Children's home run by Greenacre Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379104 1 SC379104

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Greenacre Care Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to care for up to four children who experience social, behavioural and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager commenced employment on 30 July 2018. They have not yet applied for registration with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to monitor the notice restricting accommodation served under regulation 22B of the Care Standards Act 2000. The notice was served on 10 July 2018.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection on 27 June 2018, no children have been admitted to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Since February 2018 there has been many changes in the management arrangements of the service. A new manager commenced employment on 30 July 2018 and Ofsted is waiting an application for registration.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual said that there is a zero tolerance approach to drug misuse and smoking at the home. However, room searches are inconsistent. The children receive independence money from the staff to purchase food and clothing. However, it is not always clear what the money is being spent on. This is of significant concern as the children are known to misuse drugs. Children are provided with some literature about the misuse of drugs. However, there is a lack of evidence to demonstrate what action staff take to address the children’s misuse of drugs. For example, key- worker sessions do not consistently address the concerns. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379104 2 Written records are frequently incomplete and continue to provide minimal information about the work that the staff undertake with the children. One child has moved on to semi-independent accommodation, but the transition planning was

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This monitoring visit

insufficient. For example, staff reported that on the day that the child left she told them that she had no money to buy food. Staff said that a suitcase was purchased to help prepare the child for the move. Inspectors noted that some of the child’s belongings remain at the home. This shows that the home does not provide robust support for children who are leaving care.

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This monitoring visit

Staff said that the child who remains living at the home is making progress and is engaging more positively with staff. However, this child’s progress in relation to developing skills to prepare meaningfully and effectively for independence was not satisfactorily evidenced to the inspectors during this visit. The child continues to spend significant time away from the home. The staff have increased the number of welfare calls to the child but, more often than not, the child does not answer the calls. The home’s management and staff were unable to provide an independence plan, and key-work sessions read as conversations with the child that have no clear outcome. This is not a sufficient approach to supporting vulnerable children who have complex social histories.

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This monitoring visit

Concerns were raised at the last inspection in relation to the fire door in the kitchen needing repair. A local authority fire service officer subsequently visited the home and advised Ofsted that the kitchen door has been repaired. The inspection confirmed this; the provider has met the requirement related to this shortfall raised at the last inspection. The remaining requirements resulting from the last full inspection have not been reviewed and are therefore restated in this report; they will be evaluated at the next inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The restriction of admissions notice remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted will continue to monitor this home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/06/2018 Full Inadequate 29/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 18/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379104 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; and ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the staff implement the independence plan agreed with the placing local authority. 03/08/2018

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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—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(ii)) 03/08/2018

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 03/08/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379104 4 promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(d)) The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)) 03/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

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)) 03/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(d)) 03/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)) 03/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 03/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the 03/08/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379104 5 purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2))

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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: SC379104 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Greenacre Care Services Limited

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Inspectors

Rosie Davie: social care inspector Catherine Russell: social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC379104 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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