Children's Home run by Durham County Council in Durham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2624251 1 Registered provider: Durham County 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 is operated and managed by a local authority. The home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector spoke with both children.

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Information about this children’s home

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: 2624251 2

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Outcome from the inspection

During the assurance inspection, Ofsted identified the following serious and widespread concerns.

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Outcome from the inspection

 Poor leadership and management.  Significant shortfalls in the management of children’s behaviour.  Inadequate home conditions.  Insufficient staffing levels.  Shortfalls in safeguarding practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted received information that the registered manager was absent from the home which resulted in instability in the management arrangements. At the same time, concerns were raised by the independent visitor who completes monthly visits to the home. This assurance inspection was carried out in response to these concerns.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are not receiving good-quality care and do not have a positive experience living at this home. The registered manager has been absent from the home for several months and there is also no stable staff team. As a result, children receive inconsistent care from carers that they do not know well.

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Findings from the inspection

At the time of the inspection, two on-call managers were supporting the children as there were no other staff available. This is due to a high number of staff being absent from work. Staff said that there is not enough staff to care for the children, and there is a heavy reliance on agency staff. One child said, ‘I never know who is coming. A lot of them are strangers and there is never enough staff.’

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Findings from the inspection

Children said that staff do not listen to them or provide them with the right level of support. One child said, ‘There are staff that do not know what they are doing. Staff are not experienced, and I do not like it when people do not work with me.’

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Findings from the inspection

There has been an increase in serious incidents since September 2023. Staff do not have the experience to support children when their behaviours become challenging. Staff have not intervened to prevent incidents and have not been able to de-escalate them. This has resulted in staff calling the police to manage children’s behaviour. This could lead to the criminalisation of children.

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Findings from the inspection

Management oversight of the care and safety of children is poor. As a result, incidents continue to occur and they are escalating in nature. This increases the risk of harm to children. One child shared that they do not feel safe. On the night before the inspection, staff remained in the locked office for many hours, which left children unsupervised and at risk of harm. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2624251 3 Children do not live in an environment that promotes their safety and well-being. The conditions of the home are unhygienic and there is significant damage throughout.

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Findings from the inspection

On the day of the inspection, the responsible individual provided an action plan to Ofsted and took immediate action to address some of the shortfalls. This included reviewing whether the children should both remain living at the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted held a case review on the same day of the inspection to consider the serious shortfalls found. Ofsted issued a notice to restrict accommodation to prevent any children moving into the home so that the leaders and managers could address the management and staffing shortages. The requirements made at the last inspection have not been met and are restated, together with further shortfalls identified. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2624251 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/08/2023 Full Good 01/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/09/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2624251 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

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;

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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; and

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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)(iii)(vi)(b)(d)) 5 January 2024

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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; 5 January 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2624251 6 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(d)(e)) No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(f)) 6 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv)((vii)) 6 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child's placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child's age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child's need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 6 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; 6 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2624251 7 are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that case records reflect children's everyday lives and the work that is carried out with them. The records reflect their achievements and clearly relate to the plans for their futures. The registered person must ensure the style and clarity in records increases children's understanding of their histories, background, and experiences. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2624251 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Durham County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Durham DH1 5UL

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Inspector

Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2624251 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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