Children's Home run by MGM Care Services Ltd in Telford and Wrekin

Unique reference number SC438427 Inspector Sandra King Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered manager Mathew Varughese Date of last inspection 31/12/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 24/03/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has declined in effectiveness .

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This inspection

The management arrangements at the home lack rigour and oversight. This is particularly in relation to the monitoring the care of young people and ensuring the home meets regulations. For example, Ofsted has not received a Regulation 34 report that meets regulations since the home’s last inspection. As a result, monitoring young people’s progress, patterns and trend of behaviour are not effectively monitored and evaluated to ensure they continue to achieve positive outcomes. The home does not have a development plan. As a result, leaders and managers do not understand the strengths and weaknesses of the service. Independent monitoring of the home does not include consultation with young people, parents, professionals or members of staff.

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This inspection

Deputising management arrangements during the Registered Manager’s absence are not robust. A lack of knowledge of regulatory reform does not ensure regulations are adhered to. The home does not have a robust staff roster detailing the full names of staff, management on duty and the actual rosters worked. This lack of knowledge and scrutiny negatively impacts on the home’s ability to assure young people’s safety.

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This inspection

Location risk assessments of the home are not sufficient. They do not provide details of the potential impact if young people were to go missing from the home. Although, young people rarely go missing, there remain areas within the locality that could be harmful to young people.

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This inspection

Young people attend education and enjoy a good range of activities. Young people engage in planning for their independence. Records demonstrate that young people are adequately supported by a staff team.

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This inspection

As a result of this inspection, three requirements and three recommendations have 3 of 6 been made. 4 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

Sunningdale Cottage is a small private children's home looking after up to 2 young people aged from 10 to 17 years, who may have learning disabilities or emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/12/2014 Full good 06/03/2014 Interim good progress 14/11/2013 Full good 25/10/2012 Interim satisfactory progress

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person maintains in the children’s home the records specified in Schedule 4 and ensure that they are kept up to date, specifically related to staff rosters (Req 29 (1)) 06/05/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the independent person, when carrying out a visit interviews, with their consent and in private, such of the children accommodated there, their parents, relatives and persons working at the children’s home as appears necessary in order to form an opinion as to whether children accommodated at the children’s home are effectively safeguarded (Req 33 (8)(a)(i-ii)) 06/05/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure the registered person establishes and maintains a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 at appropriate intervals least once 06/05/2015 5 of 6 in every 3 months. (Req34 (1)(a))

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure the Registered Person has good knowledge and experience of law and practice relating to looked after children, specifically in relation to the Department for Education Guidance (2014) relating to the completion of a location assessment (NMS 14.1(a))  ensure the registered person has a written development plan, reviewed annually, for the future of the home, either identifying any planned changes in the operation or resources of the service, or confirming the continuation of the home’s current operation and resource (NMS 15.2)  ensure there are clear arrangements for staff to deputise in the registered person’s absence. The deputy of the registered person of the home (or the person designated to deputise for the registered person in his/her absence) has at least one year’s relevant supervisory experience (NMS 17.4). Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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