Children's Home run by Milestones Care Homes Ltd in Wirral

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065780 1 SC065780

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home. It is registered to accommodate three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 23 and 24 May 2017. The inspection found that there was a lack of effective action taken by the manager in response to serious safeguarding concerns. Furthermore, shortfalls were found in care planning, support for young people in relation to their education needs and the overall monitoring undertaken by the managers.

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This monitoring visit

On 22 June 2017, Elaine Allison, social care regulatory inspector, completed an unannounced monitoring visit. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to assess the progress made by the home regarding meeting the two compliance notices issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These relate to: regulation 12, the protection of children standard; and regulation 32, the employment of staff standard of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. At this visit, the inspector found that the provider had taken steps to improve staff responses to all safeguarding concerns. Furthermore, sufficient measures were in place to ensure that the ongoing health needs of the young person are met.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, some steps have been taken to improve the staff’s responses to safeguarding issues. For example, all staff have attended in-house training on how to respond to disclosures from young people and the steps to take thereafter. New systems are being introduced so that decision-making processes relating to safeguarding are clearly recorded. Furthermore, risks assessment documents have been reviewed and improved to ensure that young people’s needs are clearly identified and strategies are put in place to manage these in line with the local authority care plan. This further supports the health and safety of young people as staff are better equipped to recognise and respond to concerns. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065780 2 Young people’s bedrooms are now clean and tidy. The manager has created a rota to make certain that staff check the young people’s rooms on a daily basis to ensure

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This monitoring visit

that they are clean. This ensures that young people live in a warm, nurturing environment and helps to raise their self-esteem. By taking the initiative, staff are able to model good approaches to maintaining comfortable personal space.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has updated all staff recruitment files to ensure that they are robust and that they all contain relevant information. Furthermore, she has ensured that all the records have up-to-date references which confirm that staff have the skills and experience to work with children and young people.

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This monitoring visit

No further enforcement action is planned. However, a further inspection will take place to review how these improvements are being embedded to improve the quality of care provided.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/04/2016 Full Good 21/12/2015 Interim Not judged 11/08/2015 Full Inadequate

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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

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their education potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that staff— 03/07/2017 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065780 3 promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

that they help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment.

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Requirement Due date

In particular ensure that education plans are in place for all young people.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well-being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well- being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

Understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 10(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)) 03/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential;

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 03/07/2017 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065780 4 registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that the registered person must ensure that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—staff

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

In particular ensure that independence plans are in place for each young person. 03/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being 03/07/2017 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065780 5 involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child, which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

(the matter; the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; must be made or confirmed in writing.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40(4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(5)(a)(b))

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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: SC065780 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Milestones Care Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 32 Fieldway, Maghull, Liverpool L31 5NB

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Inspector

Elaine Allison, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC065780 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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