the independent person has the potential to contribute to the necessary improvements. The independent person has identified issues and shortfalls in the monthly visits. However, the recommendations from the visits have not been routinely acted on by leaders and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Requirements made at the last inspection have been addressed. Improvements have been made in the recording of consequences and restraints. One recommendation relating to missing-from-home protocols was not met. Inspection report for children's home: SC025733 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, 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.

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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

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

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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)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

managers and/or staff refer allegations against adults to the LADO before starting any internal investigations;

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Requirement Due date

activity and individual risk assessments detail sufficient risk- reduction measures to guide staff and keep children safe;

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Requirement Due date

children’s individual missing-from-home protocols detail the timescales within which staff must notify the police;

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Requirement Due date

managers implement measures to increase the safety of children when using the internet; and

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Requirement Due date

managers provide staff with clear direction and guidance on the required supervision levels for children. 28 July 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC025733 7 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

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)) 21 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 21 July 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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 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)(c)(h)) 28 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (2)) 28 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 28 July 2023

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 28 July 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC025733 8 keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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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))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they have made and recorded their judgement on whether the content of any qualifications held by individuals closely corresponds with the qualifications set out in regulation 28 (2)(c) (for managers) or regulation 32 (4) (for those in a care role). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.13)  The registered person should ensure that supervision of staff practice results in risks arising from staff who are in relationships working together being identified and mitigated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)

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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: SC025733 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Friends Therapeutic Community Trust

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Kajetan Kasinski

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Inspectors

Lianne Bradford, Social Care Inspector Paula Edwards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC025733 10 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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