Children's Home run by Unity Residential Care Services Limited in Staffordshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565231 1 Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. The home provides care for up to three children who have experienced complex or developmental trauma with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in March 2020, and the current manager was registered in June 2022.

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Inspection date: 26 September 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565231 2

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Outcome from the inspection

We identified widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

This visit took place in response to Ofsted being made aware of a serious allegation that has occurred at the setting, which is under investigation by appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the previous inspection, no children have moved out of the home, and no children have moved in. There are currently three children living in the home. Children told the inspectors that they were happy living at the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Since becoming aware of the nature of the allegation, leaders, managers and staff have failed to provide good care and support to a child living in the home. In addition, leaders and managers have not reviewed practice within the home. As a result, they have not been able to reassure themselves about the quality of care provided to children and have not identified shortfalls in practice or the action they should take to improve children’s experiences and their safety.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are not always consulted or updated after making serious allegations. This leaves children uncertain that adults in their lives have acted appropriately to safeguard them.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager told the inspectors that they had been informed by another agency that they were not able to talk to the child about the significant incidents that had happened to them. The registered manager was unable to provide evidence of this advice. In addition, the registered manager has not challenged professionals when she believes the direction given is not in the child’s best interests. Consequently, staff are not provided with clear plans on how to support children who may be struggling with their feelings and emotions.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders, managers and staff have failed to consider the emotional and psychological impact of the trauma experienced by a child. When the child approached managers and staff for support to discuss their feelings, managers’ and staff’s responses were poor, dismissive and uncaring and stopped the child from communicating their concerns and emotions. As a result, children do not receive care that is responsive to their needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not provided support for the child to help them to understand what has happened to them and how they are feeling. Leaders and managers told inspectors that they were unable to provide further therapy as this Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565231 3 had not been funded by the child’s local authority. As a result, the child has sourced their own therapy without the support of staff. The failure to provide children with professional support and guidance does not provide for their needs and does not promote their welfare.

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Findings from the inspection

The failure to provide the adequate support has meant the child’s main source of support is from an adult outside of the home. The registered manager does not have a system in place to gain feedback from outside professionals to inform the child’s care in the home. This approach hinders managers and staff from being able to provide children with effective care and support.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are not knowledgeable enough about how to support one child and minimise any potential risk. Risk management plans do not contain all the relevant information to help staff support the child. Consequently, one child continues to be at risk while missing from the home, with minimal support from staff when they return.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager had not ensured that an effective on-call system was in place for staff to follow in serious situations. The on-call procedure focused on staff feelings and not potential risks to children. In addition, staff did not follow the procedure, which resulted in a delay in sharing serious information about a child’s welfare with managers.

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Findings from the inspection

Following the serious event that has occurred, leaders and managers have not taken action to reassure themselves and partner agencies that staff have the understanding, skills and ability to undertake their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager does not have a clear understanding of the door alarm system in use at the home. No review of how this system can be monitored has occurred since the significant event, and the manager relied on a member of staff to show inspectors how this was overseen. This lack of understanding highlights a shortfall in the manager’s oversight of systems in place to safeguard children.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders’ and managers’ oversight of staff practice is inadequate. Poor practice has not been robustly challenged, and poor professional boundaries have not been addressed effectively. This includes the language used by staff when speaking about children and when writing records. For example, one member of staff referred to disclosures from children as ‘word vomit’; in records, staff described a child as ‘flirty’; and in a team meeting, staff responded to an allegation by questioning if they were going to be next. Such practices stigmatise children and undermine their experiences.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers lack an understanding of the training and development needs of the staff team. Not all staff have the training or skills to meet one child’s needs. Managers have not identified this or taken action to address the shortfall. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565231 4 Supervision practice in the home is poor and does not provide staff with guidance and direction to support children effectively. Similar concerns were identified in the registered manager’s recording of team meetings. Collectively, these shortfalls do not provide reassurance that staff have the knowledge, skills, ability and guidance to safeguard children.

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Findings from the inspection

As a result of these concerns, Ofsted has issued a notice restricting the accommodation of the home and issued compliance notices in relation to Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and Regulation 6, the quality and purpose of care standard. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565231 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2023 Full Good 02/11/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565231 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1) (a)(b) (2) (a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)) 12 November

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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— 12 November Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565231 7 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi))

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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

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

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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

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)(c)(f)(h)) 12 November

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565231 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Unity Residential Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke- on-Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspectors

Mark Dickinson, Social Care Inspector Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2565231 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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