Children's home run by Peterborough City Council

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC058778 1 SC058778

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Registered provider: Peterborough City & Cambridgeshire County Councils

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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 run by the local authority and provides short breaks for up to five children and long-term care for a further three children. The home provides specialist care for children with physical disabilities and/or learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2007.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 12 September 2023

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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: SC058778 2

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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.

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Findings from the inspection

At the time of the inspection, there were four children staying at the home. There are positive relationships between children and staff.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been positive changes to the interior of the home. A new carpet has been fitted, and the damp patch in the shower has been repaired. A large mural has been painted in a corridor. New garden equipment is in place, which the children enjoy. The manager has plans for further refurbishment of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff have not used restraints since the last inspection. There has been no use of other measures of control. The manager is working with other professionals to create new protocols and systems to record any measures of control if these are used in the future. The requirement relating to this has not been tested; however, due to the change, it has been deemed as met.

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Findings from the inspection

Systems to report injuries or marks on children are understood by staff. The forms have been amended since the last inspection. Social workers are now routinely informed about any marks seen on children during their stays. The manager is working with social work teams to develop a clear protocol about how these are managed and reported. However, there were two injuries that were not reported to social workers. The manager assumed where the injuries came from, but there is nothing recorded to justify why this information was not sent to the social worker.

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Findings from the inspection

Allegations against the staff are appropriately reported. The local authority designated officer is informed. A meeting with the social work team took place following an allegation. A specific risk assessment was devised to support both the child and staff. Managers had oversight following this allegation, but they failed to identify that a notification to Ofsted should have been made until this was requested by Ofsted.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff have made some medication errors. These are reported effectively, and children’s parents are informed. However, there is limited learning from mistakes and a lack of recording about further actions taken. There is no reason recorded for why health advice is not sought following an administration error, although the manager is aware of the reasons. The manager said that the staff involved are competent to administer medication; however, no evidence about how this was assessed was provided at the inspection. Additional medication training has since been completed, but there was a delay of two months before this took place. This could place children at risk. Changes are being made to how medication is recorded. Staff are involved in these changes. New forms are being developed to simplify the process of medication administration. Involving staff gives them increased ownership and understanding of decisions.

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Findings from the inspection

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC058778 3 A new system for appraisals has been introduced. However, some of the relief staff have not had appraisals of their performance. This means that staff have not had the opportunity to reflect on their performance and identify areas for development.

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Findings from the inspection

The managers have implemented new management oversight systems, which are still being developed. The managers have made some improvements to monitoring; however, learning from monitoring does not yet contribute to the development of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Safer recruitment checks are not undertaken for all adults working at the home. One child is visiting the home as part of a referral. This child attends with two external support workers who only work with that specific child. These external workers are commissioned by the council however the manager has not verified the recruitment checks for these support workers. This could mean that unsuitable adults are spending time with the children.

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Findings from the inspection

A quality of care report has been provided. However, there is no feedback from families, professionals or staff included. This limits the effectiveness of the report in identifying and driving improvements.

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Findings from the inspection

An updated statement of purpose was sent to Ofsted during the inspection. This had not been sent following a new responsible individual being appointed. Ofsted now has the up-to-date information about the home’s management arrangements.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has met three of the five requirements from the last inspection. Two requirements have not been met and have been restated. One new requirement has been raised. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC058778 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/07/2022 Full Good 13/07/2021 Full Good 04/02/2020 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC058778 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 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

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;

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers have oversight of incidents and identify any lessons learned and that social workers are informed following any concerns about children’s care. Ensure that notifications are made to Ofsted when required and that any actions taken following medication errors are clearly recorded.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 24 May 2024

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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; or 3 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC058778 6 if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

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)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager should ensure that any external professionals who are working at the home have had full employment checks undertaken and the manager has had oversight of these checks.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 21 June 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff, including relief workers, have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC058778 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Peterborough City & Cambridgeshire County Councils

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sand Martin House, Bittern Way, Fletton Quays, Peterborough PE2 8TY

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Inspector

Leanne Lyon, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC058778 8 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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