Children's home run by Oldham Children’s Social Care in Oldham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035339 1 SC035339

p.1

Registered provider: Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a local authority. It provides care for up to four children who may have social or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the home was providing care for four children.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home does not currently have a registered manager.

p.1

Inspection date: 12 February 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 12 February 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has 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: SC035339 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

This visit took place to consider specific concerns that were notified to Ofsted.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home, and one child has moved out of the home. Staff are ambitious for children and support them to do well in their education. Staff support children to develop independence skills in line with their level of ability.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff nurture children’s relationships with their family and friends. This supports children to develop their identity and maintain relationships that are important to them.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children access a variety of activities and days out. This supports them to develop their confidence and pursue their own interests.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the importance of building relationships with the children. Children’s risks reduce because of the care that they receive. Staff complete direct work with children to enable them to understand their own risks. This helps children learn how to keep themselves safe.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children’s access to some areas of their home is restricted. Three children raised concerns with the inspector about a food cupboard being locked intermittently. The decision to lock this area of the home is not based on children’s individual needs. The managers removed this lock during the inspection.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Staff practice is inconsistent, and as a result, children do not always experience stable care. For some children, this means that they do not understand the boundaries in the home. Managers have arranged for staff to access specific training to improve consistency. However, this has not yet taken place.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children’s views are understood; however, these are not always acted on. When staff do respond to children’s views, this is not always managed sensitively. Children have made complaints that have not been acknowledged as complaints or responded to. This does not enable children to feel listened to or understand how their views have been acted on.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager is no longer working in the home. There are interim management arrangements in place. The registered manager completed a review of the quality of care. Feedback has been included from children, parents and professionals, which meets a requirement made at the previous inspection. Managers work closely with external professionals to ensure that children’s needs are met. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035339 3 Management oversight of the care provided to children is variable. As a result, managers do not have a full understanding of the home’s strengths or areas for improvement. For example, management oversight of incidents does not always provide a clear assessment of staff practice or identify any learning. This means that shortfalls in staff practice are not always identified or acted on.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Two requirements made at the previous inspection under Regulation 7 and Regulation 12 have not been met and have been repeated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035339 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/06/2022 Full Good 07/01/2020 Full Inadequate 17/07/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035339 5

p.4

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.5

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 April 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 1 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035339 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that any restrictions imposed on children are reviewed and assessed on a regular basis.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This also relates specifically to ensuring that staff understand how to manage children’s behaviours and have clear strategies to help them to keep children safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 1 April 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035339 7 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.7

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)(c)(e)(f)) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035339 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Oldham Council, Civic Centre, Oldham OL1 1UT

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Whitbread

p.8

Inspector

Sally Griffiths, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC035339 9 regulates and inspects 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9