Clayfields House Secure Unit

Inspection report for secure children’s home - monitoring visit: SC036740 1 SC036740 Nottinghamshire County Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this secure children’s home

A local authority operates this secure children’s home. It is approved by the Department for Education to restrict children’s liberty.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The home can accommodate up to 20 children aged between 10 and 17 years. It provides accommodation for up to 12 children placed by the Youth Custody Service and has up to eight places for children accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989. Ten children were living at the home at the time of the monitoring visit.

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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.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection carried out between 18 and 20 July 2023. Following that inspection, Ofsted issued a compliance notice. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the actions taken in response to the compliance notice. The additional four requirements and eight recommendations made at the inspection in July 2023 will be reviewed at the next full inspection. Suitable action has been taken to address all the action points set out in the compliance notice. Inspection report for secure children’s home - monitoring visit: SC036740 2 The registered manager has provided staff and managers with training on the legal criteria for the use of physical restraint and single separation (where children are locked in an area when they meet the legal criteria of being a significant risk to themselves or others).

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This monitoring visit

The records and closed-circuit television (CCTV) recordings sampled demonstrated that physical restraint and single separation have been used appropriately. The written records match the CCTV evidence.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors spoke with managers and staff, who confidently described their learning from the training and staff briefings.

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This monitoring visit

Managers review physical intervention and single separation incidents to ensure that the legal criteria for the use of such measures are met. Where learning from incidents has been identified, managers ensure that staff benefit from this learning to improve practice, and this helps in supporting children.

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This monitoring visit

Children told inspectors that they feel safe. Arrangements are now in place for the visiting advocate to discuss physical restraint incidents with children. This provides children with someone independent of the home to discuss their feelings and any concerns they may have. The advocate will report matters to managers so that they can take action when required. Inspection report for secure children’s home - monitoring visit: SC036740 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Full No serious or widespread concerns Good 05/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for secure children’s home - monitoring visit: SC036740 4

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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 with 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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)) 1 September 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that records of physical restraint intervention, single separation and consequences are accurate, that these records fully detail the incident and action taken, and that managers review and evaluate their use. This is to ensure that the use is appropriate, proportionate, restorative and effective. 1 September 2023

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard are that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— 1 September 2023 Inspection report for secure children’s home - monitoring visit: SC036740 5 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is thorough scrutiny and monitoring of staff practice, and that records are kept relating to the management of behaviour, including physical restraint intervention, single separation and consequences.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, help children to be clear on what are acceptable responses to others’ behaviour and what are not. Prepare children well for change in the staff who are caring for them and for any move within the home, with the aim of assisting in maintaining positive and trusting relationships. 1 September 2023 Inspection report for secure children’s home - monitoring visit: SC036740 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children in their care understand their rights as a looked-after child or child living in a children’s home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations and the quality standards’ page 23, paragraph 4.19)  The registered person should ensure that children’s progress in education can be measured and evidenced in various ways, including but not limited to success in academic, vocational and other awards and qualifications; other formal attainment tests that are part of national assessment arrangements; and teachers’ ongoing assessments. Measurements of progress should include qualitative information such as how well the child is being prepared for their next stage of education, training or employment, and quantitative data where available. In particular, leaders need to improve the quality of feedback that children receive so that children know what they have done

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Recommendations

well and what they need to do to improve the quality of their work. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 26, paragraph 5.2)  The registered person should ensure that each child’s day-to-day health and well-being needs are met. In particular, that as the number of children living in the home increases, there are sufficient healthcare staff to support the children, and that the recruitment of healthcare staff ensures that leaders have sufficient capacity to effectively govern and monitor the service. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 33, paragraph 7.3)  The registered person should ensure that they make suitable arrangements for the safe administration of children’s medication and the storage and disposal of controlled drugs, and that fridge temperatures are checked daily and addressed when out of range. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that each child’s day-to-day health and well-being needs are met. In particular, that when children have been physically restrained, the welfare checks completed by the healthcare team are documented in all relevant records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 33, paragraph 7.3)  The registered person should make sure that all information about the child is recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, children should receive written feedback at the conclusion of the investigation into their complaint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations,’ including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.2).  The registered person should ensure that staff strive to develop positive relationships with children. Staff should show consistency and unconditional

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Recommendations

positive regard for the child and acknowledge the importance of understanding and responding to the child’s lived experience of care. In particular, staff should ensure that children are prepared for changes of Inspection report for secure children’s home - monitoring visit: SC036740 7 staffing and movement between units. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations’, including the quality standards,’ page 21, paragraph 4.3).  The registered person should ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. In particular, ensure that information contained on Disclosure and Barring Service checks is explored and assessed and a record is kept. These should include the mitigation and any actions taken if required when employment is undertaken. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations,’ including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.1).

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for secure children’s home - monitoring visit: SC036740 8

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Secure Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottinghamshire County Council

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Secure Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7QP

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Inspectors

Debbie Foster, Social Care Inspector Mr Shaun Common, His Majesty’s Inspector lead for the secure estate Inspection report for secure children’s home - monitoring visit: SC036740 9 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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