Children's home run by Beacon Childcare Ltd in Cheltenham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1230415 1

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Beacon Child Care Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for four young people up to the age of 18. The home offers care for young people who have behavioural and/or emotional difficulties. The home is privately owned.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place after Ofsted received concerns from a young person living at the home. The young person raised concerns that the registered manager was not addressing incidents of challenging behaviour, bullying and self-harm.

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This monitoring visit

Since 26 July 2017, there have been six incidents at the home. A team leader told the inspector that the recent increase in incidents corresponds with one young person becoming anxious due to her planned move to a residential school. In each situation, staff have taken action to ensure that young people receive help. For example, two of the incidents involved a young person swallowing a battery. Staff acted promptly and sought medical attention on both occasions. When there have been challenging behaviour and disputes between young people, staff have used de- escalation techniques to try to restore calm. When it becomes apparent that a young person is at risk of bullying, staff have increased their vigilance. Post-incident discussions between staff and young people have reinforced expectations and sought to promote positive behaviour. For example, in one instance young people had broken into the staff office. Following the event, staff spoke with the young

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This monitoring visit

people involved and reached agreement that the behaviour was unacceptable. Young people agreed that they would each pay towards the replacement of a broken lock. Following an incident when two young people threw eggs around the home and at other young people, the manager held an open forum with all of the young people through which they discussed their relationships and the impact of bullying. As an outcome, the young people developed an incentive programme to promote positive behaviour towards each other. The manager appropriately addressed an Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1230415 2 issue of bullying with the perpetrator and requested increased vigilance from staff to help minimise the risk of further incidents. However, although there has been action, the manager has failed to update young people’s risk assessments in a timely way following incidents or complaints. For example, one young person recently

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This monitoring visit

complained about bullying. However, their risk assessment does not reflect this or the specific strategies that staff should use to minimise the risk of further incidents. Furthermore, the manager has also failed to review the premises risk assessments. For example, during one incident staff locked the internal door to the kitchen to keep young people safe. However, a young person managed to access the kitchen through an external door and caused damage to property. One young person told the inspector, ‘The staff are really nice but they don’t always know how to deal with a sticky situation.’ Failure to review risk assessments means that staff are not kept up to date regarding the actions needed to keep young people safe.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has failed to ensure that the home is adequately maintained. The toilet in the upstairs bathroom leaks. A team leader told the inspector that attempts made to repair the leak have not resolved the issue. The toilet has remained in use, with waste leaking onto the bathroom floor. The leak has extended into the shower room below. This presents a potential hazard to young people’s health.

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This monitoring visit

The kitchen is in a poor state of cleanliness and repair. Some doors to wall-mounted kitchen units are not secure. Some of the doors have been damaged, with one door showing a cigarette burn. Kick plates are missing from base units, and a drawer front is missing. The floor covering has a hole. There is no window covering. An area of wall adjacent to the washing machine has visible mould. Kitchen cupboards are dirty. Failure to adequately maintain and clean an area designated for the preparation of food potentially exposes young people to risks to their health and well-being.

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This monitoring visit

Other areas of the home are also in a poor state of repair and are not clean. For example, in the downstairs shower, there are bodily fluids on skirting boards and tiles are missing above the sink. There are no hand towels or toilet rolls in bathrooms. Walls in the hallways, computer room and the staff office all have stains. The carpet to the staff office is dirty. Light shades for the ceilings in the kitchen and dining area are missing. Damage to a first-floor window to the front of the property means that it does not sit within the window frame. These shortfalls detract from achieving a homely environment and have the potential to affect the safety of young people.

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This monitoring visit

There is a continued failure by staff to ensure that appropriate fire safety arrangements are in place. During one incident, staff found a catalogue smouldering in a bin in the back garden. The manager updated the fire risk assessment and shared this with the team. However, despite fire safety guidance from the registered manager, during the inspection staff had propped fire doors open with furniture, and garden waste remained in bags in the back garden. This compromises the safety of everyone using the building. Ofsted contacted the fire service, which will be Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1230415 3 undertaking a fire safety visit in the near future.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, four requirements have been made.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 05/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/10/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1230415 4

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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 protection of children standard is that the registered person must ensure that staff 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. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)) 30/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that the registered person must ensure that staff understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(v)) 30/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that the registered person must ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(2)(d)) * 30/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)) 30/10/2017

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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.

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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: 1230415 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Beacon Child Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hazlewoods, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham GL50 3AT

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Inspector

Alison Cooper, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1230415 6 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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