Children's Home run by North Lincolnshire Council in North Lincolnshire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC472449 1 SC472449

p.1

Registered provider: North Lincolnshire Council

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a local authority, and it can provide care for up to six children who may have social and emotional difficulties. This includes up to one child with a physical disability.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home does not have a registered manager. A new manager has been appointed. She has submitted her application for registration with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Four children and one young adult were living at the home at the time of the assurance inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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: SC472449 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

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

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children continue to have trusted and secure relationships with staff. Staff are responsive to guidance from partners such as children and adolescent mental health services, and they consequently understand and meet children’s emotional and mental health needs. They seek opportunities to engage with children effectively, which promotes nurturing and calmness in the home. As a result, staff are proactive in their care for children. They successfully help children regulate their emotions when they become distressed, without the use of physical intervention to manage their behaviour.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, safeguarding incidents have been appropriately notified to the regulator without delay. This allows Ofsted to review the incidents and take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and well-being of children living in this home.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager has responded swiftly to multi-agency concerns about the safety of one child who has gone missing from the home. The manager has overseen the introduction of additional safeguarding measures in the home. While these arrangements are protecting the child, they also impact on the daily routines of other children in the home. The manager ensures children’s views are listened to and that they feel supported. There are alternative arrangements in place for when children want to leave the home. This mitigates the impact and ensures the disruption to other children in the home is minimal.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Children’s risks are identified and understood by staff. Children’s risk assessments and guidance for staff are updated following an incident. As a result, staff know how to respond and manage the risk effectively.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager attends weekly quality assurance meetings. She uses this internal monitoring to discuss children’s progress and improve their experiences. In addition, there is robust multi-agency oversight of the additional measures currently in place to protect one child in the home. This ensures that the actions taken for this child are proportionate and that measures are reduced in line with reducing risk.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager has responded to some of the requirements and recommendations made at the home’s last inspection. Staff have received comprehensive medication training and are now more competent in the administration, recording and storage of medication.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The care plan for one young adult to stay close is progressing. The manager oversees the adaptations of the flat alongside staff preparing and supporting the young adult for their move. The successful completion of this move and how staff Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC472449 3 support the impact on the young adult and children living in the home remain unknown. This requirement, previously issued under Regulation 14, is restated. In addition, the requirement previously issued under Regulation 35 was not reviewed and is therefore also restated. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC472449 4

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2024 Full Good 23/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/08/2022 Full Good 08/11/2021 Full Outstanding Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC472449 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.5

Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that arrangements are in place to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that for any young adult living in the home, care planning considers the needs of the young adult living in the home and the impact this will have on them and the other children who live in the home. 31 July 2024

p.5

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")—

p.5

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that, following any use of a measure of control, staff are provided with a debrief to support their learning and welfare and that all debriefs are recorded and signed by staff who have used the measure. 31 July 2024 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC472449 6

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s location is suitably located so that children are safeguarded effectively. When reviewing the location of the home, the registered person must include the identification of any risks and strategies for managing them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC472449 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Lincolnshire Council

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Church Square House, 30-40 High Street, Scunthorpe DN15 6NL

p.7

Inspector

Joanna Warburton, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC472449 8 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.7

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.8

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8