Children's home run by Physis Care Service Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 1 Registered provider: Physis Care Service Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this children’s home. It is registered to provide care for up to two children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in February 2024. There is a permanent registered manager in post.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected and their welfare is not promoted. The experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/08/2024 Full Good 14/05/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 3

p.2

inadequate

Serious shortfalls in safeguarding practice and in the leadership and management of the home have impacted on children’s safety, progress and day-to-day experiences.

p.3

inadequate

At the time of the inspection, there were two children living in the home. Both children were present during the inspection. One child was spoken to, while the other child did not wish to share their views.

p.3

inadequate

Staff do not provide a nurturing environment for children to grow and progress. This is because staff lack the skills and understanding to support the children’s complex needs. Some staff struggle to develop positive relationships with the children. Children say that some staff do not speak to them with respect. This does not help the children to be open about their feelings so that staff can help them to move forward from past traumas.

p.3

inadequate

Care planning and assessment processes for children moving into and out of the home are poor. Before moving into the home, leaders do not assess children’s risks effectively to ensure that staff can safely meet children’s needs. For one child, poor planning has led to an increase in serious incidents with two children, and both children have been left at risk of harm. Furthermore, shortfalls in leaders and managers’ assessment processes have led to a child moving from the home after a short period of time as staff could not safely meet their needs.

p.3

inadequate

Staff do not support children to engage with education. There is little structure in the children’s day. Staff do not implement clear, consistent routines and boundaries within the home. For one child, poor support and a lack of structure provided by staff has meant that their engagement with education has regressed since moving in. Consequently, children are not supported to achieve positive outcomes for their future.

p.3

inadequate

Staff do not help children to explore their interests or engage in meaningful activities. Both children and external professionals said that the children are bored. This does not help the children to feel settled or valued in the home.

p.3

inadequate

The home is decorated and maintained to an adequate standard. However, it lacks many age-appropriate items with which to engage the children. There is unnecessary signage displayed throughout the home, which gives it an institutional feel and detracts from being homely.

p.3

inadequate

Despite the shortfalls identified, staff do prioritise children’s health needs. Children regularly engage with a therapist, and they spoke positively about their interactions. These positive sessions have helped to support the children with their mental health Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 4 needs. In addition, the therapist is starting to provide specialist training for staff to help them to better understand the children’s complex needs.

p.3

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Safeguarding practice is poor. There is a high number of incidents where children have gone missing from home, often overnight, and on one occasion without staff noticing for several hours. Staff have little knowledge as to the children’s whereabouts, who they are with and whether they are safe. There are minimal attempts to follow or actively search for children to ascertain their safety. This included when a child left the home in a taxi with another child known to be at risk of exploitation.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

When incidents have occurred, the registered manager and staff do not respond effectively to reduce children’s risks. For example, when children go missing or when restraint is used, the registered manager’s reviews of incidents do not identify risks or potential harm that children may have been exposed to. In addition, they do not identify any learning from serious incidents or implement strategies to reduce children’s vulnerabilities.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Safeguarding systems in the home are ineffective. This is because staff and leaders do not recognise or assess children’s known risks effectively. On one occasion, an incident occurred in which one child managed to start a fire in the home. While the incident was managed and the fire service has been contacted to carry out preventative work with the children, staff have not received or chased a response. This lack of action places the children and others at risk of harm from fire.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff do not have the skills, knowledge and understanding to support children effectively when they become upset. As a result, staff are quick to contact the police in response to incidents. This has led to children being held overnight in police custody on several occasions. In addition, children have said that they have been hurt during incidents requiring restraint. However, these have not been consistently explored or reported on by leaders. This does not help the children to feel safe and cared for.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Poor leadership and management and failure to take effective action to improve the quality of care in the home for children have had a significant impact on children’s safety, experiences and progress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers’ oversight of the home is poor. They do not have effective systems in place to review children’s safety and the quality of care and fully understand children’s experiences. For example, there is little learning taken from incidents to help staff reflect on how they could manage situations better in the Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 5 future. This poor oversight limits the opportunities for staff to act on shortfalls and improve the quality of care for children in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff say that they feel well supported and that there are sufficient staff to meet the needs of the children. They have access to a range of training. However, training and development provided do not support staff to meet the specific needs of the children. For example, one child who moved into the home was at risk of criminal exploitation, for which no training has been provided. This impacts on the staff’s ability to fully support children’s needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Feedback from external professionals is mixed. Professionals said that there is good communication from the registered manager, who keeps them informed as to what is going on in the home. However, they have also raised concerns with staff’s ability to manage the children’s risks and support children’s emotional well-being. Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 6

p.5

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.6

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

p.6

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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure staff are clear about the risks to children who are missing and at risk of exploitation and the action they must take to safeguard them.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person should take immediate action to reduce risks in relation to children and others coming to harm from fire, including risks arising from children smoking in the home. 11 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 7 The registered person should ensure that appropriate action is undertaken when children raise allegations, apply professional curiosity in understanding what has happened and, where appropriate, seek external advice. Any learning from the investigations should be used to improve staff practice and reduce the risk of further harm to children.

p.6

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure they implement systems that provide them with clear oversight of children’s care, including risks to children, children’s plans and the progress children are making and that they take action to improve children’s care.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Staff should be supported to develop the skills needed to provide safe and good-quality care to children. Staff should receive appropriate training that meets the children’s specific needs. 11 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 8 The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.8

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.8

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

p.8

Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

p.8

Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

p.8

Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

p.8

Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.8

Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; and 11 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 9 enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix) (c)(i)(ii))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must provide children with the support and skills needed to help them to progress, which includes the development of clear routines, boundaries and opportunities to promote their well-being.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The home environment should be developed to provide a homely feel that is not institutionalised. It should provide age- appropriate items that reflect the children’s interests and help them to engage.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.9

Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.9

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.9

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.9

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.9

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement; 11 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 10 raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

p.9

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

p.10

Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x))

p.10

Requirement Due date

The registered person should seek to understand the barriers to children making progress in education and take action needed to support them. This includes supporting children to re-engage in education and implementing positive routines to support this.

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.10

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.10

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; 11 May 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 11 help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.10

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.11

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;

p.11

Requirement Due date

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

p.11

Requirement Due date

The registered person should seek to improve the relationships between staff and children. They should seek to reduce barriers that prevent children from speaking openly about their feelings so that staff can better support them. This includes equipping staff with the skills to better understand and respond to children.

p.11

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.11

Requirement Due date

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

p.11

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

p.11

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that an adequate assessment is undertaken before children move into and on from the home. This should determine whether the home can suitably meet children’s needs and ensure that any risks identified are adequately mitigated. In addition, this includes staff having the appropriate skills, training and competencies to meet children’s needs.

p.11

Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure any presenting risks of a child moving into the home are assessed in relation to other children already living in the home, to determine whether it is appropriate for them to live together. 11 May 2025

p.11

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 12

p.11

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: 2754135 13

p.12

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Physis Care Service Ltd

p.13

Inspector

Louise Naylor, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2754135 14 and inspects 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.13

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 . 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.14

Inspector

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

p.14

Inspector

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

p.14