Children's Home run by The Gateshead Group Ltd in Gloucestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 1 Registered provider: The Gateshead Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider and offers care for up to three children. The provider states in the home’s statement of purpose that care is provided for children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and its manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023. This is the home’s first inspection since registration.

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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/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected, their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 2

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inadequate

Due to serious and widespread concerns that mean children are not protected from harm, their welfare is not promoted, and their care and experiences are poor, Ofsted suspended the home’s registration on 9 November 2023. As a result, the placing authority are required to support their children to move out of the home. The suspension of the home’s registration will be regularly reviewed by Ofsted.

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inadequate

Children’s basic needs are not being met. Children are not supported to develop healthy routines and there is a lack of nurturing boundaries in place. As a result, children are often awake throughout the night and asleep during the day. As well as impacting negatively on the other children in the home who may be trying to sleep at night, the lack of positive routines also has a detrimental effect on children’s ability to attend school, engage positively in education and eat regular and nutritious meals.

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inadequate

Although education provisions and support packages have been identified for children, none of the children are currently attending school. Unfortunately, one child received a fixed exclusion from school before half term. Another child is waiting to attend a specialist provision, although they have not been supported to visit the school to see what it might be like for them. A third child has not attended their education provision since their initial induction to the school. When children are not attending full-time education, they are not supported to engage in suitable structured activities and routines that promote their development and learning.

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inadequate

Children describe ‘difficult’ relationships with their peers and say that staff are not able to help them to improve their relationships with one another. Insufficient action is taken by staff to help children to repair fractured relationships. This contributes to children saying that they do not feel safe living in the home.

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inadequate

Before children move to the home, they are not always supported to visit or meet the staff and children who they will be living with. The children’s guide does not provide an adequate picture of what it might be like for children to live in the home. As a result, children are not helped to feel welcomed and their views and wishes, informed by their understanding of what the home might be like, are not considered.

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inadequate

Children’s bedrooms are personalised in line with their interests and there are decorative lights, posters and photos on the walls. However, one child has not been supported to paint their bedroom as they wish, as leaders and managers explained that they do not want to provide the child with false assurances that this will be their long-term home. Leaders and managers fail to understand how this rationale can impact a child’s sense of belonging in their home. Furthermore, some children’s bedrooms are not clean or tidy, and there are plates of half-eaten food, takeaway Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 3 wrappers and unwashed clothes on the floor. Staff are not supporting children well enough to ensure that their bedrooms are a nice space for them to spend time in. As a result, children are not helped to feel a sense of belonging or that their bedrooms are their own.

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inadequate

The office spaces in the home are not in keeping with what would be expected of a family home. There is a closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitor mounted to the wall in one office space, and operational guidance for staff is tacked to walls. As a result, the environment lacks warmth and a sense of homeliness.

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

Children are not being kept safe. One child is at significant risk of exploitation and regularly goes missing from the home. Despite knowing these risks before the child moved in, insufficient action was taken by leaders and managers to mitigate them. Leaders and managers failed to show adequate curiosity or scrutiny of the information that they were provided with. Furthermore, leaders and managers failed to consider how the location of the home was likely to exacerbate the risk of harm, despite this being reasonably foreseeable.

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

An independent reviewing officer commented that they were not consulted or in favour of their child’s move to the home. In addition, they explained that they would not consider the home to be a suitable long-term arrangement.

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

Although there are concerning indicators of potential child exploitation, leaders and managers have failed to safeguard children effectively. One child regularly has parcels delivered to the home, but staff have not been sufficiently curious about what is in them. This is in addition to staff noticing that the child has access to money from unexplained sources.

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

When children are missing from home, staff follow the agreed protocols, including searching the local area and trying to contact the child. However, it is unclear when staff should report children missing from home to the police, as previous learning has not been consistently applied in practice.

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

The police have been called to the home because staff have been unable to support the children themselves. Given the information shared with the home by the placing authority about children’s needs and the associated risks, it would be reasonable to expect staff to have the skills, knowledge and managerial support to defuse many, if not all, of these situations. At times, staff have supported children at the police station as an appropriate adult, without having had any training to carry out this important role.

