Children's home run by Aurora Care Young People’s Services

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1258770 1

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Aurora Care Young People’s Services

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to four young people who have social and/or emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There were three young people in the placement at the time of the inspection. The home is part of a private organisation.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 29 August 2018. Following this inspection, Ofsted issued the provider with two compliance notices under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. The compliance notices were issued in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit to the home on 8 October 2018 to monitor the actions that the provider has taken to comply with the notices. There were three children in placement at the time of the monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The leadership and management compliance notice required the provider to ensure that there is a manager in day-to-day charge of the home, and that there are clear arrangements in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. There is now a manager in day-to day charge of the home and she has applied to register with Ofsted. The provider has also appointed a deputy manager. This means that there are better arrangements in place for maintaining effective management when the manager is not in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The changes in the management of the home have ensured that there are mechanisms in place for monitoring staff practice. The manager has now implemented appropriate monitoring and review systems to make sure that there are continuous improvements in the quality of care provided for children. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1258770 2 The manager has taken action to improve communication systems for the staff team. She has put in place a new handover procedure, which she has gone through with each member of staff individually to ensure that they understand their responsibilities in communicating all relevant information. Communication has improved and staff are aware of all the relevant information for each child when they come on shift. The staff are now more consistent in their approach. Overall, the home is now providing care in line with its statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

The compliance notice also required the provider to ensure that managers and staff receive training in internet safety, equality and diversity, and that all new members of staff receive mandatory training in safeguarding. The manager has taken some steps to address this and has undertaken an audit of staff training. She has identified that there are further areas that staff require training in, such as record keeping. However, the manager and some staff still require up-to-date training in safeguarding. A requirement has been made to address this shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

The protection of children compliance notice required the provider to ensure that children’s individual risk assessments identify all known risks. The manager has ensured that individual risk assessments are in place which identify children’s known risks. Most risk assessments contain clear actions for staff to follow to reduce identified risks, but they include no such guidance for self-harmful behaviour. This was discussed with the manager, who recognised and addressed this shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have had training on risk assessments and now consistently sign to indicate that they have read each child’s risk assessment. Consequently, staff spoken to during the monitoring visit understood children’s known risks and the actions that they are expected to take to reduce these risks. Because of this, staff are taking more effective action to reduce the risk of harm to children. Since the last inspection there has been one safeguarding incident, which was managed appropriately by staff.

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This monitoring visit

During the monitoring visit, a shortfall was identified in how effectively the manager challenges agencies, such as the local authority and the police, to ensure that children’s needs are met and that they are kept safe. A further requirement has been made regarding this shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has demonstrated at this visit that it has taken the necessary steps to ensure that the compliance notices issued under regulations 12 and 13 are met. Requirements were issued to address the shortfalls identified in this report. Ofsted does not plan to take any further enforcement action. A further unannounced inspection will take place to continue to monitor the quality of care provided.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1258770 3 28/08/2018 Full Inadequate 06/03/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/01/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1258770 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 order to meet the protection of children standard the registered provider must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

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

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 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) 14/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 5(c)) 14/11/2018 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1258770 5

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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: 1258770 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Aurora Care Young People’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pendle Suite, Hawkshaw Business Park, Longsight Road, Clayton-le-Dale, Lancashire BB2 7JA

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Inspector

Sarah Billett, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1258770 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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