Children's Home run by Central Bedfordshire Council in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2513339 1 Registered provider: Central Bedfordshire 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 run by a local authority. It can provide care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s registered manager left the organisation on 28 September 2023. An agency manager was appointed in August 2023. They have not 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 inadequate

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2513339 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/12/2021 Full Good 08/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2513339 3

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improvement to be good

One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection. No children have moved in or out of the home since the last inspection. The home is currently managed by an agency manager and agency staff. The manager has not applied to register with Ofsted. The provider intends to cancel the home’s registration when the child living at the home moves on. Several significant management shortfalls were identified at this inspection. Despite these shortfalls, the child has made some positive progress and has a good relationship with some staff working in the home.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers’ systems for identifying and responding to maintenance issues are not effective. Damage to the building has not been repaired and the standard of cleanliness in the home is poor. Damaged furniture has not been removed from the home; instead, this is locked in a room on the ground floor. There are no curtains in this room which means this can be seen from the front of the house. Consequently, the child living in the home is not provided with an environment which is homely. When asked what they liked about the home, the child said, ‘Nothing. I hate everything about this house, it’s horrible, just look at it.’

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improvement to be good

The child’s care plans provide conflicting information and guidance for staff. The child does not have a local authority pathway plan, despite turning 16 six months ago. This means staff do not have important current information to help ensure that they can fully meet the child’s needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff engage the child in regular meetings. Records show a good level of engagement from the child. Staff also complete regular questionnaires with the child to assess their views on the quality of care that they are receiving. However, when the child is dissatisfied, there is no follow-up work done with the child to improve these areas.

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improvement to be good

The child has made some good progress from their starting point, particularly in education. The child was subject to a deprivation of liberty order when they first moved into the home. Due to their progress, the order has now been lifted.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have sustained positive relationships with external professionals. Feedback from professionals was positive. One who has been working with the child for over two years and seen the child at several placements said the child was doing so well since living in this home. An education professional said the child has ‘really settled in the home and engaged in education with the support from staff’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2513339 4

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments and care plans do not provide clear and consistent information or guidance for staff to follow. This means that staff may respond inconsistently to the child’s needs and in keeping them safe.

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improvement to be good

Missing-from-home incidents for the child have reduced. However, when the child returns after being missing, staff fail to request return home interviews from the local authority. This means that there are missed opportunities for professionals to understand what the child experienced during their time away from the home and their motivation for going missing.

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improvement to be good

Staff use physical interventions as a last resort. These incidents have also reduced. Staff said they meet with the manager after incidents. However, there are no records of debriefs taking place with staff or children after an intervention. The child said they ‘hate’ it when staff restrain them. The manager does not analyse and evaluate incidents of physical intervention effectively. This lack of oversight means opportunities may be missed to assess staff and children’s well-being after physical interventions.

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improvement to be good

Staff have a lack of understanding of the leadership structure. Those spoken to did not know who the responsible individual was. This means staff do not know the internal process of escalating concerns. However, staff were knowledgeable about which external agencies they would contact in the event of a concern being raised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has not had a registered manager since September 2023. The home is run by an agency manager. The manager has failed to apply to register with Ofsted despite being in the job since August 2023. This means Ofsted has not been able to assess the suitability of the manager to run the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Monitoring and oversight by leaders and managers are poor. The lack of oversight means opportunities for the leadership team to make continuous improvements are missed. There is also a lack of professional curiosity when incidents are reviewed by leaders and managers. This means opportunities to learn from practice are likely to be missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not identified clear roles and responsibilities between the provider and the agency. When asked what the development plans were for the home, the manager said, ‘I can’t answer that because I don’t know.’ When asked about the process for children having independent return home interviews following missing-from- home incidents, the manager was not aware of the home’s role in ensuring these take place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff always work in line with the expectations of the home’s statement of purpose. There are times when the staff follow Inspection report for children’s home: 2513339 5 agency policies that differ from the provider’s policies. This lack of consistency and clarity increases the risk of inconsistent practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not have a clear understanding of their responsibility to notify Ofsted of serious events and, on occasion, has failed to do so. This meant that Ofsted could not assess and monitor the provider’s response to these incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff undertake the agency’s mandatory training. Some staff are qualified. Those who are not qualified have not yet been enrolled on a relevant level 3 diploma. Staff said they felt supported by the managers. Staff receive one-to-one supervision with the home manager or deputy. However, supervision records do not always show there has been reflection on practice, even when there are known practice issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager follows safer recruitment processes. Thorough checks are made on agency staff before they work with children, including any relevant overseas checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not met the requirements and the recommendation from the last inspection. Further requirements and a recommendation have been raised at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2513339 6

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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

within 48 hours of the use of any measure of control, they, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure;

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 18 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 18 June 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;

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 18 June 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2513339 7 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

incidents in the home are reviewed by the manager for effectiveness and learning to prevent reoccurrences;

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Requirement Due date

the standard of cleanliness and maintenance of the premises is kept under review and any actions required, including repairs to the building, are carried out without delay;

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Requirement Due date

children’s plans and risk assessments are reviewed and updated, providing accurate guidance for staff caring for children;

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Requirement Due date

staff are aware of the management structure and who to contact internally if they need to escalate a concern.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 18 June 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that no more than half the staff on duty at the home at any one time, by day or night, are from an external agency. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.17)  The registered person should ensure that, when a child returns to the home after being missing or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and

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Recommendations

experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 2513339 8  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. In particular, ensure that staff who have not yet enrolled on the relevant diploma do so. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that children are able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted on. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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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: 2513339 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Central Bedfordshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Central Bedfordshire Council, Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford SG17 5TQ

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Inspector

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2513339 10 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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