Children's home run by City of Wolverhampton Council

Inspection report for children's home: SC378153 1 SC378153 Registered provider: Wolverhampton City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority and provides short breaks for up to six children aged between nine and 17. The children may have experienced childhood adversity that has resulted in emotional and behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since April 2013. He holds a relevant level 4 diploma.

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: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC378153 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2022 Full Good 22/02/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 19/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC378153 3

p.2

improvement to be good

This home currently supports 20 children whose families are experiencing a time of crisis. Most of the children spoken to told inspectors that they enjoy their short breaks. For some children, the support of staff has prevented family breakdown and has helped them to stay living with their families or to return to live at their family home.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children’s short-break stays are not always well planned by managers. On some occasions, same-day arrangements have been made for children to come to stay at the home. However, the planning for these stays has not always adequately considered the compatibility of children or whether there are sufficient staff. Consequently, shortfalls in staffing have impacted on the ability of staff to meet children’s individual needs.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff do not provide children with regular opportunities to share their views, wishes and feelings about their short-break stays. Monthly house meetings for children have not been held for at least three months. Inspectors found that despite a high number of children staying at the home, only three children had been spoken to between March and August 2023 about their experiences. When meetings with children have taken place, it is not always clear what action the registered manager has taken to respond to children’s views.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children have positive relationships with the adults who care for them. Children enjoy spending time at the home, including having the opportunity to do activities. One professional said, ‘They [staff] are always happy to help. All children who I have worked with have spoken positively of their experiences at the home.’

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff carry out direct work with children, in line with their individual plans. This has included discussions about healthy relationships, safe sex, education and employment. This work has allowed children to develop their knowledge in key areas important to their development.

p.3

improvement to be good

The home is tastefully decorated and well furnished. Children’s bedrooms are spacious, and there is ample space for children to spend time with each other or alone. Children’s achievements are celebrated and pictures of children and their achievements are on display in communal areas. Children have helped staff to develop the home environment, including a new games room and a hair and beauty room. Inspection report for children's home: SC378153 4

p.3

improvement to be good

Failure by staff to follow children’s plans has contributed to incidents, following which children have made allegations about staff. Managers have taken swift action to ensure that relevant professionals are alerted and that children are safe in the home. However, the subsequent increase in the use of agency staff has affected the consistency of children’s care.

p.4

improvement to be good

Information relating to incidents is often missing from children’s records. Consequently, it is not always clear if staff responses to children’s behaviour have been appropriate. On one occasion, delay by a staff member in recording and reporting an incident hindered the registered manager from having oversight of the event. This left the child feeling that their views about what had happened had not been heard.

p.4

improvement to be good

The registered manager’s oversight of health and safety is lacking. For example, he has failed to ensure that works identified in the electrical installation report have been completed in a timely manner. In addition, weekly fire alarm tests have not been carried out for over a month. Inconsistent oversight of the safety of the premises has the potential to place children at risk of harm.

p.4

improvement to be good

Overall, the management of medication is safe. Medication is appropriately stored and staff are trained in the safe handling of medication. However, on one occasion when a medication error occurred, staff did not follow the organisation’s guidance to seek medical advice. The manager has taken action to ensure that this does not reoccur.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff are appropriately trained in physical intervention and children are only held by staff as a last resort. When a child is held, both the child and the staff are spoken to after the event to allow for reflection and learning.

p.4

good

Managers have not ensured that staff have received all the training necessary for their role. For example, some staff have not received training in substance misuse, self-harm and safeguarding. Consequently, staff may not have the necessary skills or knowledge to meet children’s needs.

p.4

good

The registered manager’s monitoring is not always effective. He has failed to identify shortfalls in relation to staffing ratios, staff training and the monitoring of health and safety matters. However, the registered manager does have an effective monitoring system in place to review the frequency and quality of staff supervision.

p.4

good

The registered manager has been in post for several years. Since the previous inspection, he has been working collaboratively with senior managers to try and Inspection report for children's home: SC378153 5 develop the staff team and the home. Managers recognise that there is progress to be made and appear committed to ensuring the ongoing development of the home.

p.4

good

The registered manager works well with the wider professional network. For example, when concerns have arisen regarding the exploitation of children, he has worked closely with the local police to ensure that children remain safe. One professional told an inspector, ‘Communication between myself and the manager is brilliant. We liaise quite well.’ Inspection report for children's home: SC378153 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.6

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers and staff ensuring that they consult children about their experiences of staying at the home, and provide feedback to children about how their views have been taken into account. 29 September

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— 29 September Inspection report for children's home: SC378153 7 that staff—

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.7

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

p.7

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)(v)(vi)(vii)(d))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that staff understand and act on their safeguarding responsibilities, including to report and record. It also relates to managers taking timely action to address health and safety matters.

p.7

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.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 29 September Inspection report for children's home: SC378153 8 (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that children’s stays are well planned, to ensure the needs of all the children staying at the home can be met. This includes ensuring there are sufficient staff. This also relates to managers ensuring that there are systems in place that are used effectively to oversee the operation of the home.

p.8

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 signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff fully complete children’s records. 29 September

p.8

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when the home has questions or concerns about a child’s medication, they should approach an expert such as a GP, community pharmacist or designated nurse for looked-after children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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: SC378153 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Wolverhampton City Council

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, St Peters Square, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV1 1SH

p.9

Inspectors

Chanel Bryant, Social Care Inspector Sonia Sullivan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC378153 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.

p.9

Inspectors

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

Inspectors

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

p.10

Inspectors

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

p.10