Children's Home run by Olive Tree Residential Care Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2679041 1 Registered provider: Olive Tree Residential Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in July 2022. The home is privately owned and forms part of a small social care organisation which offers therapeutic support. It provides care for up to three children who have been affected by adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours. At the time of this inspection there were no children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted. The home has been without a registered manager since 22 December 2022.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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

Date of last inspection: 7 December 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2679041 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2679041 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, three children, who are siblings, have moved out of the home. The children had lived at the home for nearly a year. Relationships with key stakeholders, including the children’s school and placing authority, had broken down. This contributed to the ending of the three children’s placements. Since 1 June 2023, there have been no children living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Poor decision-making by leaders and managers left children feeling disappointed and confused about the arrangements for the home’s dogs when they left the home. Dogs had been bought for the home and the children were told that they could take the dogs when they left. There were some discussions with the placing authority about this. However, records were not clear about the decision for the children to keep the dogs when they moved. As a result, failure to communicate effectively with the placing authority contributed to the children’s ending at the home being even more traumatic than it might otherwise have been.

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improvement to be good

Children had mixed experiences that contributed to their individual progress. For example, one child was settled in school and was making progress. Other children were having difficulties. At the time children’s placements ended, their engagement with their education, and their attendance, had deteriorated. The managers’ and leaders’ failure to work effectively with education professionals contributed to the decline in children’s engagement. When education staff were concerned about the welfare of children, action was taken to visit them at the home, when the education staff perceived they were being denied access to see the children. Although this is by the provider, this has impacted on the effectiveness of the children’s care planning.

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improvement to be good

The views, wishes and feelings of the children who lived in the home were gathered through regular feedback sessions with staff. For example, one-to-one chats, house meetings and daily discussions enabled children to have their say.

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improvement to be good

The children engaged in a range of positive activities outside the home. For example, they went to football clubs, Brownies, swimming and for walks in the park. These experiences provided children with opportunities for fun and enjoyment and helped build their self-esteem.

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improvement to be good

Staff supported and encouraged children to maintain positive relationships with their loved ones. This helped children to maintain relationships with their family.

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improvement to be good

Managers ensure that the home is warm and welcoming. Children have plenty of space to unwind and relax. The children were given opportunities to personalise their bedrooms. The home is decorated and maintained to a good standard. Inspection report for children's home: 2679041 4

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improvement to be good

Managers have responded to, reported and investigated allegations. Children are supported well throughout the process. This demonstrates that managers take appropriate action when a child raises serious concerns.

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improvement to be good

When hildren were still living at the home, some staff from external agencies were used to provide care to children on a regular basis. The manager made efforts to use the same two agency staff to minimise any impact on the children. Managers have streamlined the recording systems used to document that safer recruitment checks have been completed before agency staff work in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always record how much medication is left after administering medicines to children. This makes it difficult to check if there are any discrepancies. Managers and leaders agreed that the record needs to include a medication count.

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improvement to be good

The number of incidents of children going missing since the last inspection is low, children have not needed to be restrained and there have been few incidents in which children have been at risk of harm. At times, staff were effective in managing children’s behaviour, even when this was challenging. However, on one occasion, a child was able to leave the house, go missing and subsequently climb onto the school roof, which resulted in them being arrested.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always provided firm boundaries and structure to promote positive behaviour. The home uses a therapeutic model to promote children’s positive behaviour, however, its introduction is still being rolled out. Some staff have not completed the training and others are still developing their understanding of this approach. Leaders and managers recognise there is a need to set clearer boundaries and routines for children from the start of their placements.

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improvement to be good

The manager ensures that fire safety arrangements are in place. A competent person has completed the annual fire risk assessment. This keeps all those who live, work and visit the home safe in the event of a fire evacuation.

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good

The home is managed by an experienced and qualified manager. He has submitted his application to register with Ofsted and is awaiting interview. The manager has been in post since December 2022.

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good

Since the previous inspection, the manager has also been managing another of the company’s homes. This has reduced their capacity for monitoring and oversight of this home, which has impacted on the quality of care provided to children. During the inspection it was confirmed that the manager would cease to have oversight of the second home. Inspection report for children's home: 2679041 5 The manager’s monitoring systems are not effective, as they do not support them to identify shortfalls. During the inspection, the inspectors found the location risk assessment had been reviewed but did not include how partner agencies have been involved in the development of the service.

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good

Managers have not ensured that staff are provided with additional training when needed. For example, the outcome of the investigation into one allegation was that staff should have training in professional boundaries and reporting and recording. However, this action remains outstanding. This does not ensure that staff are equipped with the skills to undertake their roles and responsibilities.

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good

There are no clear lines of accountability between the manager, responsible individual and the director. Leaders are all involved in different aspects of the management of the home. This impacts on the effectiveness of the oversight of the home.

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good

Despite these shortfalls, there has been a recent strengthening of the leadership team. A second operational manager had started work two days before this inspection. Additionally, a new care director is due to start imminently. Furthermore, the home now has a new deputy manager, who has been in post for six weeks. The impact of these changes to the leadership team cannot yet be assessed. Inspection report for children's home: 2679041 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 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 acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met;

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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)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager’s oversight and monitoring of practice in the home. The manager must have clear monitoring and review systems in place to identify shortfalls and improve practice and embed therapeutic practice to support children’s behaviour. 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2679041 7 that arrangements are in place to—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)) 31 August 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they make suitable arrangements for the safe administration of medication and ensure that records are kept up to date. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that positive behaviour and relationships are reinforced, praised and encouraged. Poor behaviour should be challenged and discussed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.11)  The registered person should ensure that the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises of the home are reviewed at least once a year, and that consultation takes place with others, including the police. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Inspection report for children's home: 2679041 8

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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: 2679041 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Olive Tree Residential Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Chantry View Farm, Moat Hill, Newborough, Burton-on-Trent DE13 8SS

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Melanie Crawford

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Inspectors

Michelle Spruce, Social Care Inspector Paul Robinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2679041 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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