Children's home run by Seashell Trust

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035518 1 SC035518 Registered provider: Seashell Trust

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to nine children with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and/or sensory impairment. Children live in six houses on a site that also houses a school and college. Most children attend the on-site school. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at a full inspection on 7 May 2024. Inspectors identified poor practice in relation to safeguarding and ineffective leadership and management. Following the full inspection, two compliance notices were issued, under section 22a of the Care Standards Act 2000. These were in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

At a monitoring visit on 13 June 2024, the inspectors found that the provider had taken sufficient action to address the steps outlined in the compliance notices in relation to regulation 12 and regulation 13.

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This monitoring visit

At a second full inspection, on 28 August 2024, inspectors again identified poor practice relating to children’s health and well-being, safeguarding and leadership and management. The provider had been unable to sustain the improvements seen at the monitoring visit on 13 June 2024. This poor practice had impacted on children’s progress, experiences and safety. In addition, the leadership and management of the home were judged inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

Following the full inspection on 28 August 2024, Ofsted issued three compliance notices under section 22a of the Care Standards Act 2000, relating to regulation 10, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035518 2 the health and well-being standard, regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

An urgent condition was imposed to reduce the number of children the home may provide care for up to nine children.

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This monitoring visit

At this latest monitoring visit to monitor these compliance notices, inspectors found that leaders and managers had taken sufficient action to address the shortfalls. Since the last inspection, the previous registered manager has left the home. An interim manager has been appointed and recruitment is ongoing to find a suitable manager.

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This monitoring visit

There is a new management structure in place. Oversight of the day-to-day running of the homes has improved and there is now sufficient oversight in relation to children’s care. Assistant managers are allocated to individual homes and staff say there is a better management presence. Additionally, weekly managers’ meetings are taking place to help strengthen the new management structures.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been made to children’s records, such as risk management plans and individual support plans. These records are detailed and provide staff with guidance on how to meet children’s individual needs. Children’s healthcare plans are completed in collaboration with health partners. Respiratory plans and physical therapy plans address children’s needs. Staff attended a workshop recently to help improve their reporting and recording skills. However, inconsistencies remain in relation to the recording of respiratory therapy for one child. Therefore, a requirement is made to reflect this breach in regulation.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are working with staff to ensure they improve the quality of care provided for children. Since the last inspection, there has been a significant decrease in the number of medication errors. More staff are trained in medication administration, and they have completed a series of competency tests that demonstrate their improved skills. Leaders and managers have introduced additional medication auditing systems and medication stock levels are checked daily.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have completed training trackers. This ensures they can review and evaluate any shortfalls in staff practice and gaps in training. Staff have received specific training in line with all children’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Some children require welfare checks to be carried out during the night, due to their level of complex needs. These are now taking place and are recorded effectively. Furthermore, leaders and managers ensure that there are suitable staffing levels in each house. This means all children are now receiving the level of care required in their plans.

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This monitoring visit

Children have fun with staff and there was a relaxed atmosphere in the homes. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035518 3 Other requirements raised at the previous inspection were not considered during this visit. These will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/08/2024 Full Inadequate 11/07/2023 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Good 01/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035518 4

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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 with 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.

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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) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 29 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that children receive all their medication in line with the home’s policies and procedures and that all staff are assessed as competent to do this. 29 November 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— 29 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035518 5 undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that all staff receive regular supervision which is reflective and that supervisors are suitably trained in delivering supervision.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 29 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035518 6 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

In particular, the manager must ensure that body maps are completed in line with children’s plans and debriefs take place with staff who have not been involved in the hold. Furthermore, the manager must ensure these records are fully evaluated.

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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: SC035518 7

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Bernadette White

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Inspectors

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Jennifer Quest, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035518 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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