Children's Home run by New Horizons (Stockport) Limited in Manchester

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472680 1 SC472680

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New Horizons (Stockport) 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 five children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is provided by a private company.

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This monitoring visit

On 13 December 2017, Ofsted completed a full inspection that judged the home inadequate. Ofsted issued compliance notices in relation to regulation 12 and regulation 13. This monitoring visit has reviewed the progress made in respect of these two compliance notices. The other requirements issued at the full inspection were not reviewed as part of this monitoring inspection and will be checked at a second full inspection of the home at a later date.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the manager has implemented significant changes to how young people’s vulnerability and risk to others are reviewed. For example, new risk assessments have been introduced that are more comprehensive and detailed. This means that staff are provided with better guidance on how to safeguard young people and are beginning to use this information to inform their practice.

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This monitoring visit

The manager places a greater focus on monitoring the effectiveness of strategies to keep young people safe. For example, a risk assessment tracker and significant incident tracker are designed to help managers identify emerging themes and patterns of behaviours. These systems are in their infancy, and as such their effectiveness has yet to be fully tested.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the home has been settled. There have been no incidents of young people going missing or self-harming. However, one young person was involved in a significant incident in school that involved the use of a weapon. Staff responded to this incident appropriately, working with the school and police collaboratively. Staff completed follow-up work with the young person, helping him to reflect on the seriousness of his actions. However, the manager failed to notify Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472680 2 Ofsted of this significant incident.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no new admissions since the full inspection. However, the manager has comprehensively reviewed admission planning. Specifically, local authorities have to complete a detailed assessment of young people’s needs prior to admission. Furthermore, the manager has introduced a new impact assessment to ensure that the needs of both existing and new young people are considered. The impact of these changes will only be understood following the next admission of a young person to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have completed a quality of care review. This has supported their understanding of the home’s areas of strength and development. The learning from this review has informed a development plan, which is being proactively implemented. For example, changes to team meetings, staff supervision sessions and daily handovers are ensuring that staff receive more structured and tailored support to meet the needs of young people.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has introduced a new monitoring system which is designed to pull together the various strands of young people’s lives, from attendance at school to risk-taking behaviours. This will enable the manager to have a good understanding of young people’s progress, and support the staff to offer personalised care to the young people.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s manager is not registered with Ofsted. The post-holder submitted an application to register with Ofsted on 19 December 2017, however the application was returned as it was incomplete. Ofsted will write to the applicant regarding this matter.

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This monitoring visit

The home has complied with the two compliance notices in relation to regulations 12 and 13. The progress, and the initial positive impact on resident young people that is evident at this monitoring inspection, will be monitored by Ofsted through a further full inspection and progress checks on the manager’s application to register.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/12/2017 Full Inadequate 27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/11/2016 Full Good 23/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472680 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

The care planning standard is that children- receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure-

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 28/02/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help a child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8(2)(ix)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the name of the child, details of the behaviour leading to the use of the measure, the date, time and location of the use of the measure, a description of the measure and its duration, details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure, the name of the person who used the measure and any other person present, the effectiveness of the measure and a description of any injury to the child or other person and any medical treatment administered. The registered person must ensure that within 48 hours of the use of the measure the user is spoken to about the measure and the registered person has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35(3)(a) and (b)) 28/02/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472680 4

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if it is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children, and it is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24(1)(a) and (d)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only allow an individual to work at the home if the registered provider has full and satisfactory information available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(3)(d)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must notify HMCI without delay of any incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 28/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37(2)(a)(b)) In particular, that the rota reflects the full names of all staff who have worked in the home and that the visitors’ book is accurately maintained. 28/02/2018

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. In particular, that staff ensure redecoration takes place in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. With particular reference to the clear and detailed logging of daily events. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472680 5

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons (Stockport) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5 Bramhall Park Road, Bramhall, Stockport SK7 3DQ

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Inspector

Paul Robinson, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC472680 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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