Children's home run by Thoughts of Others Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC049714 1 SC049714

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Thoughts of Others Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to two children who have experienced trauma during their childhood. The organisation currently chooses to operate this home for girls only. The statement of purpose identifies that a prerequisite of a child’s admission is that the placing authority will seek to obtain a legal order to deprive children of their liberty while they live at the home. A private company operates this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 13 September 2016.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a systemic failure by leaders and managers to address regulatory breaches over an extended period.

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This monitoring visit

On the day of this monitoring visit, the requirements from the last inspection remained within timescale for completion. Consequently, this visit has considered the progress that staff and managers have made towards meeting the requirements rather than whether requirements are met. Two new requirements were raised as a result of this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager told inspectors that progress to address requirements is not sufficient to consider any of them are met. Plans to improve the quality of care are being discussed by senior managers but are not yet implemented. For example, managers told the inspectors that the quality of their independent visitor’s reports have not been sufficiently detailed to help the organisation to drive forward improvement. It is therefore not possible at this visit to assess the impact of any potential changes.

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This monitoring visit

Staff still do not fulfil their responsibilities to safeguard young people. For example, staff failed to secure the safety and well-being of a young person Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC049714 2 following a physical intervention. Despite the young person having visible injuries as a result of this incident, staff were slow in offering the young person the opportunity to seek medical attention. Inspectors needed to raise this during their visit after talking to the young person. This then prompted the manager to take the appropriate action.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not taken sufficient action to address previous shortfalls regarding risk assessments. Young people’s risk assessments have not been updated to reflect changes to their circumstances. For example, a risk assessment for a young person visiting their family limits the visiting time to four and a half hours. However, when inspectors spoke to staff they explained that the young person had recently stayed overnight with their family for a week. Shortfalls in assessing the risks posed to young people leaves staff without the necessary information to enable them to safeguard young people.

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This monitoring visit

Staff lack an understanding of the importance of clear and precise recording. For example, despite attempts by the registered manager to improve standards, staff continue to record the details of physical interventions incorrectly. On one occasion a member of staff recorded that a young person was held to safeguard the public. However, it emerged that there were no members of the public in the vicinity. Inaccurate recording by staff prevents the manager from having a clear oversight of practice to manage significant incidents that happen in the home and in the community.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are being provided with online training to improve their understanding of the needs of the young people living in the home. However, there are still no systems in place to check when staff have completed these courses. In addition, staff are still not receiving supervision in line with the organisation’s own policy. Poor support and oversight of the staff mean that managers are not using opportunities to increase staff knowledge and to improve practice.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has taken some action to address previous concerns about the physical conditions of the home. For example, the kitchen is cleaner, and a new oven has been installed. However, the tidiness of young people’s bedrooms still requires attention. For instance, one young person’s bedroom is very unkempt, with belongings strewn around the bedroom and items stored in bin liners. This means that staff are unable to identify potential risks to young people and detracts from young people living in a comfortable environment.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors identified the following additional regulatory breaches at this monitoring visit:

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This monitoring visit

 The registered manager has not ensured that fire safety systems in the home are up to date. For example, there is no up-to-date fire safety risk assessment in place for the home. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC049714 3  Young people do not have regular opportunities to discuss issues that affect them or to express their views. For example, staff did not complete any direct work with one young person in a two-month period. This is despite there being a noticeable deterioration in her presentation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/12/2017 Full Inadequate 06/09/2017 Full Inadequate 30/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 20/12/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC049714 4

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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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to express views, wishes and feelings. (Regulation 7 (1)(c)(2)(ii)) 13/07/2018

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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 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)) 05/06/2018

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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: 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; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1),(2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii)(e)) 05/06/2018

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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. 05/06/2018 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC049714 5 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 deliver 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’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b),(2)(a)(c)(e)(f)) 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 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b),(2)(h)) 05/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 05/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1)) 05/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 13/07/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 05/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that 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 all elements of this regulation. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)) 05/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which: include the information and documents 05/06/2018 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC049714 6 listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; ensure that the records are kept up to date; and retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1),(2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home and a record of the actual rosters worked. 05/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(b),(5)) 05/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 05/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 05/06/2018

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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: SC049714 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Thoughts of Others Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Thoughts of Others, 73–75 Station Road, Erdington, Birmingham B23 6UG

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Inspectors

Tracey Coglan Greig, social care inspector Alison Cooper, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC049714 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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