Children's Home run by North Lincolnshire Council in North Lincolnshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 1 SC472449

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Registered provider: North Lincolnshire Council

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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 run by a local authority and can provide care for up to six children who may have emotional and social difficulties. This can include one child who has a physical disability.

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Information about this children’s home

There are interim management arrangements in place as there is no registered manager in post.

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Information about this children’s home

Five children were living at the home at the time of the 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 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: SC472449 2

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Findings from the inspection

During the assurance inspection, Ofsted identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children and the management and leadership of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

 Significant and concerning incidents involving children are not clearly recorded. This restricts the regulator in assessing whether the provider responds appropriately to children’s needs when there are safeguarding concerns.  The home’s management arrangements are ineffective. This impacts on the monitoring and oversight of the home and how well children are helped and protected.  Children are not always offered consistent care in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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The care of children

Staff have positive relationships with children and children say they feel supported by staff. However, recent events have led to some children feeling unsettled in the home and this has affected some children’s well-being.

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The care of children

Some children living in the home have been exposed to risk of harm. This has been due to exploitation occurring in the community and risks associated with substance misuse and criminal activities. This has had ramifications on a minority of children directly involved, but has also had detrimental effects on the other children in the home and the staff.

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The care of children

Staff are unable to help some children to consistently attend school. Incidents have taken place in the home resulting in some children being awake during the night. This has affected some children’s daily routines, including their education attendance.

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The care of children

Children do not always have access to all areas of the home because staff lock some internal doors. This practice was previously used by staff to manage children’s unwanted behaviours. This has not been reviewed and creates an unhomely environment for the children to live.

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The care of children

One child has moved away from the home in order to keep them safe. Although this was done at short notice, it was well planned and coordinated.

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The care of children

Staff care about the children and are proud of any positive progress children make. Staff celebrate successes with the children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 3

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The safety of children

The home has experienced an unsettled time recently. Significant incidents in the home, and a semi-independent living provision located near to the home, have led to Ofsted finding serious and widespread concerns. These incidents have not been clearly recorded and it is unclear whether associated risks are understood by leaders and managers, or what actions have been taken to reduce risks that affect the children.

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The safety of children

Some incidents have negatively affected other uninvolved children living in the home. One child has been woken in the early hours of the morning by police attending the home. One child has said they have experienced difficulty sleeping due to disruptions in the home.

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The safety of children

Children have clear missing from home procedures. However, not all missing from home and safeguarding incidents have been clearly recorded. This does not provide leaders and managers with the necessary information to ensure that they can monitor the effectiveness of staff responses, or whether follow- up actions are needed to effectively safeguard children.

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The safety of children

Staff are unable to ensure that children’s bedrooms are free from hazardous items that may cause them harm. Some children have misused substances in their bedrooms. This has had a negative effect on the other children in the home.

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The safety of children

Room searches are not consistently undertaken or clearly recorded in accordance with children’s risk assessments and care plans. This makes it difficult for leaders and managers to ensure that children are supported and monitored appropriately.

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The safety of children

Risk assessments have been updated since the last inspection to consider known risks to children. However, one child’s risk assessment was unclear, and failed to offer staff clear guidance on how to meet the child’s needs when the child is upset and displaying unwanted behaviours.

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The safety of children

No physical interventions have taken place since the last inspection. However, due to concerns around the recording of significant safeguarding concerns, it is not clear if this is a positive.

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The safety of children

Recent changes have resulted in the children living in the home experiencing a more stable period. There has been a reduction of incidents, meaning staff have greater opportunities to support the children and carry out direct work and activities. This means children are beginning to feel more settled in the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Shortfalls linked to safeguarding practice and leadership and management of the home led to serious and widespread concerns being found by the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Monitoring and reviewing systems are ineffective. This impacts on managers identifying safeguarding concerns and ensuring effective oversight and evaluation of any incidents. Some recent changes have been made to strengthening management oversight, but these are not embedded in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

When serious safeguarding concerns take place, there is a delay in Ofsted being informed. On one occasion, a serious notification was only submitted to the regulator because it was raised by the monthly independent visitor to leaders. This raises concerns about the regulator having timely and independent oversight of safeguarding incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have not provided feedback to a child regarding a complaint made by the child. This has not provided the child with a clear message that their concerns have been listened to and taken seriously.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The home is currently managed by an acting manager. Staff talked positively about the support they have received from them since taking up the role. Staff say they have benefited from recent workshops delivered to support them to develop their knowledge and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Serious and widespread concerns were found throughout this inspection. However, before the end of the inspection, senior leaders from the local authority offered assurances to the regulator that actions would be taken to safeguard the children and staff. These assurances prevented Ofsted from taking more stringent enforcement action. Two compliance notices relating to regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) have been issued to the provider. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/08/2022 Full Good 08/11/2021 Full Outstanding 27/11/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

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

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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;

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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)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(d)) 31 August 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 7 * 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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. ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(g)(ii)(h)) 31 August 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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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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)(b)(e)) 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)) 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 31 August 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 8 children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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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. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to compliance notices. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Lincolnshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Church Square House, 30-40 Church Square, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire DN15 6NL

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Inspectors

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector (lead) Paula Shepherd, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC472449 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 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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