Children's Home, Residential special school run by The National Autistic Society in Barnsley

Inspection report for children’s home: SC032154 1 SC032154 Registered provider: National Autistic Society (The)

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a charitable trust, and it provides care for up to eight children who may have autism. Children may have other associated difficulties, such as sensory impairment and physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is divided into two houses, with a communal hub and garden. Children who live in the home also attend the school that is in the same grounds. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024.

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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

Date of last inspection: 12 February 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC032154 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2024 Full Good 22/02/2023 Full Good 08/11/2022 Full Inadequate 22/03/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC032154 3

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improvement to be good

Three children were seen during the inspection and they were enjoying spending time with staff. Since the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home. Several significant shortfalls have been identified with how well children are helped and protected that have had a negative impact on the children’s day-to-day experiences.

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improvement to be good

The design of the home offers children designated areas where they can have privacy or quiet time. Children also have accessible communal areas that encourage interaction and play. Planned refurbishment work in areas of the home is incomplete. The delays have caused some disruption for children as this restricts access to their en-suite bathroom, which is a preferred space for their personal care.

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improvement to be good

Children have access to a children’s guide. The information in the guide is not presented in a format that supports children to understand what they can expect from the home. However, staff spend quality time supporting the children to share their views and use different approaches and communication tools to share information. This means children who are nonverbal are helped to share their views.

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improvement to be good

The staff understand children’s individual health needs. They work with health professionals to ensure that children’s physical and emotional health needs are met. A mental health specialist nurse said that staff know the children and work hard to support their emotional well-being. The children have individualised care routines and the staff use communication tools, such as ‘now and next’ boards, to help the children understand their daily care. This support helps to reduce children’s anxieties.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to attend the on-site school. The walk between the home and school is well planned to stop this being overwhelming and destabilising for children. Staff help children to learn fundamental living skills, including money management and self-care tasks, such as laundry.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy a variety of activities, such as sensory play, trampolining, going out on walks and watching their favourite programmes. These opportunities offer the children the chance to have fun. Children also spend time with people who are important to them, including their family.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been periods of staffing and management instability. Managers have failed to ensure that children are consistently supported in line with their plans. On several occasions staff have used restrictive techniques to temporarily prevent children from leaving areas of their home. Current leaders and Inspection report for children’s home: SC032154 4 managers have recognised these practice concerns and have taken action to stop the use of restrictive strategies.

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improvement to be good

Staff have physically held children to prevent them from hurting themselves or others. On one occasion, staff have used a physical intervention technique that they are not trained to use. On this occasion, it is recorded that no harm came to the child. However, records detailing the use of physical interventions are unclear. Shortfalls in practice, records and management oversight hinder any evaluation of the impact of restraints on children.

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improvement to be good

Children can express their worries and feelings through disruptive and harmful behaviours. Incident records do not detail how the staff consistently maintain sight of children during these emotionally difficult times. Therefore, the registered manager cannot be assured that staff are taking the appropriate actions to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

There are shortfalls in safer recruitment processes. Leaders and managers have taken action to address this and are reviewing safer recruitment practice.

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improvement to be good

The staff understand children’s individual needs and associated risks. The children’s risk assessments detail the risk for individual children and provide practice guidance for staff. Staff use pictures and sensory play to help children to understand their emotions and potential risks.

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improvement to be good

Children are offered a high level of supervision by staff that reduces the chance of inappropriate peer relationships. However, the home has no specific procedures in place that provide staff with the required skills to identify and address bullying.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the principles of whistle-blowing. The registered manager has positive links with the local authority designated officer and leaders and managers take appropriate action when there are concerns regarding staff practice and conduct.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been several changes in management. This has resulted in a period of instability for staff and the children. The home now has a permanent suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. The registered manager is working hard with the staff to ensure they strengthen the quality of care for the children.

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

Since the last inspection, staff have not consistently received supervision in line with the home’s policies. This means that newer staff have not had adequate support during their probation period. Staff are not consistently supported to have a formal review of their professional practice and their training records are unclear. This makes it challenging for leaders and managers to have appropriate oversight and ensure that all staff have the required skills. Inspection report for children’s home: SC032154 5 The current registered manager has a positive working relationship with staff, who talk about feeling supported. They are receiving regular formal supervision. Additionally, the registered manager has implemented team meetings in which staff hold practice discussions. Staff now have regular opportunities to discuss children’s needs, which helps improve the quality of care for children.

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

Since the last inspection, management oversight has not been robust in identifying shortfalls. The registered manager has reviewed the quality of care offered to the children. However, this review does not include all relevant information or detail an action plan to support the continued improvement for the home, children and staff.

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

Staff have positive relationships with professionals, who talk about having effective communication with staff and the registered manager. The children’s families and social workers said that staff and the registered manager are committed to offering the children positive care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC032154 6

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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 within 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

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

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

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff use appropriate endorsed strategies in line with children’s plans and that they clearly record actions taken to ensure suitable oversight of children. In addition, the registered manager must ensure effective oversight and recording of incidents and records. 31 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. 31 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC032154 7 The registered person must ensure that—

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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

a description of the measure and its duration;

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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

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Requirement Due date

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 (1)(b) (2) (3)(a)(iv)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff only use holds that are in line with the home’s policies and clearly record the actions that staff take.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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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)(c)) 31 January 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that repairs and maintenance works are carried out in a timely manner so that the home remains comfortable and welcoming. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide is provided in an accessible format and is explained to the children in a manner appropriate to their Inspection report for children’s home: SC032154 8 understanding. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 24, paragraph 4.21)  The registered person should ensure that specific procedures are in place to help staff have the required skills to identify and address bullying. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16)  The registered person should ensure that they have a workforce plan. Also, the quality

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Recommendations

of care review should include an action plan that identifies any actions required for the next six months in the home, and how those actions will be addressed. The plans should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8 and page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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: SC032154 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: National Autistic Society (The)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 393 City Road, London EC1V 1NG

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Inspector

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Sarah McGow, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC032154 10 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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