Children's home run by Country Care Children’s Homes Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2590408 1 Registered provider: Country Care Childrens Homes Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. The home provides care for up to three children who have experienced trauma that has left them with emotional difficulties and associated challenging behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2020 and holds a level 5 qualification.

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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

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: 2590408 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2590408 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have continued to live in the home. Both children are settled and have made some progress. However, the safeguarding arrangements and leadership and management systems in the home require improvement. Consequently, this has had some negative impact on children’s overall experiences of living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been several changes in the staff team. For example, a high number of staff have left and no longer work in the home. However, these changes have been managed sensitively and children have been provided with opportunities to say goodbye to staff who are leaving, to end things positively. New staff have started to develop good relationships with the children.

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improvement to be good

Children’s education outcomes are good. Staff promote and support children to do well at school. For example, one child is awaiting their GCSE results and has a place set up at college. Another child is accessing learning at a level that is relevant to their needs and there has been a considerable improvement in this child’s attendance. One professional said that the child was ‘doing absolutely brilliantly’ at school and that ‘the home has promoted [the child’s] educational needs very well’. These outcomes help children to feel that they have achieved and grow in confidence.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children’s health needs well. Children are registered with routine health professionals. In addition, both children receive direct support from the home’s psychologist, and this is having a positive effect on their emotional health. One child said that, ‘[The home’s psychologist] is lovely and this is really helping me.’ A professional said that, ‘The support from the psychologist has been amazing, she attends multi-agency meetings, and this support has had a real impact on [the child].’

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improvement to be good

Staff and the registered manager work well with children’s families. This means that children are provided with opportunities to spend time with the people important to them. For example, one child spends quality time with their mother and has recently started to build a relationship with their grandfather. Another child also regularly spends time with their family and friends. As a result, children stay connected to people who are important in their lives.

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improvement to be good

Staff work hard to ensure that they respond to children’s views and feelings effectively. This is done through structured key-work sessions and regular children’s meetings. In addition, the registered manager will respond to children in a child focused manner when they raise a grumble or complaint. This reassurance helps children to feel valued and that they are respected in the home. One child said they rated the home ‘eight out of 10’ while another said that the home was ‘11 out of 11.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2590408 4

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improvement to be good

Overall, children are safe in the home and both children told the inspector that they felt safe. However, the inspector identified shortfalls in some of the home’s safeguarding systems that require improvement.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding systems and leaders’ responses when children make allegations require improvement. For example, children have made several allegations against the registered manager. However, senior leaders have failed to consistently carry out investigations in response to these. On one occasion, an allegation made by a child against the registered manager was not acted on, or shared with the local authority as is specified in the child’s plan. This is because staff and leaders failed to identify and respond to the information shared with them by the child. In addition, the local authority designated officer is not always notified within the timeframes specified in the home’s policies and, in some cases, the officer has not been notified for several days and weeks following an incident. The registered manager also does not review allegations made by children with senior leaders in the company, which is against

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improvement to be good

the home’s allegations policy. These shortfalls have the potential to leave children vulnerable and delay appropriate action being taken to ensure their safety.

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improvement to be good

However, on all other occasions, when children have made allegations, the registered manager ensures that the children’s social workers are informed immediately and kept up to date on actions taken. She also arranges for children to be spoken to independently by staff not involved in the incident and their social workers. In addition, there are joined-up multi-agency plans in place for children to provide guidance to staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff are not always safely vetted prior to working in the home. Records are confusing and difficult to locate. They fail to evidence that the registered manager has completed checks on staff’s full employment history. In addition, the registered manager does not always verify the reasons employment ended when staff have previously worked with children. This has the potential to leave children vulnerable to being cared for by adults who are not appropriate to work with children.

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improvement to be good

Significant incidents involving children have not been notified to Ofsted. For example, several incidents when children have made allegations against staff have not been shared. Consequently, Ofsted is unable to carry out its monitoring function to ensure that action is taken to safeguard children.

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improvement to be good

Despite some of the shortfalls, staff manage many incidents with children well. Physical restraint is always used as a last resort and staff use de-escalation strategies and their positive relationships with children to effectively manage challenging situations. The registered manager and leaders provide good oversight of incidents, and the records are clear and well recorded. Staff and children are routinely spoken to, and all actions are completed. As a result, staff and children Inspection report for children’s home: 2590408 5 learn from their experiences and incidents are managed to ensure the safety of all involved.

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improvement to be good

Children rarely go missing from the home. There have been no incidents since the last inspection. Staff ensure that protocols and risk assessments are in place and are shared with external professionals. Staff understand children’s plans and can describe the action they would take if a child was to go missing.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments provide staff with safe ways of managing children’s behaviour. Staff seek and act on advice from the home’s psychologist, which helps to reduce children’s risks. Staff promote the use of restorative techniques to promote good behaviour and consequences given to children are low. As a result, children respond positively to this approach and incidents reduce.

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good

A suitably qualified and experienced manager leads the home. She is solution focused and keen for children to achieve and make progress. Staff said that they feel supported and that the manager is always approachable to offer advice.

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good

However, management oversight and review systems require improvement. They do not promote continuous improvements in the quality of care provided to children. For example, systems in place have failed to identify shortfalls in staff recruitment, management of allegations and notifications to Ofsted. In addition, a lack of organisation meant that the inspector was not provided with important inspection documents during the inspection. This lack of oversight and organisation does not improve the quality of care for children.

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good

The registered manager submitted their six-month review of the quality of care at the home to Ofsted. However, this report lacked evaluation and analysis of specific areas, including the safeguarding of children. The report did not identify actions necessary to improve the service for children. In addition, the manager did not use feedback from children and those involved in children’s lives to identify and inform the areas for improvement.

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good

Monthly staff meetings take place and staff receive training that supports them in their roles. Most staff are qualified or are working towards the required qualification within the regulatory timescale. However, one member of staff is considerably out of timescales and has not yet completed the qualification.

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good

Leaders provide regular supervision and appraisal to staff. This is a supportive process and staff are given the opportunity to discuss their wishes and feelings. However, supervisions are not consistently reflective and do not always review children’s plans and progress. As a result, staff are not always provided with opportunities to develop and improve their understanding and practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2590408 6 The staff and registered manager have established positive working relationships with a range of agencies and external professionals who are involved in children’s care. This ensures that appropriate support is in place to encourage children’s progress and help them achieve their potential. Inspection report for children’s home: 2590408 7

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff and leaders should be able to recognise, understand and follow the home’s child protection policies when a child makes an allegation against a member of staff. 13 September

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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

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; 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)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, senior leaders and managers should ensure that the home’s child protection and safeguarding policies are followed in the home. Leaders must also have clear 13 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2590408 8 monitoring and review systems in place to identify shortfalls, improve practice and understand children’s progress.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that a full and accurate employment history has been provided and validated before any individual commences work in the home. Furthermore, leaders should ensure that they carry out checks where staff have previously worked with children. 13 September

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders must ensure that they notify Ofsted when a child makes an allegation of abuse against staff working in the home. 13 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children; 5 October 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2590408 9 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that she effectively assesses and reviews the quality of care provided to children in the home. The review should also use feedback provided by children and the important people involved in children’s lives to improve the care that children receive.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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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: 2590408 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Country Care Childrens Homes Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Meadows, Beech Lane, Dove Holes, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 8DJ

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Inspector

Dean Wilton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2590408 11 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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