SC 040491

Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 1 SC040132 Registered provider: Cornwall Council

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a local authority. It can provide care for up to two children with learning disabilities. At the time of inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home reopened in December 2023 following a period of closure.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified registered manager in post.

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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: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/08/2021 Full Inadequate 11/09/2019 Full Good 24/01/2019 Full Good 18/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 3

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improvement to be good

Children’s bedrooms are furnished with their specific needs in mind. They have access to personal items and are consulted regarding the decor. Photographs are displayed throughout the home. Children can easily access aids to support them. The spacious garden offers a variety of play equipment and is regularly used by children.

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improvement to be good

The quality of planning for children to move into the home is mixed. For one child, it was thorough. A move for another child was planned but vital information about their overall needs was not obtained. Not all information about the child’s overall needs, behaviours, triggers, and communication needs were known. Carers have worked to get to know the child. Since moving into the home, the child has been helped by carers to make a positive and significant change to their sleeping arrangements. However, the initial lack of some information has had a negative impact on the care that the child has received.

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improvement to be good

The quality of communication between carers and children is mixed. For one child, their communication needs are well known. This has enabled the child to have a voice and actively participate in decision-making. One child, who has recently moved into the home, has a more limited voice within the home and in relation to their care. Support to understand this child’s communication style has taken too long to access. The fullest information about the child’s communication needs and preferred communication style was not shared with carers before the child moved in. More information has recently been shared and carers are using this information to better inform their communication with the child.

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improvement to be good

One child is making good progress in many aspects of their life. This includes making progress with their independence and recognising their emotions. This has led to a reduction in serious incidents. Their attendance at education has increased and work is being carried out with them around sexual health and internet safety. A family member and external professional were both positive about the progress the child has made and the standard of care provided.

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improvement to be good

Carers have worked closely with child and adolescent mental health services to meet a child’s emotional and mental health needs. They have considered a child’s specific needs, which resulted in their attendance at an important medical appointment. Carers do not always have information about the purpose and possible side effects of medication they are giving children.

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improvement to be good

Carers recognise the importance of children having opportunities to engage in recreational activities in the home and within the community. Children are given choices and many activities are child-led. However, activities and stimulation for one child in the home are limited. Memory books capture children’s special memories and achievements. Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 4

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improvement to be good

The quality of planning to support carers to manage risk and provide care for children is mixed. This is due to insufficient information being collated to devise effective assessments. However, carers are learning in action and documents about children are continuously updated.

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improvement to be good

One child has built important relationships with carers. The child seeks out attention and affection from carers, which is reciprocated. Carers are responsive to the child and verbalise a good understanding of their overall needs. Interactions between children and carers were seen to be warm and kind. Carers are also able to apply boundaries in line with children’s needs.

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improvement to be good

Incidents occur frequently. Carers usually use de-escalation techniques and follow plans. Records of children’s and carers’ actions during incidents provide a clear narrative of events. Carers show resilience and commitment to children, supporting them for extended periods of time. Carers are provided with opportunities to talk following incidents. When required, external support is provided. Communication to obtain children’s views of their experiences following an incident does not always take place.

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improvement to be good

Restraint has been used 37 times since the home reopened. Specialised equipment has been acquired to make restraint safer for children. Carers have been trained to use this and say that they feel confident in doing so. However, floor holds have been used on several occasions and carers are not trained to use this type of hold.

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improvement to be good

Carers support children to manage the trauma that they have experienced and work with external agencies to implement considered care planning.

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

The registered manager is knowledgeable and committed to children who live here and the team of carers. She is reflective and can identify where improvements need to be made. This aligns with the content of plans to develop the service and carers’ practice.

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

Carers like working in the home. They speak positively about the relationships that they have built with children and the positive working relationships in the team. They feel supported by leaders and managers, who they say are accessible and responsive. A small number of carers highlighted the need for thorough planning before children move into the home. When this was not done, they felt unprepared to care for a child.

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

Decision-making by leaders and managers for a child to move into the home did not fully consider the needs of children or the skills of the team of carers. Some elements of planning were out of date. Consideration of the potential impact of the move on children was not thorough and, at times, assumptions were made. This does not promote children’s best interests. Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 5 A serious incident was not clearly reported to Ofsted. The notification was generic and lacked information that would allow a full assessment and evaluation of what took place. Further information provided to Ofsted did not set out the required information. The manager has oversight of incident records. It is reflective and considers the child. Oversight of other areas is starting to happen, such as of important discussions or communications with children. Monitoring and analysis of incidents are shared with

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

Written records of supervision show reflection and a clear focus on meeting the needs of children and on the development of practice. Team meetings are well attended. Written records are thorough and describe an open and joined-up approach to care planning.

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

Managers work well with other agencies and have positive relationships with other professionals. They regularly attend multidisciplinary team meetings to share the children’s views and information about the children’s needs and care. These meetings are used well to inform risk assessments and care planning for children. When needed, guidance and support is requested from other professionals, this includes specialist training. Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 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

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that carers only use methods of restraint that they have been trained to carry out.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that any restraint used is appropriate and proportionate. 3 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that, before a child moves to the home, enough information is known about the child to allow for good planning. 3 August 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 7 In addition, the registered person must ensure that carers have the information and guidance required to care for and communicate with children in line with their needs.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that children experience a positive move to the home. 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must have adequate information about a child to allow them to care for the child and keep them safe. 3 August 2024

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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.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 3 August 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 8 In particular, the registered person must ensure that clear and informative information relating to serious incidents is provided to Ofsted. This should include details of carers’ and children’s actions, including types and details of restraint used, and measures that will be taken as a result of the incident.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; 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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home has information and knowledge about all medication that they are giving children and that this information is clearly documented in children’s files for carers to see and understand. 3 August 2024

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Recommendations

◼ The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, carefully consider the appropriateness of recording the child’s information using first-person narrative. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 9 ◼ The registered person should ensure that children are provided with the opportunity to speak to someone following an incident. Conversations should be child-focused and seek the child’s views, particularly when the child may not be in a position to provide their views independently. Records of conversations or communication should provide a full oversight of efforts made by carers and the responses of children. (‘Guide to the

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Recommendations

Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)

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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: SC040132 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Accounts Payable, PO Box 727, Truro TR1 9GP

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Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC040132 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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