Children's home run by Altum Residential Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489660 1 SC489660

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Altum Residential Care Ltd

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager in post since 16 October 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

The current statement of purpose notes, ‘The service is residential and designed for children and young people aged 11–17 who may have complex psychological needs and present with associated behaviours such as self-harm. The service is designed for children and young people who may be at risk or have been victims of child sexual exploitation and self-harm issues.’

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered for up to three children and young people.

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This monitoring visit

On 24 and 25 July 2018, Ofsted undertook a full inspection that judged the home inadequate. Ofsted issued two compliance notices under Regulation 12 and Regulation 13. The purpose of this monitoring visit is to review the actions taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been without a registered manager since 16 October 2017. The provider appointed a manager on 5 February 2018, who had applied to Ofsted to become the registered manager. The manager withdrew her application to register with Ofsted during this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The manager confirmed that she had not had sight of the compliance notices. Consequently, the provider has failed to take sufficient action to meet the steps identified in the two compliance notices that were raised following the last inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489660 2 The provider has failed to seek sufficient information from placing local authorities about children prior to offering a placement. The statutory children looked after documentation has not been obtained prior to, or quickly after, children are placed in the home. Furthermore, the manager has failed to attend, or send a representative from the organisation to, key meetings, such as placement planning meetings and initial children looked after reviews, to gain critical knowledge and information about the child. Consequently, the provider cannot be assured that it is fully aware of children’s needs, and it cannot ensure that its staff are equipped to

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This monitoring visit

meet the needs of the children safely and effectively.

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This monitoring visit

It was again identified at this monitoring visit that poor-quality risk assessments prevent the staff from having a clear understanding of children’s needs and vulnerabilities, including the consideration of their previous known risks. Children’s risk assessments do not provide staff with clear and realistic strategies to enable them to keep children safe. This fails to ensure that risks are managed consistently by staff and appropriate support is in place to help keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has failed to make suitable arrangements to ensure that all staff have received training in physical intervention. Four new staff have been appointed since the last inspection, and four staff have left. Two new members of staff, who were supporting the children out in the community independently and whose names do not appear on the statement of purpose or on the training matrix, do not appear to have undertaken any training, including team teach training. This fails to keep children safe, as staff are not equipped with the knowledge and skills they require.

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This monitoring visit

The arrangements for recording children’s medication continue to be inadequate. All children’s medication is stored together in the medication cabinet. Medication is not clearly labelled to indicate who it is for. Furthermore, not all medication is signed into the home or into the children’s medication administration record sheet. This practice is unsafe, as the provider has failed to follow its own internal procedures and the manager cannot be assured that medication is recorded and administered safely and correctly.

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This monitoring visit

There continue to be inconsistencies with the staffing arrangements. Since the last inspection visit, four staff members have left the organisation, and four new staff have been appointed. This does not enable children to build positive relationships with a consistent staff team and has had a negative effect on their overall care and experiences. This is because children report that staff work with them differently and allow them to do different things. In addition, children report that they have little confidence and respect for the staff who have been employed, as they are only four years older than themselves.

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This monitoring visit

During the monitoring visit, a further breach in regulation was identified. This was in relation to a child receiving a sanction that prevented them from contacting their parent via the telephone. A further requirement has been made. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489660 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/07/2018 Full Inadequate 07/02/2018 Full Inadequate 14/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489660 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (Regulation 8(1)) 01/10/2018

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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 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)) In particular, ensure that if the manager is involved in physical intervention that there is independent oversight and sign-off. 01/10/2018

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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 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; and that staff are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(vi)(b)) 01/10/2018

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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. 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; ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child, and ensure that the home’s 01/10/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489660 5 workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(a)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home; is necessary and proportionate; is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 01/10/2018

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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)) 01/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 01/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 01/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c)) 01/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. The following measures may not be used to discipline any child— any restriction, other than one imposed by a court or in accordance with regulation 22 (contact and access to communications) on— a child’s contact with parents, relatives or friends. (Regulation 19 (1)(2)(c)(i)) 01/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489660 6

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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: Altum Residential Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 550 Valley Road, Nottingham NG5 1JJ

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Inspectors

Janine Shortman-Thomas, social care inspector Elaine Allison, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC489660 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 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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