Children's home run by Warrington Borough Council

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447930 1 SC447930

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Warrington Borough Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a local authority. It is registered for two young people who have emotional and/or behavioural problems.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 13 June 2018. Consequently, Ofsted issued the provider with two compliance notices under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. The notices were issued in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 14, the care planning standard, of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit to the home on 13 July 2018 to monitor the actions that the provider has taken to comply with these notices.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has now left the organisation. An experienced acting manager is now in post. She is providing the staff with clear leadership and direction. There were no young people living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The protection of children compliance notice required the provider to ensure that staff take account of the information in young people’s risk assessments and follow guidance on these, to ensure that young people are kept safe. It also required the provider to take effective action when there are serious concerns about a child’s welfare and demonstrate that the required actions identified in the fire risk assessment have been met.

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This monitoring visit

There is good evidence that the provider has taken appropriate action to meet the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447930 2 required steps in the notice. During the monitoring visit, the inspector found that most of the actions in the fire risk assessment have been completed. The outstanding actions are under way, and there is a clear date for completion. The provider has stated that there will be no young people admitted to the home until this work is finished. This will ensure that the young people who are admitted to the home live in a safe environment.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager has taken appropriate action to ensure that all staff understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities . Reflective work has been completed by the acting manager with all staff members in individual supervision sessions. This included a discussion about safeguarding practice and risk assessments. In addition, safeguarding practice was covered in depth at a team day on 17 July 2018 and is planned to be included in all subsequent team meetings. All staff have now completed ligature and self-harm training.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager has put in place appropriate strategies to ensure that the staff understand and follow young people’s risk assessments. A team meeting will be held before any young people are admitted to the home. This will provide an opportunity for all staff to hear about the young person and understand the young person’s known risks and any actions that staff are expected to take to minimise these. Risk assessments will be a standing agenda item for team meetings to ensure that staff have an up-to-date knowledge of young people’s risks and identify action they are expected to take to reduce these risks.

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This monitoring visit

The care planning compliance notice required the provider to demonstrate effective care planning for young people living in the home and any new young people moving in. The provider will ensure that appropriate staffing levels will be considered and that staff have the ability to manage the needs of the young people. Furthermore, it required the provider to ensure that compatibility assessments are completed in full to demonstrate that the home can fully meet the individual needs of each young person.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no admissions since the last full inspection. The provider has put a new admission and discharge policy in place. This sets out how transitions should be managed. It includes the roles and responsibilities of the staff and the managers throughout the admission process. This policy will support the manager in making child-centred decisions about young people she admits to the home. This will ensure that good practice is followed for all new transitions into and out of the home.

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This monitoring visit

There is good evidence that the acting manager has been robust in admissions practices to date. She has declined one request to take a young person, as the home Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447930 3 is not ready. Work has been completed with the staff in team meetings and individual supervision sessions about what a good transition should look like.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has partially completed an impact assessment for a young person who may be coming to live in the home. She is awaiting further information from the social worker before this is fully completed. The assessment demonstrates that the young person’s risks are identified and that staff’s ability to meet the young person’s needs is considered. The manager is clear that this will be a planned move with a transition period, including visits to the young person, before the young person is admitted to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Overall, the provider has demonstrated at this visit that they have taken the necessary steps to ensure that the compliance notices issued under regulations 12 and 14 are met. As a result, Ofsted does not plan to take any further enforcement action. A further unannounced inspection will take place in order to continue to monitor the quality of care provided.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/06/2018 Full Inadequate 23/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447930 4

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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: Warrington Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Children’s Services Directorate, New Town House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington, Cheshire WA1 2NJ

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Inspectors

Sarah Billett, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC447930 5 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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