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

Records are not always clear about what happened before, during or after an incident that involved the use of restraint. As a result, it is not always clear what strategies staff use to try and avoid restraint. Consequently, it is difficult to determine whether the use of restraint is always necessary. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 4 When concerns are raised by children about staff practice, leaders and managers respond promptly. Concerns are shared with the relevant professionals and appropriate actions are identified. However, the children who raise the concerns are not always informed of the actions that have been taken. As a result, children are not assured that they have been listened to, nor are they able to provide their input or agree with the steps that have been taken.

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

Family members say that the support offered to their children is not good enough. One family member described picking their child up to spend time in the community with them only to be told that their child had no clean clothes. As a result, the child had to wear clothes that were too small for them to continue with their planned family time. During the inspection, family members raised several concerns about the safety of their children. These concerns were reported to senior managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders, managers and staff do not demonstrate the necessary understanding and skills to operate this home in accordance with the Children’s Homes Regulations (England) 2015. Consequently, several of the regulations are breached.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not taken adequate steps to understand the risks associated with children or manage them effectively. One child has gone missing from the home on 39 occasions. Although waking night support was put in place, as the child was often leaving the home overnight, this provision was stopped without clear rationale. Leaders and managers have not responded effectively to safeguard the child, as additional steps to mitigate the associated risks have not been implemented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have received several serious concerns about children’s care. However, there has been inadequate investigations and responses by leaders and managers to these concerns. As a result, leaders and managers are not able to demonstrate sufficient learning, and actions have not been taken to ensure that the same concerns are not repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children’s plans do not accurately reflect their current needs or the level of support that they require. Plans do not support staff to meet children’s needs as key information is often missing or out of date. As a result, staff do not provide children with adequate support and guidance to help them keep themselves safe and achieve positive outcomes. Some concerning risk-taking behaviours have not been explored with children. When they have been, the guidance provided by staff is poor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff are not consistently encouraged to reflect on their responses to children and how they could support them more effectively in the future. Furthermore, children are not helped to identify how they could make safer choices. Consequently, incidents that staff find difficult to manage continue to take place regularly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Safer recruitment checks are carried out to help leaders and managers determine the suitability of most staff to work with children. However, when staff have moved Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 5 from overseas, leaders and managers are not able to assure themselves of their suitability as the relevant checks are not always carried out.

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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

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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(c)) 1 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 6 In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff have a clear understanding of the risks to children and their responsibility to take effective action to help children to keep safe.

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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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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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

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to 1 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 7 the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(x) (xi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff are supported to develop positive and trusting relationships with children. Specifically, staff should be supported to provide advice and guidance to children that help them to develop healthy relationships, make safe choices and practise positive conflict resolution.

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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

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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iv)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff understand children’s individual care needs and can support children effectively to promote their welfare and fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure that children are helped to maintain their bedrooms to a good standard of cleanliness. Furthermore, the registered person should ensure that the home maintains a domestic rather than 1 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 8 institutional impression. Specifically, this relates to the practice of continual CCTV monitoring.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff provide children with healthy routines and nurturing boundaries. Specifically, staff should help children to develop healthy sleep patterns and eat balanced and nutritious meals. 1 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

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Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to use de-escalation strategies that help children to express themselves safely. By doing 1 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 9 this, staff should be sure that restraint is only used when necessary and as a last resort.

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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; and

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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)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that they have the skills to operate the home in accordance with the home’s statement of purpose and The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that they use admissions information to accurately assess whether children can be kept safe in the home. Furthermore, before children move to the home, they should be supported to understand what it might be like for them to live there. 1 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 10 The registered manager should also ensure that children’s plans help staff to understand how to support children and use continual reflection to make improvements to the quality of care being provided. Furthermore, the registered person should ensure that staff have the skills, experience and training to support children effectively.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure that they respond to complaints to resolve issues and prevent reoccurrence.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all reasonable recruitment checks are carried out so that they can assure themselves that staff are suitable to work with children. 1 January 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when children are not in full-time education, they are supported to engage in suitable structured activities that promote their development and learning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that staff support children to understand how to protect themselves, feel protected and be protected from significant harm. In particular, the registered person should ensure that when children raise concerns about the actions of others, they are provided with a suitable overview of the actions taken and outcomes. As a result, children should be assured by the actions taken and feel protected. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 11

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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: 2731370 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Gateshead Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 59 Wainwright Avenue, Hamilton, Leicester LE5 1QW

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Inspector

Martin Brown, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2731370 13 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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