Children's Home run by Leicester City Council in Leicester

Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 1 Registered provider: Leicester City Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a local authority. It is registered to provide care for one child with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced. A new manager is in the process of registering 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 requires improvement to be good

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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: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/08/2023 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 3

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improvement to be good

One child has continued to live in this home since the last inspection. This continues to be a solo provision.

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improvement to be good

The child has formed positive relationships with staff who support them. This has strengthened because staff have been consistent. Staff have remained stable since the last inspection, with no one leaving the home. As a result, staff know the child well and understand their routines. This predictability helps the child to feel less overwhelmed.

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improvement to be good

Staff have worked with the child to develop their communication skills and promote verbal communication. Specific learning disability training and research-informed practice ensure that staff remain skilled and knowledgeable in this area. The child is now able to make their needs known by communicating with words, symbols and pictures.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to do well in education. They understand the barriers to education for the child, and they have worked closely with tutors to ensure these barriers are overcome. As a result, the child is now receiving three hours of education a day, whereas previously they were only able to engage for 15 minutes.

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improvement to be good

Staff recognise the importance of supporting the child to stay connected with important people in their life. Staff have supported the child to strengthen relationships with family members and to rebuild connections with their wider family. As a result, the child has been able to participate in family celebrations and create memories.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to receive appropriate healthcare support. This includes more specialist support and services. However, despite the involvement of a dietitian, the child is not supported to eat a healthy, balanced diet. For example, in one week, the child had eaten pizza on three occasions, fish and chips twice and had a Chinese takeaway.

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improvement to be good

The language used in the child’s written daily records is not child-centred. It lacks emotional warmth and fails to fully capture the child’s journey. Records are not written in a manner that will provide the child with all the required information that reflects their progress while living in the home.

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improvement to be good

There are very few incidents requiring physical intervention. However, there have been occasions, during incidents, when staff have used inappropriate language to get the child to comply. For example, the child has been informed that if they do not comply with staff, ‘they would call the two men to remove her’, referring to a historic experience when the child was restrained. A staff member added, ‘It works every time, as [the Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 4 child] hated this experience.’ This is poor practice, and it is an inappropriate use of power to get the child to comply with staff.

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improvement to be good

The child is subject to a court order restricting her liberty. This allows the use of CCTV at specific times as set out in the order. However, managers do not keep a record of when the CCTV is being used and have not monitored this use. As a result, during one incident, the CCTV was used to monitor the child’s behaviour rather than the child’s health conditions. This is not in line with the court order.

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improvement to be good

A fire risk assessment was completed in November 2022 by an external company. This identified that fire doors required remedial action. However, 18 months later, this work has not been completed. The manager’s own fire risk assessment does not reflect the work required to the doors and states that the doors are in good condition.

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improvement to be good

The child’s risk assessments and plans lack clarity in some areas. One plan identified additional risks that were not identified in the child’s main risk assessment. The manager said this was an old risk, although it was recorded under the common behaviours section. This has the potential to cause confusion in the team regarding what the identified risks are for the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff administered out-of-date medication to the child. This was identified the following day during an audit and was swiftly addressed. This led to a review of processes to reduce the risk of similar errors reoccurring.

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improvement to be good

The location risk assessment provides staff with sufficient measures to safeguard the child from risks in the community. However, the manager has not consulted with relevant people about the appropriateness of the location of the home and any risks associated with the area.

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improvement to be good

The child does not go missing from home, and they are not deemed to be at risk of exploitation. The child always has staff supervision, which mitigates many risks. However, staff maintain their safeguarding training in these areas and remain alert to possible risk factors for the child in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is a strong advocate for the child. He speaks warmly of the child and shows compassion and care for them. The manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted. He is supported by a competent and equally committed deputy manager who shares his vision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Management monitoring systems are not yet robust. They have not supported the manager to identify shortfalls in some records and assessments. This hinders their ability to oversee the quality of care practice and outcomes for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff training is up to date. Staff have completed the required child-specific training to meet the child’s complex needs. Staff receive regular supervision. However, reflective Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 5 practice in this area is minimal. Staff do, however, have the opportunity to reflect on their care practice in bimonthly team meetings and team development days.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers have failed to identify staff’s inability to professionally challenge one another. For example, when staff use consequences in the home to promote positive behaviour, records of when the child has received a consequence are not kept. This is a missed opportunity to further improve the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager does not keep a list of maintenance work that is required in the home. For example, two toilets that the child uses did not have seats. Inspectors were initially informed that it was the child’s choice not to have a toilet seat. However, records indicated that one toilet seat had been broken in a recent incident, and the manager was not able to identify how long the second toilet had been without a seat. There has been a lack of creativity in overcoming this challenge of the child breaking toilet seats and finding an appropriate solution.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The team is stable and well established. Many of the staff have worked together since the home opened and know each other well. Staff say they feel appreciated and valued by the manager and are supported to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 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

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children are supported to have a healthy, balanced diet. 10 June 2024

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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

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;

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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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 10 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 7 are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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)(i)(iii)(v)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff working in line with the child’s deprivation of liberty order and ensuring that the use of physical intervention is not discussed with the child to encourage compliance with staff requests.

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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

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

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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; 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that accurate records are maintained. It also relates to the manager implementing and embedding effective monitoring and review systems. 10 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 8 After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate means of escape from the home in the event of a fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that the actions identified in the fire risk assessment in relation to fire doors are completed. 10 June 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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, 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 10 June 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 9 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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that when a child receives a consequence, a record of this is completed and reviewed by the manager to ensure it is suitable and effective.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non- stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. This should include evidence of consultation and the views of relevant people, such as the police and health. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Leicester City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: City Hall, 115 Charles Street, Leicester LE1 1FZ

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Children’s home details

Registered managers: Susan Aldridge Simon Groschl

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Inspector

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2713112 11 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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