Children's Home run by Active Care Organisation Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2683082 1 Registered provider: Active Care Organisation Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to two children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager in post. An acting manager is in post and plans to apply to be registered.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been one child living in the home since the last full inspection who has recently moved out.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2683082 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2683082 3

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inadequate

The child’s experiences and progress have been impacted by poor safeguarding practices. Not all allegations of harm have been taken seriously. Senior managers have not provided sufficient oversight and scrutiny to ensure action is taken when children are at risk. As a result, a child remained at risk of harm and felt fearful and unsafe.

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inadequate

The child’s health needs have not been adequately met. While managers have appropriately advocated for additional health support for the child, there has been a significant shortfall in administering medication. A senior manager has undertaken their own mental capacity assessment without consultation. Subsequently, a child has been administered medication covertly without local authority consent. Furthermore, managers and staff have not sought the necessary advice from a medical professional to ensure safe administration. Therefore, this child was at risk of serious harm.

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inadequate

It is unclear if all staff have received the appropriate training in relation to meeting the child’s specific needs. On occasion, staff have been unable to manage the child’s behaviour effectively. As a result, police assistance has been required to ensure the safety of the child and others. This has meant the child has been at risk of criminalisation.

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inadequate

The child’s care plan is detailed and current. Plans contain guidance for staff on how best to support the child. Managers have been proactive in seeking additional support for the child where appropriate. Where a child has left the home, this has been a careful and reluctant decision. Managers have exhausted all efforts to seek the necessary interventions to meet the child’s needs. However, managers have not always made decisions in line with the local authority’s care plan. This has meant that the child’s move out of the home was not entirely positive.

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inadequate

Individual discussions have taken place between staff and the child. Topics of direct work are relevant and meaningful. The child has developed good relationships with staff. The child has enjoyed doing activities inside and outside of the home, such as painting, baking and going to the park. This has helped the child to build their confidence and self-esteem.

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inadequate

Staff have supported the child with their education. They work creatively with children when they do not attend school. The home has a designated learning room where children can complete schoolwork and receive home tutoring. Staff have supported and prepared the child to return to full-time education. Inspection report for children's home: 2683082 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Allegations against staff have not been managed in a consistent or safe manner. For example, one allegation was not reported to safeguarding professionals. Instead, a senior manager conducted their own investigation. The staff member was allowed to continue caring for the child while the internal investigation took place. This hindered subsequent investigations by safeguarding professionals. As a result, the child remained at risk of potential harm.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Managers do not inform Ofsted when allegations against staff are made. This limits Ofsted’s regulatory capacity to assess the provider’s approach to safeguard and protect children. This lack of reporting and transparency increases children’s vulnerability and risk of harm.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Physical restraint is used as a last resort and with the least force necessary. Advanced training has been provided to staff to strengthen physical restraint practice. Debriefs with the child have taken place. However, there are significant gaps in the recordings, making it difficult to ensure that the correct procedures are being followed. Staff have not recorded how they have followed the child’s safety plan during restraints. Records do not demonstrate if the child is being appropriately helped and protected.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are thorough and up to date. They inform staff about the child’s needs and risks and how staff should respond. Despite these being informative and current, on occasion, staff have not been effective in managing children’s behaviour. This has resulted in the use of physical restraints and police assistance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The leadership and management of the home have been affected by the unexpected succession of managers. The oversight and management of the home have been poor at times. Senior managers have not provided sufficient support and guidance to ensure management tasks are effectively actioned. As a result, the child’s concerns have not been taken seriously, which has left them at risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not recognised when pertinent information relating to a child’s welfare is not recorded. For example, there are gaps in recording how safety plans are being followed during physical restraints. The missing information prevents the assessment of whether staff are correctly following the safety protocols. Therefore, management evaluations are not effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not demonstrate effective partnership working with external agencies. They have not followed the appropriate child protection procedures. For example, on occasion, they have failed to alert safeguarding Inspection report for children's home: 2683082 5 professionals when a child has made an allegation about a member of staff. Investigations are provider-led and not directed by the appropriate professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Monitoring and auditing systems are not used effectively to identify and address shortfalls. For example, managers fail to recognise the poor recording of incidents and allegations. There is also a lack of clarity around what training staff have undertaken, particularly in relation to staff’s competencies in supporting children’s diagnosed needs. Recording systems are disorganised, and much of the information required for the inspection was not available.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior managers have stepped outside of their professional boundaries. For example, a child’s mental capacity assessment was undertaken by a senior manager without local authority consent. Critical decisions regarding a child’s health were not made in consultation with the child’s social worker. Furthermore, managers have not implemented sound policies and procedures for administering medication. This practice increases the potential risk of harm for children. Inspection report for children's home: 2683082 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to improving management monitoring and oversight of all areas of the home, but particularly safeguarding. It also relates to senior managers practising within their roles and in consultation with the local authority. 20 October 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 2683082 7 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;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring Ofsted is informed when allegations against staff are made. 20 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring medication is administered in line with policy and procedure and with local authority consent. 20 October 2023

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2683082 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Active Care Organisation Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3AT

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Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2683082 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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