Children's home run by Marlowe Child & Family Services Limited in Tewkesbury

Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 1 SC064764 Registered provider: Marlowe Child & Family Services Limited Interim inspection 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 and accommodation for up to four children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural needs. It is part of a group of five homes managed by a private provider.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: Declined in effectiveness

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 5 September 2016

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

At the interim inspection in September 2016, the home was judged to have declined in effectiveness. Serious safeguarding concerns were identified, resulting in an emergency suspension notice being issued. Two monitoring visits were undertaken and the suspension continued until 1 December 2016.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

In June 2017, a decision was made by Ofsted to issue a notice of proposal to cancel the registration of this children’s home. Following a meeting of a representations panel in August 2017, the decision to continue with the cancellation was agreed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged to require improvement at the last full inspection, and declined in effectiveness at the last interim inspection. At this interim inspection the home was ‘not judged’.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have not lived in this home since January 2017 and the home has been closed since November 2017. It was therefore not possible to review the 12 requirements set at the interim inspection in September 2016. These requirements will remain until such Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 2 time when it is possible to judge whether they have been met. Two additional requirements have been set at this inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this inspection, the premises were in good decorative order, and the home was clean and well maintained. The home does not have a manager or staff team. As a result, it is not ready to accommodate children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have not continued to monitor the home using quality assurance systems as required under Regulations 44 and 45.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered provider has indicated that the home will not be operational and that the timescale on opening the home is dependent on the outcome of the current enforcement action. Should the home decide to accept placements, it is required to inform Ofsted of its intention before it does so.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/09/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 16/06/2016 Full Requires improvement 10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/11/2015 Full Good

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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

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that: (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: 11/01/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 3 (a) 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; (b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each

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Requirement Due date

child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2(a))(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) 33: Employment of staff

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees: (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; (c) have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year.

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

(3) The registered person must ensure that: (a) 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 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and (b) 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’): (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)) 11/01/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 4 5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff: (b) seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; (d) seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

(1) The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who: (a) understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (a) understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; (b) ensure that staff: (ii) protect and promote each child’s welfare; (iii) treat each child with dignity and respect; (iv) provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to (i) meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1(a)(b) (2(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(c)(i)) 11/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

9: The enjoyment and achievement standard

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Requirement Due date

1) The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, 11/01/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 5 intellectual, physical and social interests and skills. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure: (a) that staff help each child to: (i) develop the child’s interests and hobbies; (ii) participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; (iii) make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and (b) that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 10: The health and well-being standard

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Requirement Due date

(1) The health and well-being standard is that: (a) the health and well-being needs of children are met; (b) children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and (c) children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure: (a) that staff help each child to: (i) achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; (ii) 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; (iii) take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and (c) that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(c) 11/01/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 6 11: The positive relationships standard

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Requirement Due date

(1) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on: (a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and (c) positive responses to other children and adults. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) 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; (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; (iv) help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; (ix) understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive

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Requirement Due date

relationships with children; (x) are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; (xi) de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; (xii) understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and (xiii) have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii) 11/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

(1) 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 11/01/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 7 registered person to ensure: (a) that staff: (i) 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; (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe; (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and (b) 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;

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Requirement Due date

(c) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded; and (d) 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. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(b)(c)(d)) 16: Statement of purpose

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b)) 11/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

36: Children’s case records 11/01/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 8 The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. Case records must be kept in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 36 (1) (2)(d)) 40: 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 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 11/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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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.

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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 six months. 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.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 9 This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Marlowe Child & Family Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Staverton Court, Staverton, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL51 0UX

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Inspector

Paula Lahey, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC064764 10 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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