Children's Home run by New Horizons (Stockport) Limited in Manchester

Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for five young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is one of three privately owned homes run by the organisation.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the home since their last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

The home was subject to a monitoring visit on 30 April 2015, when a number of requirements were made. A full inspection was undertaken on 01 July 2015, at which insufficient progress was noted in addressing the majority of these requirements. The home was judged as inadequate and two compliance notices were served following the inspection.

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These notices were served because the regulator found serious shortfalls in the home’s safeguarding and missing from care procedures. These included; a failure to prevent two children at risk of child sexual exploitation congregating in each other’s bedrooms, which led to a third child alleging and providing evidence of sexual activity; a failure to challenge the local authority when they did not initiate child protection procedure’s in response to this concern; a failure to remove a ‘noose like contraption’ which was found tied to a curtain rail in a child’s bedroom; a failure to update risk assessments to ensure that they accurately reflect children’s current risk taking behaviour; a failure to provide sufficient levels of supervision, which resulted in a child at risk of child sexual exploitation going missing without staff knowledge; a failure to provide children with independent return home interviews following any event of missing from care; and a failure to challenge each

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child’s placing authority when they did not make this provision available to them;

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This monitoring visit was carried out to evaluate the home’s compliance with the two notices served on 12 June 2015. The registered person has taken the following action to address the matters outlined in the two compliance notices.

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Procedures for the supervision of children have improved. The registered person has made staff aware of their responsibilities in ensuring young people are supervised in accordance with their individual care plan. A series of general and risk based periodic welfare checks have been introduced to ensure young people are not left unsupervised for significant periods of time. Mindful that young people have a right to their privacy, the registered person is currently reviewing security arrangements, including night-time surveillance and door alarms, to ensure staff are alerted when young people leave their bedrooms at night or exit the home.

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The registered person has successfully challenged the local authority, which is now fulfilling their duties in relation to coordinating a multi-agency response to the child protection concerns that were raised. The immediate risk has been eradicated as both young people have now left the home. However, the registered person is mindful that she needs to ensure that the local authority continue to discharge their duties in ensuring the matter is fully investigated to the point of conclusion. The registered person is currently in the process of formulating a policy which clearly identifies what action needs to be taken to challenge the underperformance of any individual or organisation in providing children with the services which they are entitled to.

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Risk management has improved. The interim manager is routinely monitoring risk assessments, which accurately reflect children’s current risk taking behaviours. Processes are in place to ensure these documents are amended following any new concerns or changes in relation to the behaviour, risks and vulnerabilities children present. Staff demonstrate an improved knowledge of the children in their care as well as an increased awareness about their responsibilities in keeping children safe from unnecessary harm. Inspection of the environment confirmed that it was safe and presented no unnecessary risk to children’s welfare.

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There have been seven incidents of young people going missing from home since the previous inspection. Scrutiny of records confirmed that none of these were attributed to a lack of staff supervision. All incidents were effectively managed, including initiating missing from home protocols and making every effort to secure the safe return of the child. The registered person has been proactive in their efforts to ensure suitable arrangements are in place for the provision of independent return home interviews. This includes making each child’s placing authority aware of the obligation to provide this service. As a result, young people are now routinely provided with the opportunity to meet with an independent person and discuss their reasons for going missing. For future placements, these procedures will be agreed prior to admission.

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The registered person has taken suitable action to address the requirements pertaining to the two compliance notices and therefore no further action is to be taken in respect of these notices. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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