Horsebridge House

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection in December 2015. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has not had a registered manager since March 2015. A manager is in post but she has not submitted a full and complete application to register with Ofsted. Insufficient action has been taken by the manager and senior leaders to promptly remedy this deficiency. This inspection has identified weaknesses that include a serious concern of two young people going missing from the home at night without staff members being aware. Records about the use of restraint are inaccurate, and not all serious incidents that have occurred since the previous inspection have been notified to Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has not taken sufficient action to learn from a serious incident. On one occasion, in the early hours of the morning, the police informed staff members that they had found two young people at a local industrial estate. Staff were not aware that the young people had gone missing. Staff collected the young people, welcomed them back to the home and spoke with them about the incident. The manager informed the placing authorities and updated the young peoples‟ individual risk assessments. She reviewed the staffing arrangements and, for a limited period of time, employed waking night staff. However, the manager has failed to conduct a formal investigation to establish how these young people left the home without staff knowing, or taken steps to prevent it happening again.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The quality of restraint records requires improvement. Staff do not always record a detailed description of the action they take before using restraint, or the time, location and the duration of each restraint. In addition, young people‟s views are not always sought after restraint is used. Restraint data is under-reported. Incidents of restraint are recorded collectively rather than as individual events. As a result, senior managers are not provided with accurate information about the actual number of restraints and the types of holds being used.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has failed to inform Ofsted of all significant events that have occurred since the previous inspection. For example, young people going missing from the home without staff members‟ knowledge, and one young person causing significant damage to the home, injuring himself and assaulting staff members. Staff attempts to manage these behaviours at times resulted in the use of restraint. These are significant, high-risk events that put young people and staff at risk of serious harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all areas of the accommodation offer young people a welcoming home that is well-maintained and decorated. There are no homely touches including a lack of photographs and pictures. In addition, two young people‟s bedrooms require significant repair and redecoration following incidents where they have been damaged. The bathroom has also been damaged, with holes in the wall and some fittings having been removed. This inspection identified some health and safety risks. The manager took prompt action during the inspection to remedy this weakness and to ensure the environment is safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager obtains appropriate documentation on which to make a decision about whether to admit a young person. She completes a comprehensive risk assessment to ensure that young people are suitable to live together and identifies any associated risks. Young people are encouraged and supported by staff to regularly attend education. Relative to their starting points, young people are now achieving well at school.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Every month, the manager reviews the quality of care provided by staff. This review evaluates matters relating to young people‟s progress and achievements and includes consultation with the young people, parents, professionals and staff. This review is not yet fully effect as not all weaknesses evident at this inspection were identified by the manager.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people speak positively about living in the home. One young person said, „I can see my family a lot now, staff are funny and happy‟. Young people enjoy the activities provided by the staff team, with one young person scoring 10/10 for these activities. The young person said, „I like the activities; I go to air hop, cinema, bowling and walks‟.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has dealt with the recommendations that were made at the previous inspection. As a result of this action, the home‟s locality risk assessment has been updated to reflect the close proximately of a road to the home, and the risk this poses. In addition, young people now have a desk, a chair and a reading light in their bedrooms.

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Information about this children's home

The service is operated by a private company which is part of the CareTech group; a national social care agency. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

16/12/2014 CH - Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

17/03/2014 CH - 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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c)(i) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. In particular, that all areas of the home are homely, well maintained and decorated to a good standard. 30/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must

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Requirement Due date

(2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. In particular, undertake a management review of events that led up to two young people going missing from the home without staff knowledge, and act upon the finding of this review to ensure young people are kept safe. 30/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home that each restraint that is used is recorded separately which includes the name of the child, details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the measure, the date, time and location of the measure, a description of the measure and its duration, the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used, the effectiveness and any consequence of the measure and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure. Within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is 02/04/2016 authorised to do so (“the authorised person”) has spoken to the user about the measure and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the

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Requirement Due date

registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3) (a) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) (b) (i) (ii) (c))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered person notifies HMCI if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4) (e)). 02/04/2016

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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 that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62 paragraph 14.4)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This 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 Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. 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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Information about this inspection

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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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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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