Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report for children’s home: SC008488 1 SC008488 Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to eight children who may experience a range of social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, six children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

As a result of significant shortfalls identified at the last full inspection, compliance notices were issued under Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). In addition, the home was made subject to notice restricting accommodation.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit was carried out on 7 September 2023, and it was concluded that insufficient steps had been taken to fully address the compliance notices. These Inspection report for children’s home: SC008488 2 notices were therefore reissued, and the notice restricting accommodation remained in place. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008488 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2023 Full Inadequate 24/05/2022 Full Good 06/12/2021 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC008488 4

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improvement to be good

Six children are living in the home, and each child has their own bedroom. Children have the freedom to personalise their bedrooms to their individual tastes.

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improvement to be good

All children regularly attend school. Children are doing well and are making progress from their starting points. When there are changes to school placements, staff do all that they can to make sure that this is a positive experience for children.

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improvement to be good

Staff carry out regular direct work with children. However, planned direct work does not always take place. When direct work does take place, records are not detailed and lack curiosity from staff.

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improvement to be good

The relationships between the staff and children were observed to be positive and caring. Children can identify an adult who they can trust, talk to and have fun with. This helps children to develop a sense of permanence and belonging.

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improvement to be good

Children’s files do not always include the most up-to-date care plans from the local authority. This means that staff are not always fully informed about what the children’s plans are. As a result, internal care plans do not contain the most accurate information.

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improvement to be good

Staffing ratios for children are now clearly identified in children’s support plans. The manager regularly reviews these plans, taking into consideration children’s individual needs. As a result, children are now receiving the support they need from staff to keep them safe.

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improvement to be good

When new staff start, they are not suitably vetted. The registered manager has not scrutinised gaps in employment. As a result, safer recruitment processes are not followed.

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improvement to be good

Staff only use holds as a last resort to keep children safe. The use of holds is in line with the home’s policies and procedures. The recording of restraints has improved since the last inspection. Documents now contain all relevant information. Managers thoroughly review all records. They are reflective, which helps to identify any potential learning outcomes.

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improvement to be good

The management of risk has improved since the last inspection. The manager has put in place extra documents to support staff when caring for children. These documents are robust and provide clear strategies that help staff to manage and Inspection report for children’s home: SC008488 5 mitigate risk. The manager ensures that these documents are reviewed and discussed in weekly staff meetings.

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improvement to be good

The manager ensures that there are arrangements in place to manage medication. However, medication records for some children are not accurate. Arrangements for the storage of medication in the home are not safe and secure.

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good

The manager’s level of oversight in the home has improved and is developing. The manager has put in place new systems and processes. These are having a positive influence on the care provided to children.

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good

All incidents are now reviewed by the managers in the team and an additional review is now carried out by a senior manager. This is supporting the development of the registered manager, who is now more reflective of staff practice.

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good

Training offered to staff has improved since the last inspection. All staff have now received additional training that supports their knowledge and development. As a result, staff are now able to meet children’s individual needs.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. The manager has introduced a new supervision template. Supervision sessions are well planned and structured. Staff now reflect on their practice and the needs of the children.

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good

The manager ensures that plans for each shift are overseen by himself or other managers. These plans identify staffing ratios, along with allocated tasks and responsibilities for staff. As a result, staff are developing a sense of shared ownership regarding their practice.

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good

A case review held on 16 October 2023 concluded that sufficient action has been taken to address the steps in the compliance notices. Furthermore, the notice restricting accommodation has not been restated. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008488 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that medication is securely stored and that systems in place to manage medication are consistently followed by staff and in line with the home’s medication policy. 10 November

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to access and contribute to the records kept by the registered person in relation to the child. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they have accessible copies of children’s most up-to-date local authority care plans and any other relevant plans. 10 November Inspection report for children’s home: SC008488 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that planned direct work with children takes place more regularly. Records should also be detailed and clearly evidence professional curiosity from staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.14)  The registered person should ensure that when recruiting staff, gaps in their employment histories are explored and clearly evidenced in the recruitment records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: SC008488 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pearce House, 80 Cawdor Street, Eccles M30 0QF

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Inspectors

Kimmy Feeley, Social Care Inspector Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC008488 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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