Children's Home run by PCT Care Services Limited in Norfolk

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC471856 1 SC471856 PCT Care Services Limited

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to six children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities. The home is owned by a private company.

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This monitoring visit

On 13 March 2017, an inspector carried out a compliance visit to the home. This found that risk assessments were not being used effectively to identify and reduce risks to the children. A compliance notice relating to the effectiveness of risk assessments was issued on 17 March 2017. In order to evaluate the progress that the home had made in meeting the compliance notice, a monitoring visit was undertaken by an inspector on 5 April 2017. At this visit, the inspector found that the compliance notice had not been met.

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This monitoring visit

All of the children’s risk assessments have been reviewed and some have been amended. However, there remain some inconsistencies. One child’s risk assessments were not updated following significant information coming to light.

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This monitoring visit

As identified during the monitoring visit of 13 March 2017, one child had been assessed as being at medium risk when using the internet. The risk assessment for use of a laptop stated that the staff should monitor the internet sites that she had been visiting. The risk assessment for the child’s use of a mobile telephone for the internet rated the risk as medium. It stated that the child was at risk of accessing inappropriate material, visiting chat rooms and arranging to meet up with people. The risk assessment identifies that this could lead to child sexual exploitation. However, there were no arrangements in place to monitor the sites that the child visited on her mobile phone. This risk assessment has not been amended. In the case of another child, his risk assessment for use of the internet through the home’s laptop is assessed as medium, while his risk of accessing the internet through his mobile telephone is assessed as

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This monitoring visit

high. If the risk to children is significant enough to warrant monitoring of internet use on a laptop, not monitoring the sites that they visit on their mobile phones without Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC471856 2 other measures in place fails to protect the children. Two risk assessments for one child had not been updated with significant information which came to light on 24 March 2017. This was important information which had the potential to relate to the child’s safety.

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This monitoring visit

Several risk assessments identify that the risks can be reduced through key work sessions with the children involved. While some of these have begun, the process for planning key working in the home is not being used effectively to ensure that the work continues and that all identified areas of concern are covered. One child’s key work session in March 2017 had begun to cover some areas. However, the plan for their key work sessions during April 2017 does not include revisiting any of these matters or reviewing the outstanding areas of internet safety and substance misuse. The plan for another child for April 2017 has not been completed. While it is positive that some areas have begun to be covered, the lack of clear planning does not provide a reliable and robust process to ensure that identified measures to reduce risk are implemented, and this leaves children at risk.

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This monitoring visit

The inspection did not monitor compliance with the all of the requirements made at the last inspection conducted on 31 October 2016. The outstanding requirements will be reissued with amended dates, and monitored through future regulatory activity.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 31/10/2016 Full Requires improvement 23/08/2016 Full Inadequate 08/06/2016 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC471856 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

5. Engaging with the wider system to ensure that each child’s needs are met (a) In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff, seek to involve each child's placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child's relevant plans. This relates to jointly reviewing the risks and plans for children. 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

8. The education standard In order to meet the education standard, with particular reference to knowing children’s educational targets and areas of development, and supporting them to make progress in these areas, the registered person should: 2(i) help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; (ii) support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; (iii) understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to the monitoring of the service, the registered person should: (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

14. The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard, with particular reference to plans including the ways that children’s education will be supported and their daily routines, the registered person should ensure that children: 1(a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

14. The care planning standard In order to meet the care planning standard, with particular 28/04/2017 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC471856 4 reference to decisions about whether a child should move into the home, the registered person should ensure: (2) (a) that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. 12. The protection of children standard: In order to meet the protection of children standard, with particular reference to having accurate risk assessments, the registered person should ensure: (2)(a) that staff (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child.

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Requirement Due date

8. The education standard: In order to meet the education standard, with particular reference to having structure and expectations for children not in education, the registered person should: (viii) help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes all of the information required under this regulation. This relates in particular to the effectiveness of any consequences of the use of the measure. Further, that within 48 hours of the use of the measure, that the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate, and within five days of the use of the measure, the 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)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether children are safeguarded effectively and whether the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44(4)(a)(b)) 28/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records for each child which include the information and documents listed in 28/04/2017 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC471856 5 Schedule 3 of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. This relates in particular to the date and circumstances of all incidents where a child goes missing from the home. (Regulation 36(1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC471856 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: PCT Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Old Hall Farm, Silfield Road, Silfield, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9NH

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Inspector

Clive Lucas, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC471856 7 to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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