Children's home run by Wigan Council in Wigan

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC051856 1 SC051856

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Wigan Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who have physical and/or learning disabilities. A local authority operates the home.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on 25 October 2017, the home was judged inadequate. There were a number of significant breaches in regulation. These include deficiencies in the assessment and management of risk, which place the young person at risk of harm, and inadequacy of leadership and management arrangements. As a result, 11 requirements were made. Two of the requirements were the subject of compliance notices under regulation 12 and 13 of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015. On 14 November 2017, Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit to the home. The purpose of the visit was to assess the progress made by the registered manager in meeting the steps required in the compliance notice, regulation 12. In particular, to ensure that the registered manager had taken appropriate action to assess the risk of harm posed to the young person accommodated at the home, taking into account information in the young person’s relevant plans, and arrange to reduce the risk of

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This monitoring visit

any identified harm to the young person. Furthermore, to take steps to ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep the young person safe and to protect them from harm. The inspector found that, since the last inspection, the provider had made a decision to move the young person to a smaller environment, with an experienced staff team that had direct access to specialist advisors. This would ensure that the young person had appropriate levels of support, advice and guidance to minimise the level of risk. In addition, it was reported that the staffing levels had been increased to ensure that there are sufficient staff available to meet the complex needs of the young person. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC051856 2 Staff informed the inspector that the provider had taken the opportunity to meet with all staff to discuss the inadequate judgement in the home and identify any

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This monitoring visit

lessons learned. Furthermore, the registered manager had resigned from her position on 7 November 2017 and the inspector was informed that the registered manager had made the decision that she would not be returning to her role. In the home, there were limited records to identify the progress and experiences of the young person, as all documentation had been transferred to the new residential home. There were copies of the notifications of significant events, which had been sent to the regulator. These records demonstrated that appropriate action had been taken to minimise risks. The provider produced a comprehensive action plan to identify the steps they had taken to address the actions raised in the compliance notices under regulations 12. Ofsted will continue to monitor this provider to ensure that these improvements are maintained.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 25/10/2017 Full Inadequate 15/05/2017 Interim Not judged 12/01/2017 Interim Not judged 27/10/2016 Interim Not judged Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC051856 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must consider, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 29/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who develop positive relationships with them— In particular the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff regularly consult children and seek their feedback about the quality of the home’s care. ensure that each child has access to the home’s children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure when the child’s placement in the home is agreed and throughout the child’s stay in the home; keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document; ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about the children’s guide; how to make a complaint or representations in relation to the home or the care the child receives and how any such complaint or representations will be dealt with.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 7(1)(a)(iv)(b)(ii)(c)(d)(i)(ii)) 29/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 29/11/2017 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC051856 4 registered person to ensure that— staff help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; 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. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(i)(iv)(viii))

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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 mutual respect and trust, an understanding about acceptable behaviour and positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, this standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that— staff meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; help each child to develop socially aware behaviour by encouraging each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour while helping each child to develop and practice skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)and(2)(ii)(iii)(iv)(xi) 29/11/2017

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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— 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; That the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(b)) 10/11/2017

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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 helps children aspire to 29/11/2017 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC051856 5 fulfil their potential; and 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 has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. Use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(a)(c)(d)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(c)) 29/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

Case records must be kept securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36(2)(c)) 29/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; 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). (Regulation 40(4)(a)(d)(i)(ii)) 29/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. 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 effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to HMCI. (Regulation 44(1)(4)(a)(b)(7)(a)) 29/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every 6 months. 29/11/2017 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC051856 6 In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (‘the quality of care review report’).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45(1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)) *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: SC051856 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council, Town Hall, Library Street, Wigan WN1 1YN

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Inspector

Nicola Thomas, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC051856 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 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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