Children's Home run by Keys Cwc Limited in South Gloucestershire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC374640 1 SC374640

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Crossways Care Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a public limited company. The group has eight children’s homes, three semi-independent units and a school. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 04/07/2017 Full Inadequate 16/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/06/2016 Full Good 21/12/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374640 2

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on an understanding about acceptable behaviour. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to develop socially aware behaviour. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(2)(a)(ii)(xi)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. In particular, ensure all vehicles are not accessible by young people. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(vi)(d)) 13/10/2017

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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 promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to 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; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child and 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. 13/10/2017 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374640 3 (Regulation 13 (1)(b)(2)(a)(c)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure 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; that arrangements are in place to ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. In particular, ensure the company caravan is not used for the purpose of introducing a young person into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(i)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (1)(5)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if the person is of integrity and good character and the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. In particular, the manager must be able to make effective challenge where necessary. (Regulation 28 (1)(a)(i)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

Behaviour management policies and records

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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 within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person") has 13/10/2017 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374640 4 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 registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. In particular, the registered persons must ensure the record of information remains an accurate account of the measure used, and that no information or detail is edited. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) Notification of a serious event

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2(a)(v)) 13/10/2017

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Recommendations

 Regulation 19(2) details sanctions that are prohibited in behaviour management. Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374640 5 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

The home was judged as inadequate at the full inspection in July 2017. Eight requirements were raised in relation to the leadership and management of the home, the protection of children, the quality of care, care planning, recording and fitness of staff working in the home.

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Information about this inspection

Following the last inspection, the acting manager provided Ofsted with an action plan documenting the work leaders and managers would complete in order to remedy the weaknesses.

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Information about this inspection

A number of monitoring visits by two local authorities have since taken place. In addition, monitoring and quality assurance visits have been undertaken by the registered individual and other members of the senior leadership team. The purpose of these visits was to supervise the acting manager, provide management presence during the acting manager’s annual leave and to review processes and practice.

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Information about this inspection

This monitoring visit has included interviews with the acting manager and regional area manager, and scrutinising of significant records. This process includes reviewing a serious safeguarding notification received by Ofsted on 8 August 2017 relating to an incident occurring on 31 July 2017, and an action plan submitted to Ofsted on 27 July 2017.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector found that the registered individual has failed to conclude an investigation into serious misconduct by the acting manager and two members of the senior leadership team, despite them all admitting culpability. During this investigation, the three individuals involved have continued to have operational responsibilities for the home. At the time of this visit, insufficient action has taken place to address the unprofessional practice.

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Information about this inspection

The acting manager has been proactive in identifying a number of relevant training courses which all of the staff, with the exception of two, have attended. In doing so, staff have increased their knowledge of conflict management and report writing.

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Information about this inspection

A newly introduced weekly monitoring report is in use. However, the acting manager has failed to use it to identify shortfalls in staff practice. During the monitoring visit the inspector found that a number of staff failed to follow the safeguarding and missing-from-home protocols on two occasions. Staff failed to read two key updated risk assessments, despite the acting manager highlighting this as an action in supervision and team meetings. As a result, young people continue to be placed at risk.

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Information about this inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person went missing from the home for three days. Staff failed to follow their missing-from-home protocol, resulting in a delay of 50 minutes before the police were informed. The young person was subsequently returned safely to the home. A risk assessment written to try and prevent the young Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374640 6 person running away again requires waking night staff to visually check on the young person every 30 minutes while she is sleeping, and to check that the external windows are secure. This fails to consider the female young person’s dignity and privacy. The acting manager failed to identify the risk of male agency staff visually checking a female young person.

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Information about this inspection

On a further occasion, two newly appointed staff failed to follow safeguarding protocol. They reported observing a member of staff assaulting a young person with a tea towel and throwing his medication out of a window but did not notify a manager. As a result of this delay, the member of staff involved in the incident continued to work in the home for eight days, and no investigation has yet taken place.

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Information about this inspection

Since the last full inspection the acting manager has ensured that all of the young people have regular key-worker sessions. Some of these evidence positive time spent with the young people. Unfortunately, records of these sessions lack evaluation and actions. They record young people with homophobic, racist and bullying behaviours, but lack sufficient evidence of challenge.

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Information about this inspection

The home has been without a registered manager since February 2017. The registered individual has failed to appoint a suitable manager.

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Information about this inspection

The registered individual recognises that there are still many improvements that need to be made. A further full inspection will be carried out in due course to assess the home’s ongoing development and progress, the impact on the young people and the young people’s outcomes. The requirements and recommendations will also be reviewed at this point. Further requirements are made to ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374640 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit B2, Elmbridge Court, Cheltenham Road East, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL3 1JZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christine Cameron

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Inspector(s)

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC374640 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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