Children's home run by Inmind Childrens Services Limited in Wokingham

Judith Longden

This monitoring visit . An interim inspection of this service was undertaken on 12 January 2017. The inspection judgement was declined effectiveness. Eight requirements and three compliance notices were made. This monitoring visit has been undertaken to review the actions taken by the provider to improve the service.

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Judith Longden

The actions taken by the registered manager and responsible individual have fallen short of expectation and subsequently two out of three compliance notices remain unmet.

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Judith Longden

The safety of young people is at risk due to poor activity risk assessments. At the interim inspection, it was identified that staff and managers completed either poor or no risk assessments when young people undertook activities. This led to a worrying incident in which staff members, who did not understand the risk factors for a young person, failed to keep a young person safe on a holiday through poor supervision and care. Evidence from this monitoring visit demonstrates that this poor and substandard practice continues. Managers and staff do not individualise risk assessments to the activity undertaken by young people. Duplication of information from other assessments is evident. The completion of assessments is also delayed, meaning that staff do not always read or acknowledge that they have read crucial assessments. The risk assessment document relates to the school and so is not tailored for the children’s home environment. Consequently,

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Judith Longden

young people continue to be unsafe during activities and this compliance notice remains unmet.

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Judith Longden

The manager has failed to ensure robust and effective investigations into the behaviour of staff following allegations and complaints about their conduct. For example, senior staff members raised concerns to the manager regarding a worker who appeared to be under the influence of drugs. The manager took action to suspend the member of staff in question but later reinstated the worker without completing a rigorous investigation into the concerns. The responsible individual, following further concerns expressed by senior staff into this poor investigation, requested a new investigation and asked the member of staff to remain away from work. This process was very poor. It demonstrates ongoing poor communication across the management team and a lack of understanding of the potential risk to young people. The management team failed to ensure that young people are safe through robust management of staff. This compliance notice

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Judith Longden

The leadership of the service has taken action to improve the training and development of staff. At the last interim inspection, staff were expected to undertake an excessive number of online training courses in a limited period, which hampered their ability to retain the training materials. Staff members were not receiving regular professional supervision and new staff were not provided with the support to help them settle into their new roles. The management now ensures that new staff are provided with training throughout their induction and this helps with the retention of crucially important information. Staff benefit from a newly developed induction process that enables them to understand their roles better. Staff supervision now takes place regularly, providing staff with the opportunity to talk about the young people for whom they are caring and their own development. The organisation is now ensuring that managers receive

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Judith Longden

training and development in supervising staff. This will support the endeavours of the service to recruit and retain a more stable staff group.

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Information about this children's home

The service is a residential school, also registered as a children’s home, to provide care for up to 13 young people in three small homes on one site. The service is owned by a private company and provides care for young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

10: The health and well-being standard In order to meet the health and well-being standard, the registered person must: (1) The health and well-being standard is that— (a) the health and well-being needs of children are met. 21/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard (2) The positive behaviour standard requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans. 21/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

*12: The protection of children standard (2) In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure— (a) that staff— (i) meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans. 21/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

*12: The protection of children standard (2) In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure— (a) that staff— (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. 21/04/2017 The registered person must without delay notify HMCI and any other relevant person without delay. A notification under this regulation must include details of the matter. (Regulation 40 (5)(a)(i)) 21/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to 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. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. out 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

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, 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

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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