Children's Home run by Radical Services Limited in Westmorland and Furness

This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was conducted on 21 June 2016, following an inadequate judgement at the full inspection that took place on 11 and 12 May 2016. During that inspection, the social care regulatory inspector identified widespread concerns. These included serious shortfalls in safeguarding practice, and significant weakness in leadership and management. These factors considerably undermined young people’s safety and well-being.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, reasonable action has been taken, improving safeguarding practice and strengthening the effectiveness of the home’s leadership and management. A new manager has been appointed to lead the staff team. He possesses a level 4 qualification in health and social care, and has considerable experience in working with children and young people in residential care. He and his deputy are awaiting enrolment for the level 5 award in leadership and management to support their professional development further.

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This monitoring visit

Improvements have been achieved in the home’s staffing arrangements. Two new staff have been recruited and have commenced their induction programme. This has significantly lessened the home’s reliance on agency staff, promoting an improved continuity of care for young people.

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This monitoring visit

The provider and the new manager have implemented robust arrangements to ensure that the staff are well supported and guided to fulfil their roles. These include formalised handover and debriefing sessions that are scheduled on a daily basis, frequent informal consultation opportunities, regular staff meetings and improvements in the formal supervision process. This means that staff have increased opportunities to reflect on and be guided in their practice, to ensure that it successfully promotes young people’s safety and well-being. Mentoring arrangements have also been introduced to ensure that staff have additional opportunity to learn from more experienced staff and managers. This has had a positive effect on morale and the confidence of the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have participated in further training that supports their professional development, ensuring that they have the knowledge and skill to meet the needs of young people. This has included topics such as neglect and child abuse, extremism and radicalisation, child sexual exploitation, and childhood attachment and trauma. These have enhanced their understanding of a range of safeguarding concerns, and appropriate interventions and support required to help to meet young people’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Additionally, the home has provided revised guidance to ensure that all staff are clearly informed and confident in their response to any child protection concern or situation that may compromise the safety of children in the home. Some further measures have been taken to improve the home’s security. These include fitting window restrictors, and new routines for waking watch staff to check that young people are safely accommodated in their own bedrooms and that the home is appropriately secure, especially during the hours of darkness.

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This monitoring visit

Young people’s risk assessments have been revised, providing a more comprehensive account of their individual needs and safety. They deliver improved guidance to staff, clearly detailing how individual issues are to be effectively managed to promote young people’s safety. Specifically, those assessments concerning the use of mobile phones and computers now clearly reflect consideration of individuals’ safety, and the impact and safety of other young people living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

One young person quickly moved on from the home following the last inspection. This was planned with the placing authority, as the home had already identified that it was not meeting the full range of her needs. The only young person remaining in the home reports feeling safe, well supported and cared for by the new manager and his staff team. She has responded positively to the home’s rules and boundaries, which are now being effectively implemented, and understands that these are intended to protect and promote her welfare.

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This monitoring visit

Internal and external monitoring processes have also been strengthened to ensure improved oversight and greater rigour in scrutinising the running of the home. This enables any identified shortfalls in practice to be addressed more quickly, and helps to promote continuous improvement and development planning.

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This monitoring visit

There have not been any reported incidents of concern since the last inspection, and the home has achieved some stability during this period. However, the home has still taken steps to improve systems for recording and reporting incidents. This provides it with the ability to provide more comprehensive accounts of any significant events involving the home or the young people. As such, it will be able to demonstrate greater transparency of practice and management accountability.

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Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children.   It is owned and operated by a private company.   It is registered to care for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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 children's home since its last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. in 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 this guidance, please telephone 0300 123 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

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Information about this inspection

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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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