Children's Home run by Oxfordshire County Council in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 1 Registered provider: Oxfordshire County Council

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Full inspection 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 cares for up to six children with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. The home provides short-term care for a period of assessment.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 4 December 2024

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/12/2024 Full Good 03/07/2023 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Good 04/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are not experiencing well-planned or effective care in this home. The manager and staff have not worked effectively with the children’s social workers. This has had a detrimental effect on the children’s overall safety and progress made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have not developed trusting relationships with the children. They do not encourage the children to understand and contribute to their assessments or to how their care is planned and delivered. Consequently, the children are not aware of what is in their plans. This lack of knowledge and engagement has a negative effect on children’s sense of identity and belonging and on their wider emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not meet the complex needs of the children and manage the dynamics between them well. The children were not safe to live with each other due to staff not managing their relationships effectively. One child has moved on from the home in an unplanned manner, which caused the child significant emotional distress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

When children have moved into the home, this has happened without appropriate consideration of the needs of the child already living in the home. This has contributed to one child re-engaging in risk-taking behaviours and has significantly limited their ability and opportunity to make progress. Staff have not adequately helped the children to learn how to build and maintain positive relationships with each other and with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not promote education. They do not provide the children with a routine and structured day. Staff do not offer informal education to the children, nor ensure that the children are ready to return to education.

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

Children living in this home are not consistently or adequately protected from the risk of harm. Poor planning and ineffective care are primary contributors to this situation. The children remain subject to risks that could be removed or mitigated. The manager provides the staff with plans completed by the child’s social worker. However, these are not sufficient in guiding staff in how to provide day-to-day care for the children. This has limited the ability of staff to identify and address risks and to help the children understand risks themselves, and to learn behaviours that promote their safety and well- being.

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

Staff do not regularly assess risks for the children. On one occasion, there was a serious incident where the children were at significant risk of harm on a busy road. Following this incident, the children’s plans were not updated to include this now known risk. This lack of responsive planning to the children’s changing needs and risks, combined with poor joint working with local authority staff, resulted in a similar incident occurring. This left the children at significant risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 4 Children are persistently missing from the home. When the children are away from the home, they are highly vulnerable, including to criminal or sexual exploitation. When the children return to the home under the influence of drugs and alcohol, the staff seek and follow appropriate medical advice. Staff have not provided support and boundaries for the children to reduce either the risk of children being missing from home, or the risks to

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

Managers and staff do not work collaboratively with the children’s social workers to ensure that the children are safeguarded and to promote their well-being. There has been poor joint risk management between staff and social workers, which has resulted in the children being placed at risk of harm. When the children are due to move on or have needs beyond the skills of the staff to meet, there is no effective joint approach or adequate planning to reduce risk while the children remain living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ineffective leadership and management have resulted in poorly planned care and insufficient safeguarding arrangements for the children. Managers have not ensured that lessons have been learned from serious incidents, and this has resulted in the children being left at serious risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers and leaders have not ensured that the children are able to fulfil their potential or sufficiently promoted and protected their welfare. Managers do not have the autonomy to decide how the social work team’s plans for the children can inform the care plans for children at the home. This lack of authority or autonomy to shape and manage the detail and day-to-day application of care plans has resulted in poor planning for the children, limiting their progress, contributing to low aspirations and leaving them at risk of harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is not managed in line with the statement of purpose. The manager has moved one child into the home without a clear consideration of the purpose for the child’s time in the home. This resulted in an unnecessary additional move for this child. Another child has had their assessment completed by staff and has not moved on from the home. This extended period in the home is resulting in a poor outcome for the child as the staff are unable to meet their needs long term.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager is not an effective advocate for the children. They have not sufficiently challenged and escalated concerns about the children’s care planning with the children’s social workers. The children have remained in the home even though the staff have not been adequately supported or had the management oversight necessary to meet the children’s needs or keep them safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff rota does not include waking night staff, despite the high level of needs and risks of the children living in the home. Consequently, staff, although not scheduled to do so, often choose or need to remain awake through the night to respond to the children’s Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 5 needs. Staff say they are tired from these arrangements, and they do not feel safe when looking for the children when the children are missing from the home overnight. The managers have not taken action to support the staff with these concerns. This lack of support to staff means that their ability to adequately support and protect the children continues to be compromised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not always received supervision. The responsible individual was away from work for a prolonged period of time. During this period, the manager received limited support and no supervisions. The responsible individual has returned to work recently and is now providing support to the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers are not providing effective management oversight or support to staff. Recording and assessments completed by staff are poor. This has not been identified by the manager and there are no plans to improve the quality of this. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 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

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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 28 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 7 *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

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 the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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;

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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)(d)(f)(h)) 28 July 2025

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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

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; 28 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 8 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

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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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;

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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)(v)(vi)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(b)

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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. 28 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 9 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;

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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

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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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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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; 28 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 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;

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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;

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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)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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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. Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(ix) 28 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 11

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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: 1244426 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Oxfordshire County Council, County Hall, New Road Oxford OX1 1ND

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Inspector

Shaheda Dhandia, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1244426 13 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 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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