Children's home run by Wigan Council in Wigan

Inspection report children‟s home: SC040266 1 SC040266 Registered provider: Wigan Council Interim inspection 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 five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has had an extended period of absence and is not currently working at the home. The home has had a full refurbishment and there were no children living there from July to November 2017. The provider put interim leadership arrangements in place during this period. In November 2017, the provider made the decision to move four young people into the home on the same day. One of the young people had a history of high-risk behaviour that has placed others at risk of harm in previous placements. There is no evidence that the potential impact of this behaviour on the other young people was appropriately risk assessed. When incidents of a serious nature have occurred, the provider did not take swift and effective action to reduce the risk of recurrence. A requirement is made to address these matters. Inspection report children‟s home: SC040266 2 In December, a further young person was placed at the home. Once again, there is no

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

evidence that the provider risk assessed appropriately and considered whether the staff at the home could realistically meet her needs alongside the needs of the other young people already living at the home. The behaviour of some young people in the home escalated considerably. Two serious safeguarding incidents occurred in quick succession. Both were notified to Ofsted, which resulted in intervention from the regulator. The provider was able to reassure the Ofsted regulatory inspection manager at the time of this incident that immediate action had been taken to safeguard all of the young people residing at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since this event, another manager has been appointed to provide interim leadership for the home. On the day of the inspection the interim leadership team had evidently worked very hard to make significant changes and improvement to the home environment and record-keeping procedures, and had enhanced the practice of the staff team. Leaders at the home accept that monitoring and evaluation of the home has been poor, and requirements are made to enhance the quality of reports from the homes‟ independent visitor and to ensure that the managers‟ quality of care review is submitted to Ofsted as required in regulation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

During incidents of very challenging behaviour, staff have intervened physically to prevent young people from harming themselves or others. Although records contained the details of the incident, the manager of the home at that time failed to consistently review documentation. Furthermore, on two occasions he failed to de-brief the staff or the young person involved, and there were no evaluations of the effectiveness of the measures. A requirement from the last full inspection is repeated.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the new interim manager and deputy manager have been working in the home, they have been able to provide evidence of the positive changes they had made. In addition, the interim manager had taken action to address the majority of the requirements made at the last full inspection. Some requirements are repeated. A senior leader who was present during the inspection said, „Since the visit to the home in December, we have been holding care-planning meetings practically daily.‟ She was also keen to emphasise that the provider „will take matching of children very seriously‟ and stated that they have „already taken decisions not to place a child whose needs could be considered incompatible with other children in the home‟.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the inspection, the interim manager and senior manager were unable to clarify whether there has been a change to the identified responsible individual. A requirement is made to address this matter.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC040266 3 15/11/2016 Full Requires improvement 16/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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

12: The protection of children standard 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; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare; 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)(vi)(b)) 14/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard In particular the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— Use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(h)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records 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 spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within five 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. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(c)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 28/02/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC040266 4 If they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)) 45: Review of quality of care 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. 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)(4)(a)) 30/04/2018

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Requirement Due date

49: Notice of changes The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place— If the provider is an organisation— Any change in the identity of the responsible individual. (Regulation 49 (e)(iii)) 14/02/2018

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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.

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Information about this inspection

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‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC040266 5

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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 children‟s home: SC040266 6 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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