Children's Home run by Durham County Council in Durham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035235 1 SC035235 Registered provider: Durham County 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 owned and operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties and who may have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023. The manager was on annual leave at the time of the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 22 and 23 May 2024. During that inspection, Ofsted identified significant shortfalls in relation to the protection of children standard. The provider failed to ensure that children’s plans were being consistently followed by staff, which resulted in significant incidents occurring. The provider failed to address staff practice shortfalls and failed to prioritise repairing damages within the home. This made some areas unsafe for children. Ofsted issued one compliance notice under regulation 12. In addition, four requirements were issued.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was conducted to review the provider’s progress in meeting the steps within the compliance notice. The inspector found that the provider has not made any progress in meeting the shortfalls. Additionally, further shortfalls were identified during the visit.

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This monitoring visit

In the absence of the registered manager, the responsible individual and other supporting managers were unable to obtain documents to evidence any progress Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035235 2 being made in respect of the compliance steps. The inspector was unable to view all staff supervision records, team meeting minutes, or actions plans for staff.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, no children have moved into or out of the home. Many of the staff who were present at the last inspection are now absent from work due to sickness or because of disciplinary action being taken. Due to the absence of permanent staff, the practice shortfalls have not been effectively addressed.

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This monitoring visit

The shortage of permanent staff has led to a heavy reliance on agency staff or the use of staff from other local authority homes. Temporary staff do not always read the children’s plans or risk assessments. This prevents them knowing how to effectively care for the children.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, children do not wish to spend time with those staff who are unfamiliar to them. Therefore, there is a heavy reliance on those remaining permanent staff to support the children, especially in times of crisis. This is starting to have a direct impact on some staff’s personal lives.

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This monitoring visit

The children’s emotional needs are not being consistently met, and incidents within the home remain high. Staff do not provide children with consistent boundaries or routine. For example, one child received their mobile phone outside of the agreed times within their plan. This causes confusion for children and leads to incidents occurring, including the need for children to be held.

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This monitoring visit

During times of crisis, staff continue to fail to effectively intervene to prevent the children causing damage in the home. As a result, the home conditions remain a concern. While leaders have identified a potential property for children to access while refurbishments take place, the move has not yet happened. There have been significant delays in identifying options to prevent children living in unsuitable home conditions, which include damage to the property and items such as the cooker.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the last inspection, children were engaged in full-time education. However, currently, the children do not always attend school. Staff are not effective in ensuring that children access education. Children are often awake throughout the night as staff are not able to manage their behaviours. This limits the children having a stable routine.

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This monitoring visit

Discussions take place with the children about their behaviour, which are mainly instigated by the managers. There is minimal evidence of staff having these conversations to help to understand children’s behaviours. There is a lack of planned and structured discussions to address the support to children when they are in crisis, or other aspects of the children’s plans.

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This monitoring visit

Following a case review on 12 July 2024, the provider was informed of Ofsted’s intention to restate the compliance notice under regulation 12. The requirements Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035235 3 that were previously issued under regulations 12, 11, 13 and 40 were reviewed during the visit. They have not yet been met, so for this reason they are restated.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/05/2024 Full Inadequate 06/02/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/09/2022 Full Good 22/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035235 4

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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 must comply with the given timescales.

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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

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; 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)(iv)(v)(vi)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 1 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

that staff— 1 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035235 5 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(b))

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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

promotes their welfare. 1 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035235 6 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 staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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

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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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); and

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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)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 1 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject of a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035235 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under The Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035235 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Durham County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Durham City, Durham DH1 5UJ

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Amy Philbin-Robinson

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Inspector

Jess Elliott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035235 9 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 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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