Children's home run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC065059 1 SC065059 Registered provider: Stoke-on-Trent City Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a local authority and registered to provide care for up to two children with emotional and social difficulties because of early childhood trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the service in July 2023. The current manager has been in post since August 2023 and has not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 29 November 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC065059 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/11/2022 Full Good 03/08/2021 Full Good 28/01/2020 Full Outstanding 17/07/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC065059 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. One of the children has lived in the home for over a year and the other child moved in six weeks before the inspection. The manager ensured that the child had a positive experience moving into the home, despite this being an urgent move for them.

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improvement to be good

One child has left the home since the last inspection. The child was supported by staff to move on in a positive way. While the transition plan supported the child to have a positive experience leaving the home, the child did not receive well-planned care while living in the home.

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improvement to be good

As a result of the care received, the child was not supported to engage in education, therefore, made limited educational progress. The child had additional health and psychological needs which were not supported effectively. Medication was not administered consistently and health appointments were not attended. This prevented the child achieving positive outcomes and their welfare was not prioritised.

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improvement to be good

Although regular health and safety checks take place, the manager and staff have not identified hazards in children’s bedrooms. For example, electrical items were not stored safely in one child’s bedroom. Other items were scattered across the child’s bedroom floor, which posed a safety hazard. These situations leave children at risk of physical harm.

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improvement to be good

Children have developed positive relationships with staff. One child said that their relationships with staff have helped them to feel settled. There are positive relationships between children and staff. The relationships between children and staff have enabled staff to better support children when they are experiencing a crisis.

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improvement to be good

The response to children at risk of harm has been varied. Children’s risk assessments provide clear guidance to staff. However, managers and staff have not always followed children’s risk assessments, therefore, risks are not always well managed.

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improvement to be good

One child spent considerable time away from the home, including overnights, at addresses which were considered unsafe. The manager failed to escalate and take effective action to address these concerns. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065059 4 Staff did not follow one child’s risk assessment when the child told staff they had self-harmed. The risk assessment was updated with the incident. However, the risk level was not reviewed, despite this being an action identified following the incident. Consequently, the risk assessment did not appropriately reflect the child’s current situation or risk. This practice does not keep children safe or promote their welfare.

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improvement to be good

Children said they know how to make a complaint and they feel supported by staff if they have concerns or worries. One child made a complaint about staff conduct. Managers took appropriate action to share the concerns with the local authority designated officer and social worker. However, the child was not given the opportunity to speak to someone independent. The staff member the child had complained about returned to work in the home before the complaint had been fully investigated. This practice could cause children to feel that staff, including the manager, do not take their concerns seriously, resulting in them feeling unsafe.

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improvement to be good

The use of consequences has increased during this inspection period. When consequences are used, they are appropriate to children’s age and their behaviours. However, these have not been effective in supporting children to reflect on the impact of their behaviours on themselves and others. Additionally, systems to reward positive and kind behaviours lack creativity. This is a missed opportunity to help children to reflect on their behaviours and to encourage positive behaviours.

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good

The manager has the appropriate qualification for the role and has high aspirations for the children and the staff team.

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good

The manager has established positive relationships with staff and children. Staff are positive about the support and systems implemented by the current manager. They say this has helped with staff morale and the home is a more positive place to work.

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good

Internal monitoring systems used by managers are not always effective. For example, self-harm incidents have not been reviewed by the manager. The manager has lacked professional curiosity in reviewing and evaluating incidents, to identify shortfalls in staff practice. This prevents effective oversight and monitoring of the quality of care provided to children. This limits managers’ and staff’s abilities to develop strategies to prevent similar incidents reoccurring.

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good

The children are supported by a qualified staff team. Managers and staff have monthly consultations with a clinical psychologist, when reflective discussions take place about children’s progress. This helps staff to develop skills and strategies to respond to the needs of individual children. This allows staff to understand the reasons behind children’s behaviours, to provide child-centred care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065059 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

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

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

the provider ensuring that staff follow children’s risk assessments, and risk assessments are reviewed and updated when children’s circumstances change;

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Requirement Due date

that the home environment and children’s bedrooms are free from hazards, to ensure children’s safety. 28 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065059 6 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that the care provided to children is consistent with the home’s statement of purpose and children’s plans.

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Requirement Due date

Also, to the provider ensuring the monitoring and review systems used are effective in ensuring oversight of all incidents in the home. 28 January 2024

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(e)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider escalating concerns with the placing authority when children have been away from home for extended period and this is not in line with the child’s plan. 28 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC065059 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand and use a system for rewarding and celebrating positive behaviour and recognising when children have managed situations well. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.39)

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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: SC065059 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stoke-on-Trent City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City of Stoke-on-Trent, Swann House, Boothen Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 4SY

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Inspector

Nateisha Cardoza-Evans, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC065059 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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