A council-run children’s home has received a scathing review from a regulator who highlighted ‘serious or widespread failures’ which show children are not protected.
The home owned and managed by Darlington Council cannot be revealed for legal reasons but a new report from Ofsted has outlined poor childcare and a lack of progress from staff.
The service provides care for up three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties, with the home at full capacity during the inspection on August.
It was rated ‘inadequate’ across all three categories including the overall experiences and progress of children and young people, how well the are protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Ofsted previously rated the home ‘good’ in March but have since downgraded it.
The quality of care at the service was branded ‘poor’, while one-to-one sessions led by staff are ‘ineffective’.
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An Ofsted report adds: “Children’s overall experiences and progress are inadequate because of serious shortfalls in the help and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home.
“Staff do not prioritise forming good relationships with children. This means that children are reluctant to engage in activities with staff or spend time with them.”
Living conditions were also scrutinised by the regulator with inspectors finding broken furniture and dirty carpets and bedding. There is an “institutional environment rather than a welcoming home”, according to Ofsted, as staff restrict the occupants access to the kitchen facilities.
Substance misuse has been linked to poor decision-making by managers, while staff also have insufficient strategies to manage the risk of self-harm. The report also details an incident where one child climbed onto the porch roof to speak to another child through this window.
The registered manager left the home in January but a new manager is in everyday charge of the home and has applied to register with Ofsted, however the regulator noted that “staffing levels in the home are insufficient to support children and keep them safe.”
Darlington Council admitted it has let the children down and vowed to improve the quality of care.
Councillor Jon Clarke, the authority’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “The report makes for sobering reading and I am extremely disappointed and truly sorry for the findings.
“Young people deserve the very best, and whilst no young person has come to harm whilst living in this particular home, we have clearly been letting them down.
“The outcome of the inspection does not reflect the high standards we aim for within children’s services and the report makes abundantly clear what needs to happen for things to improve. We have worked with Ofsted to put immediate actions in place.
“We have also developed a more detailed service improvement plan, which recognises some of the wider issues and challenges, and sets out a way forward.
“I am fully confident that the improvement plan addresses the shortcomings and will bring about change that will improve the standard of care and the outcomes that our children and young people fully deserve within our care homes.”
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