Children's home run by Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 1

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Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated, three-bedded home looks after children, aged between nine and 17, who may display a range of emotional and/or social difficulties. Ofsted registered the manager for this service in 2016 and he has a suitable qualification.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted this monitoring visit to follow up on the progress made since the full inspection in July when the home was judged inadequate. Overall, the risks to children have decreased. Staff show a better understanding of the measures needed to protect children and they now liaise closely with other agencies. For example, staff assess the behaviour of children who are at risk of going missing from the home more carefully and act promptly to deter the child from leaving the house unaccompanied. The frequency of serious incidents has fallen significantly, although one child still goes missing from the home. Staff follow the steps agreed with the child‟s social worker and other professionals when the child is missing so that they find her as soon as possible. The manager has reviewed the risks in the local area with the police and revised his assessment. This shows that there are few significant hazards and the overall risk posed

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This monitoring visit

to children has reduced. However, because of the risk of children going missing, the manager has increased the security measures in the home. This means that staff know when anyone leaves the house and has implemented an agreed strategy. The last inspection found shortfalls in the security of items in the office. Although staff now store keys securely, they persist in keeping the office door open. Children enter the office freely and can overhear private conversations. This jeopardises confidentiality and exposes children to unnecessary temptation and compromises the security of belongings. Shortfalls were also found elsewhere in the house, including the back door Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 2 being unable to be opened. The manager has resolved these issues. The manager reports that one child does not need restrainers on his bedroom windows. However, the records do not clearly show how the manager reaches and reviews these decisions.

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This monitoring visit

Most staff members are relatively inexperienced. The manager is developing the staff‟s skills and, as part of this process, he has not admitted any new children. Staff have now received training in substance misuse. At the last inspection, a shortfall was identified that some children were inappropriately admitted who had substantial mental health needs. Ofsted has not registered the service to accept children who have such difficulties. However, other training gives staff enough understanding of children‟s emotional difficulties to meet the needs of the current children. One member of staff has not completed her qualification within the required timescales. The manager is now aware of the need to keep the timescales under review. Staff show a good understanding of the issues that children face and create a pleasant atmosphere in the home. Until the inspection, the manager had not sent certain documents to Ofsted, such as his

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This monitoring visit

monitoring report and the amended statement of purpose. This shortfall does not directly affect the welfare of children, but it does reduce the ability of Ofsted to regulate appropriately. During this monitoring visit, the manager resolved the issue. The independent monitoring of the home is still not sufficiently detailed. The responsible individual has changed the provider in order to obtain a better service. He is also reviewing the causes of the previous difficulties to reduce the risk of a repetition. The two children currently living at the home enjoyed their summer holidays and have successfully started another school year.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/07/2018 Full Inadequate 23/05/2017 Full Good 24/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 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 registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected; 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 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv)) This is with regard to establishing clear procedures about children‟s access to the office. 22/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. The relevant date is— in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. 22/10/2018 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 4 The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual— does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b)) This is with regard to staff becoming qualified within the prescribed timescale. 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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)((i)) This is with regard to addressing in children‟s written risk assessments their need for bedroom window restrainers. 22/10/2018

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Outcomes Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Positive Outcomes Childcare Ltd, 3 Churchill House Queen Street, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1SN

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Inspector

David Morgan, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1227330 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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