Children's home run by Altum Residential Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241656 1

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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

This home is registered to provide care for three children and young people. It is managed by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

The home accommodates girls who may have complex psychological needs and present with associated behaviours, such as self-harm. The service is also designed for children and young people who may be at risk of, or have been victims of, child sexual exploitation and self-harm issues.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 1 September 2017. Although a number of managers have been employed, the registered person has failed to employ a suitable registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

The acting manager left at the end of August 2018 and temporary management arrangements are in place.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection, which took place on 30 and 31 July 2018. A restriction notice was issued, which prevented the home from admitting any new children.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out in response to a complaint made to Ofsted regarding staffing. The concerns related to whether there were sufficient and suitably competent staff at the home to keep children safe. There was also reference to the conduct of some staff.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to make enquiries about the staffing levels and the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241656 2 suitability of staff employed at the home to ensure that children are adequately safeguarded.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s progress in meeting all of the requirements made at the full inspection in July 2018 was not the focus of this visit. Consideration was given to whether the conditions giving rise to the restriction of accommodation were still evident.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection on 30 and 31 July 2018, the acting manager has left. An existing senior member of staff took on the role of acting manager on 3 September 2018. The acting manager has worked at the home as a senior residential worker since June 2018. She has not managed a home before and has not yet received any induction for this temporary role. This does not ensure that the acting manager is fully equipped to provide clear leadership and direction to an inexperienced staff team.

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This monitoring visit

A review of staffing rotas identified that there are a minimum of two staff on each shift during the day and night. However, there are a number of shifts that are being led by inexperienced, unqualified staff, many of whom are still in their probationary period. For example, a new member of staff, who has no previous experience of working with children or working in a children’s home, has been left in charge of a shift during the night. This member of staff has not had a full induction, nor have they received any training, and the shift in question involved working alongside an agency member of staff who does not know the children. This is unsafe practice.

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This monitoring visit

New members of staff have not received any of the required training. This does not ensure that staff working at the home have the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the needs of children and keep them safe. Furthermore, new staff have not yet received any supervision. This means that their performance is not being monitored by managers and that they do not have sufficient opportunities to discuss any difficulties they may be facing. This is particularly important given that at least one of the new members of staff has not worked with children before or in a residential setting.

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This monitoring visit

Children continue to be without any education provision, which means that they have not had any formal education since their admission to the home in May and June 2018. Consequently, they continue to lose opportunities to catch up on their education and reach their full potential.

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This monitoring visit

The visit found that there is sufficient staffing, but there are concerns about how much experience staff have and their training. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241656 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/07/2018 Full Inadequate 06/12/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241656 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 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 ─

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 30/09/2018

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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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to ensuring that monitoring systems, including the monthly visits carried out by the independent visitor, are effective in identifying shortfalls and addressing these shortfalls. 30/09/2018

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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. 30/09/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241656 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure ─

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

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.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(2)(a)(c)(e)(i)) 30/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome 30/09/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241656 6 any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(viii))

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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)) 01/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if ─

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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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: 1241656 7

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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

Katarina Djordjevic, social care regulatory inspector Davinia Lawton, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241656 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

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

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