Aldine House Secure Centre

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046524 1 SC046524 Sheffield City Council

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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 is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict children’s liberty.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to 10 children. Up to five children can be placed by the Youth Custody Service and up to five children placed by local authorities under section 25 of the Children Act 1989. Four children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The admission of any child under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who is under 13 years old requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this children’s home

The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection that took place from 31 October to 2 November 2023. Inspectors found significant shortfalls with regards to the safety and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. As a result of that inspection, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation and three compliance notices under regulations 13, 20 and 33.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the actions taken in response to one compliance notice issued under regulation 20. This relates to the use of restraint and the deprivation of liberty. The visit also looked at the home’s compliance with a notice of restriction of accommodation. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046524 2 The home has complied with the notice of restriction of accommodation. However, leaders and managers have not taken sufficient action to address the steps detailed in the compliance notice. As a result, this notice is not met.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors reviewed the training completed by staff since the last inspection. Some staff have completed training in relation to the legal use of single separation (where children are locked into an area alone). However, the full staff team have yet to undertake this essential training. Staff have not been provided with any training in relation to the practice of managing children away from their peers (when children are locked into an area but with staff always present). Consequently, staff have not yet been provided with the training they need to inform their practice and to ensure that their practice is lawful.

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This monitoring visit

Of the eight staff supervision records viewed by inspectors, only one record shows any discussions about single separation or managing children away from their peers. This discussion was initiated by the supervisee not the line manager. Staff are not being provided with information and guidance by their line managers to ensure that children are not unnecessarily or unlawfully deprived of their liberty.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have been sent policy guidance in relation to single separation. Not all staff have signed to acknowledged that they have read and understood this document. There has been no policy guidance shared in relation to managing away. Leaders and managers are not providing staff with all the information they need to inform their practice, and they do not ensure that information provided is read an understood by staff.

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This monitoring visit

Of the four operational management meetings which have taken place since the last inspection, only two meetings have completed minutes. Only one of these meetings makes any reference to addressing staff recordings in relation to single separation. The meetings make no reference to managing away practice.

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This monitoring visit

Following one incident, where one child has assaulted their peer, a restraint record has been completed. The type of hold used in the restraint and the duration of the hold is not recorded. This record has been signed off by the registered manager. The registered manager has not ensured the accuracy and completeness of the record or evaluated the practice of staff.

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This monitoring visit

The two remaining compliance notices, and other requirements and recommendations not subject to compliance have not been reviewed during this visit. These remain in place. The notice of restriction also remains in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046524 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/10/2023 Full Inadequate 28/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/02/2022 Full Outstanding 01/09/2021 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046524 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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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).

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff and managers fully understand the legal criteria that determines the circumstances when single separation and managed away can be used with children. 14 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;

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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 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; 14 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046524 5 demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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; and

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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)(b)(d)(e)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 14 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

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. 14 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046524 6 (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, safe keeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

in particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c)) 14 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children at least once every 6 months. (Regulation 45 (1)) 14 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a workforce plan in place which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). In particular, establish suitable transitional arrangements to ensure effective oversight and management of children’s education provision when the current head of learning leaves the service. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that teaching staff have access to focused continual professional development to further develop their teaching practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)  The registered person should ensure that the home makes available suitable facilities, equipment and resources for learning. In particular, ensure that the head of learning has the time to manage and support the teaching team effectively.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)  The registered person should ensure that staff provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming, supportive, and is personalised to children and celebrates their achievements. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62 paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046524 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046524 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Sheffield City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield S1 2HH

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Inspectors

Dawn Parton, Social Care Inspector Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC046524 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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