Children's home run by Stockton on Tees Borough Council

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2568244 1 Registered provider: Stockton on Tees Borough Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides short- and long-term care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. This includes children with physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since May 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Inspection date: 24 October 2023

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 24 October 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector 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: 2568244 2

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Outcome from the inspection

During the assurance inspection, Ofsted identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children.

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Outcome from the inspection

 Managers have failed to make adequate arrangements to safeguard children.  The staffing arrangements in the home do not prioritise the safety and well- being of children.  The management arrangements have been ineffective and inconsistent.  There has been no registered manager in post since May 2022.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to adequately assess whether children are at risk of harm when they are missing from the home. Risks to children, including those who are vulnerable to exploitation, are not well understood by staff. Children’s plans are not updated when risks escalate or when new information becomes available. As a result, staff’s response when children go missing is not effective, and vulnerable children are left at risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to provide staff with clear directions to follow when children go missing from the home. The procedure described by the responsible individual is not what the staff or children have reported and is not reflected in the written records. On several occasions, a taxi has been sent to collect a missing child from unsafe locations without any staff to support them home. This decision was taken because the staff on duty did not hold a driving licence. Leaders and managers have failed to identify these shortfalls in practice standards. This demonstrates that management oversight has been ineffective. These arrangements do not keep children safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers do not promote a culture in the home that enables staff to build secure and trusting relationships with children. Leaders have recognised this and taken action to address the concerns. Professionals have stated that they have seen some positive change in the interactions between staff and children.

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Findings from the inspection

The home has been without a registered manager since May 2022. Management cover arrangements have not been effective and there have been several changes of interim manager. A new manager has been recruited but has not yet started in post.

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Findings from the inspection

At the previous inspection, door locks were used to restrict children from accessing communal areas inside the home. This has been satisfactorily addressed. One child told the inspector that they must ask permission to access their back garden. Some exit doors are routinely locked, which limits children’s access to and from the home. This has not been assessed by the manager to consider if it is necessary or proportionate to restrict the movement of children in this way. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2568244 3 One child has moved into the home in a planned way since the recent inspection. The manager carried out an assessment to ensure that the home can meet the child’s needs. This assessment also balances the needs of other children living in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff work with education providers to secure learning opportunities for children. This means that all children now have access to education that is appropriate to their needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The recommendations made at the previous inspection remain. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2568244 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/06/2022 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2568244 5

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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 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

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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(b)) 10 December

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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— 10 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2568244 6 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 10 December

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2568244 7 being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stockton on Tees Borough Council Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2568244 8 Registered provider address: Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton on Tees, Cleveland TS18 1LD

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Inspector

Joanne Wallis, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2568244 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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