Aldine House Secure Centre

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046524 1 SC046524

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Registered provider: Sheffield City Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this secure children’s home

This secure children’s home is owned and managed by a local authority and is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict children’s liberty.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The home cares for up to 10 children who are aged between 10 and 17 years. At the time of this inspection, there were five children living at the home.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The home can provide care for up to five children placed by the Youth Custody Service and up to five children under Section 25 of the Children Act 1989 placed by local authorities.

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Information about this secure children’s home

Admission of any child under Section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who is under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The registered manager left the home in July 2022. A new manager has now been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 27 June 2023

Date of last inspection: 28 February 2023

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Inspection date: 27 June 2023

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 27 June 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046524 2

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, 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: SC046524 3

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Children enjoy positive and friendly relationships with staff. Staff listen to children and where possible, act on their wishes and feelings. Staff are motivated to provide good care to children and understand their complex needs. They take the time to get to know children well and speak proudly about their care and progress.

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The care of children

Staff complete good quality relationship work with children and their families. For example, one child, despite a long sentence, is motivated and engaged in their rehabilitation. Staff have supported family contact and worked with a family member on their parenting approach. This has supported the child to make considerable progress during their time in the home.

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The care of children

Children participate in the day-to-day decision-making at the home. They are helped to make choices that shape their lives and the running of the home. This helps them to feel valued and listened to. Children share their views and feelings about the issues that are important to them. The children speak positively about the impact the new manager has had on the home and said that they feel listened to. This ensures that the well-being of each child and their views remain at the centre of life at the home.

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The safety of children

Children said that they feel safe in the home, and that there are trusted staff who they can approach if they have any worries or concerns. The manager and staff prioritise children’s safety and protection. They work with children to explore risks and vulnerabilities and to help them to learn how to keep themselves safe, both in the home and when they return to the community.

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The safety of children

The use of single separation and restraint is minimal and proportionate. However, the recording and oversight of the use of these measures of control is confusing and not consistently completed to the required standard. Review processes failed to pick up where one incident had not been evaluated by the manager. However, the action taken during the incident was proportionate and kept the child and others safe. Shortfalls in monitoring systems means that potentially, poor practice can go unchallenged.

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The safety of children

Staff recruitment and vetting practices are now thorough, and all required checks are in place. This confirms that all staff are suitable to work with vulnerable children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046524 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A new manager is in post and has recently applied to register with Ofsted. She has high aspirations for the children and the development of the service, and understands the areas for improvement. The manager has detailed plans in place to address these areas and improve the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff spoke positively about the leadership of the home. They said they now feel able to approach leaders and managers with suggestions or requests, knowing that their views are taken into consideration. Staff feel valued and appreciated and this impacts positively on their relationships with the children, creating a welcoming and supportive atmosphere across the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There have been changes in the staff team. Staffing has been an issue; the manager and staff have had to work extra shifts to ensure that children receive the support and stability that they need. A recent recruitment drive means that there is now a larger staff team. Although some of these staff work on a sessional basis, there are now enough permanent staff to meet the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff have not had a yearly review of their performance and most staff do not receive regular or reflective supervision sessions. This means staff practice and performance is not sufficiently monitored and that staff may not receive the guidance and support that they need to care for children with complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers use audit tools and systems to monitor the service and to improve outcomes for children. However, these tools are not always used effectively. For example, audit systems have not informed managers that supervision sessions and appraisals had been missed. This limits managers’ understanding of the quality of care being delivered. Additionally, although staff have access to training relevant to the needs of the children in their care, the records relating to staff training are unclear. Managers could not demonstrate all staff had completed the online training assigned to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

As a result of this inspection, two requirements are repeated from the full Inspection in February 2023. Four recommendations made at the full inspection in relation to children’s education and healthcare services were not reviewed at this assurance inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/02/2022 Full Outstanding 01/09/2021 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046524 5

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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 registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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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)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated from the last inspection. 1 October 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)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that monitoring and review systems provide management oversight of incidents, training and the quality of care.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated from the last inspection. 1 October 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046524 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that if children in secure children’s homes are placed in single separation that this is necessary to prevent injury to any person or to prevent serious damage to the property of any person. In particular, the registered person should ensure that a record be made and kept of all uses of single separation in secure children’s homes (regulation 17 of The Children (Secure Accommodation) Regulations 1991). Children should be offered the opportunity to read and add a comment to the record of their separation. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.65)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s progress in education can be measured and evidenced in various ways. In particular, teachers should plan, track and monitor learners progress and set specific focused measurable targets to helps children understand the rapid improvements they are making. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 26, paragraph 5.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home makes available suitable facilities, equipment and resources for learning. In particular, ensure that the headteacher has the time to manage and support the teaching team effectively. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). In particular, teacher staff should have more focused continual professional development to expand and further develop their teaching practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that medicines are administered in line with an approved protocol. In particular, strengthen the administration process, to ensure all information is kept confidential, and that any interruptions during the administration of medicines are minimal. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046524 7

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Secure children’s home details

Registered provider: Sheffield City Council

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Secure children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield S1 2HH

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Inspectors

James Tallis, Social Care Inspector (lead) Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC046524 8 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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