Children's Home run by Laska Care and Education Ltd in North Yorkshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 1 Registered provider: Laska Care and Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may experience emotional and social difficulties. One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2020.

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: requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child had a positive move out of the home and one child moved into the home. Staff work to forge strong relationships with children. However, several shortfalls in the way the child is helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers were found during this inspection.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is experiencing challenges and has said they do not always feel safe and happy in the home. Staff try to engage the child and reassure them appropriately. Staff support and encourage the child to share their views, and the child knows how to make a complaint.

p.3

improvement to be good

The home has not been maintained to an acceptable standard. There has been a delay in undertaking some essential repairs, such as the tap in the kitchen and a water leak in the utility room. The child’s bedroom would also benefit from being redecorated. The responsible individual commissioned some immediate work during the inspection.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff struggle to encourage the child to access social activities other than Cadets, which the child enjoys. The child spends time in their bedroom and watching TV. This does not provide the child with opportunities to develop other hobbies and skills, although the staff are working to address this.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff use incentives to support and encourage the child to develop their independent self-care skills.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff meet the child’s health needs. The child’s social worker said, ‘Staff work hard to ensure the child attends health appointments.’ Staff access support from a psychotherapist, and this is helping them gain a better understanding around for supporting the child’s emotional needs.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child has experienced some challenges with education. The registered manager worked with education effectively to secure an appropriate education provision, and the child has recently started a new school that they enjoy. A education professional said, ‘The staff and the manager work hard to make sure [name of child] has positive outcomes in care and education, and it is a pleasure to work with them.’

p.3

improvement to be good

When children move on from the home or move into the home, this is managed sensitively and in the children’s best interests. One child who recently moved was supported to have a positive experience and said, ‘Staff helped me move my things and kept saying there was no need to rush things.’

p.3

improvement to be good

The child is supported to have time with their family and significant people in their lives. The child’s social worker said, ‘Staff understand who is important and would Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 4 drop everything to support [name of child] seeing important people in their life.’

p.3

improvement to be good

Physical interventions are minimal, but records are unclear on whether the actions taken by staff have been necessary and proportionate. Care staff’s actions during a physical intervention that took place in the child’s school were not clear. The physical intervention failed to provide the child with the opportunity to understand positive behaviours to support their emotions and was upsetting for the child.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff follow the protocols in place to support children when they go missing from home and ensure that all professionals are notified. Staff take action to find the child and return the child home. However, the records of these incidents are not always clear. On an occasion when a child left the home, recordings are not clear regarding whether a physical intervention was used to support the child’s safety or used as a means to return the child home.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff use one-to-one time to support children to understand positive behaviours and risks associated with online safety. This means children are supported to better understand how to keep safe online as well as manage their emotions.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments are up to date and clearly identify any risks and actions staff should take to support children.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff have an understanding of how to escalate concerns appropriately in line with the home’s whistle-blowing policies.

p.4

good

The home is run by a permanent, suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. The registered manager is committed to the home and has aspirations for the children.

p.4

good

Management monitoring systems are in place to review the quality of care provided. However, these systems have not been successful in identifying shortfalls in safeguarding records.

p.4

good

The registered manager failed to inform the appropriate authorities in a timely manner of a historical concern that the child shared. Delay also occurred around the registered manager having oversight of an incident when the child shared some concerns about living in the home.

p.4

good

Some of the child’s care plans and records are inaccurate. This does not provide staff with the information they need to have a clear understanding of the child’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 5 Staff do not receive supervision in line with the provider’s supervision policy. This does not provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on their practice and their work with children. Gaps in team meetings impact on opportunities for staff to regularly and consistently discuss children.

p.4

good

Staff are not all familiar with the home’s statement of purpose, and the most recent version is inaccurate. This means that professionals cannot be assured that staff provide care for children in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

p.5

good

The home’s location risk assessment does not include feedback from relevant professionals about risks in the local area. This means staff are not able to consider how this will affect children who live in the home.

p.5

good

The registered manager reviews and monitors children’s progress and seeks children’s views about their care. However, the quality of care review report does not fully explore the feedback and opinions of the children regarding the quality of care they receive.

p.5

good

Staff talk positively about the support from the registered manager. The registered manager has challenged individual practice in the team. This has helped to build confidence among the wider staff team.

p.5

good

The registered manager and staff have developed positive working relationships with external professionals. A social worker, therapist and a school representative all spoke of the quality of communication and the commitment of the registered manager. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 6

p.5

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.

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vii))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must ensure clear recording of significant incidents, evidencing that actions used are necessary, proportionate and in children’s best interests. 15 September

p.6

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.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 15 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 7 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.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received and

p.7

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)(g)(ii)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must ensure that arrangements are in place to support appropriate responses to children’s worries and offer staff consistent supervisions and team meetings to assist them in meeting children’s needs.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.7

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(c)(i)(ii)) 15 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 8 In particular, the registered persons must also ensure that the statement of purpose includes up-to-date and relevant information.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

p.8

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all children’s records and care plans are updated and that any relevant plans are shared with children. 15 September

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the suitability and location of the home are reviewed and that they include all updated information about any identified risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that when carrying out a quality of care review, the experiences of children living in the home and the impact the care is having on their outcomes are considered. Reviews should be underpinned by the quality standards as described in regulations 5 to 14. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)

p.8

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: 2567806 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Laska Care And Education Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Euroway House, Roysdale Way, Bradford BD4 6SE

p.9

Inspector

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2567806 10 regulates and inspects 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.

p.9

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.10

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10