Children's home run by Horizon Care Limited in Cannock Chase

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035690 1 SC035690

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Horizon Care Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately owned and operated and forms part of a larger organisation.

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This monitoring visit

At the inspection on 9 and 10 January 2018, Ofsted judged the home to be inadequate. As a result, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice from 12 January 2018 to 6 April 2018. Ofsted also issued two compliance notices and raised nine requirements. The one child in placement at the time of the last inspection has now moved. The registered manager has now resigned from her post and there is currently no manager working in the home. The responsible individual has recently appointed a new manager. However, there is no timescale for her to start work and she is currently a registered manager of another children’s home. The responsible individual has also changed. One of the organisation’s directors is now directly overseeing the home. The registered provider has not admitted any further children to the home and the two members of staff have been reallocated to the provider’s other homes.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has submitted an action plan to Ofsted. However, the progress to address the identified shortfalls has been slow.

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This monitoring visit

At this monitoring visit, the responsible individual was not able to demonstrate that the steps in the two compliance notices have been fully met. For example, there are no staff or children in the home to demonstrate how risk assessments are being followed. The responsible individual has produced an action plan. This sets out how the new manager and staff will in the future assess and review children’s risks. However, at this inspection it has not been possible to test out the quality of any new assessments. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035690 2 In relation to the compliance notice regarding leadership and management, the responsible individual has not yet managed to secure a full staff team. The current staff team consists of two members of staff, who are presently dispersed within the organisation. A new manager has been appointed who is suitably qualified and experienced. However, there is no date agreed for her to start. One senior

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This monitoring visit

residential care worker has recently been appointed and was due to start their induction in the week following the inspection. The responsible individual confirmed that a further three staff members are required before the home will be ready to start considering readmitting children.

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This monitoring visit

At the last inspection, the inspector noticed that the home’s commercial bins had not been emptied since the home had reopened in autumn last year. The bins have now been emptied. The responsible individual has ensured that steps have been taken to improve the cleanliness of the home. There are plans for the location risk assessment to be reviewed. The trailing wires identified at the last inspection were being made secure at the time of this visit. The responsible individual is arranging for ‘grab bags’ to be put in place close to each of the home’s four exits for use when children go missing from the home.

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This monitoring visit

There is no manager in post currently to demonstrate that the requirements raised under the leadership and management standard are met. The responsible individual has identified in her action plan how these will be addressed in the future.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/01/2018 Full Inadequate 16/10/2017 Interim Not judged 23/11/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035690 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)) * 02/05/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; and take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(iii)(iv)(vi)) 02/05/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure 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)(b)) 02/05/2018

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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 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)(2)(d)) 02/05/2018

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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 02/05/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035690 4 fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(a)) 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 fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child, and that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(c)(d)) * 02/05/2018

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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 fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(f)) 02/05/2018

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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 fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(g)(ii)) 02/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 If it is likely that there might only be one member of staff on duty at any time the manager should make a formal assessment of the implications for children’s care, including any likely risks. This assessment should be recorded and available for inspection by Ofsted and placing authorities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035690 5 paragraph 10.18)

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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: Horizon Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Venture House, 12 Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

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Inspector

Rebecca Quested, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC035690 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 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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