Children's Home run by Educare Adolescent Services Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC371723 1 SC371723

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Educare Adolescent Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people aged between eight and 17 years old, who have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since November 2017. Since this time, temporary management arrangements have been in place. The current manager has worked for the company since June 2018. He has obtained his level 5 qualification in leadership and management and has over 15 years‟ residential experience.

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This monitoring visit

This children‟s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 12 and 13 July 2018. This resulted in 14 requirements being raised. The purpose of this monitoring visit is to see what progress is being made to address the shortfalls identified at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Following the last full inspection, the manager submitted a detailed action plan to Ofsted. This details how the manager and staff will address the 14 requirements. Since the last inspection, the manager has not admitted any new young people to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Some good progress is being made in addressing the 14 requirements. However, this visit has identified three new regulatory shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

One young person has left the home since the last inspection. The manager and staff worked closely with the placing authority to ensure that this was a smooth transition for the young person. Young people reported that they feel safe and are happy living in the home. One Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC371723 2 young person told the inspector that the staff are „really nice and positive‟.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are aware of young people‟s cultural differences. For example, the young people are now being provided with varied food that reflects their culture. Nevertheless, improvement is still required to promote cultural diversity. In particular, the staff need to give more consideration to the differences within the young people‟s cultures.

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This monitoring visit

The visit has identified that young people are not being given a balanced diet. For example, one young person was observed to have chicken nuggets and garlic bread for breakfast. This was not challenged by staff. Another young person‟s weekly meal planner indicates they had a takeout on consecutive days.

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This monitoring visit

Key-working sessions are now taking place on a regular basis. These sessions provide young people with the opportunity to express their wishes and feelings. However, young people are still not getting support in key areas of need.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff team have established links with local specialist agencies which can provide support to young people about their risk-taking behaviour. This means that young people are now able to receive ongoing support from external agencies to help them stay safe.

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This monitoring visit

Young people‟s complaints are now recorded and addressed in line with the home‟s statement of purpose. This means that young people‟s concerns are now being appropriately addressed.

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This monitoring visit

There continue to be delays in respect of one young person accessing formal education. The young person still does not have any structure or routine. The manager has followed up on a school placement for the young person. However, no alternative provision or support has been arranged in the interim period.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is now making sure that incidents are reported to Ofsted in line with regulation. Incidents are being recorded, with managerial oversight of staff practice. This allows the manager to review incidents and to monitor the quality of care young people receive.

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This monitoring visit

There have been several incidents of young people going missing from the home. Despite risk assessments being put in place to keep young people safe, there has been one occasion when staff failed to follow the assessment. This failure placed the young people at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, staff have received regular supervision. This means that staff are now receiving feedback in respect of their practice. However, staff are yet to have their annual performance appraised in line with the organisation‟s policy. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC371723 3 These appraisals have been scheduled to take place at the end of September 2018. The manager has ensured that safe recruitment checks have been undertaken for new members of staff.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/07/2018 Full Inadequate 06/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/08/2016 Full Good 15/09/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC371723 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child‟s placing authority effectively in the child‟s care, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans; seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child‟s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‟s or a relevant person‟s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child‟s needs are met in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children‟s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)) 09/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children‟s home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; 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 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child‟s needs, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans, taking account of the child‟s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare 09/09/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC371723 5 the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(iv)(v)(vi)) 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—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home‟s care. Ensures that each child knows what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision. (Regulation 7 (1)(c)(2)(a)(ii)(iv)(b)(iii)) 09/09/2018

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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.

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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 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; and help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(viii)(ix)) 09/09/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(v)) 12/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(c)) 12/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on helping each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child‟s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships 09/09/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC371723 6 can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(2)(a)(i)(vi)(vii)(x)) 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—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child‟s relevant plan, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)(ii)(vi)) 09/09/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that 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 health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(d)) 12/10/2018

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experiences, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and uses monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(d)(h)) 09/09/2018

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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 09/09/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC371723 7 it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are completed with in respect of the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all new members of staff undertake relevant fire safety training and are aware of the fire evacuation procedures in the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 09/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents 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)) 09/09/2018

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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: SC371723 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Educare Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Venture House, 12 Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

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Inspectors

Sarah Junor-Fitzpatrick, social care inspector

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Inspectors

Peter Hylton, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC371723 9 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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