Children's Home run by Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited in Gloucestershire

Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 1 Registered provider: Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children‟s home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It can provide care and accommodation for five children aged between 11 and 17 years.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children do not feel safe in their own home, due to being bullied and physically assaulted by other children. Recent behaviour has spiralled out of control, resulting in assaults on staff, damage to property and a child climbing on a porch roof. Such a chaotic environment prevents children from feeling secure or comfortable and has a negative effect on their overall personal development. Two children are engaging with school and increasing their attendance. However, other children have withdrawn from their college and apprenticeship courses to the extent that they are at high risk of losing these learning opportunities.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A lack of leadership from the registered manager has contributed to an ineffective staff team with low morale. Consequently, children have challenged boundaries to the extent that the adults have not always remained in control. At times, the police have been called to manage children‟s behaviour, because staff lack the confidence and skills to Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 2 respond to children when they are upset and putting themselves, and others, at risk of harm.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding concerns identified by the independent visitor prompted an internal investigation. At the time of this inspection, the investigation was ongoing, with a conclusion expected within a week.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are not fully supported to manage with group living and to develop positive relationships. There is a lack of respect and trust between children; too often their relationships are harmful to each other. One child told staff, „I am bullied at school, I get home and I am bullied.‟ Insufficient action has been taken to prevent this from continuing at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are restrained at times. However, physical intervention is not used in all circumstances that warrant it. For example, restraint is not always used to prevent children assaulting each other or from gaining access to a porch roof. For one child, the frequency of physical intervention is not reducing, though the level and intensity is far less. This is positive, as staff are using low-level techniques, such as guiding away from situations to avoid restraint, where possible, for this child.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following restraint being used, children and staff have not always had the opportunity to discuss the incident. On occasions when this reflection has occurred, the views of children and staff were not always recorded. This failing was reported by the independent visitor in two successive months, August and September 2018. The registered manager did not take prompt action to address this failure, resulting in the repeat of this shortfall. However, at the time of this inspection, improvements were evident. Children and staff can now discuss the incidents, and full records are maintained.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Allegation management procedures are followed appropriately. However, leaders and managers have failed to notify Ofsted of significant events. Leaders and managers did not inform the regulator of two allegations of poor practice by staff members that led to the staff being suspended while investigations occur.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have acted to reduce some of the risks. This has included the temporary use of waking night staff and deciding that the group of children is no longer compatible, resulting in one child leaving. However, risk management remains poor. For example, risk assessment documents reviewed on the day of inspection did not include the prevalent risk of climbing on a porch roof.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The requirements from the last inspection are met. Successful recruitment has led to a full staff team, negating the need to regularly employ agency staff. When agency staff are employed, a full profile is obtained from the agency and there is now a system to monitor their attendance. This ensures that after eight days of working at the home they receive supervision by a senior member of staff. Case records are held on an information management system that is now embedded in daily practice and all staff are familiar with its use. Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 3 The directors of the organisation have acted to investigate the failings of this home. They have arranged for the management of the home to be strengthened, with the responsible individual taking day-to-day charge. There is a commitment to rebuild the leadership of the home and work towards meeting the needs of the children.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children‟s home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child‟s welfare; 20/11/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 4 make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i) and (ii))

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child‟s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child‟s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child‟s behaviour, in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child‟s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help 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 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

strive to gain each child‟s respect and trust; 20/11/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 5 understand how children‟s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii) and (xiii))

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard 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 plans, 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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child 20/11/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 6 protection policies.

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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

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 child‟s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b) and (d))

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard 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

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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b) and (c)) 20/11/2018

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 20/11/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 7 details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii) and (c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children and staff have the opportunity to discuss all incidents of physical intervention and that records are maintained.

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Requirement Due date

40: Notification of a serious event 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

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child— is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or 20/11/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 8 there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii) and (e))

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children‟s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Using the „Social care common inspection framework‟, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the „Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Flourish (Gloucestershire) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hazlewoods, Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham GL50 3AT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Summers

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Inspector

Clare Davies, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 9 Inspection report children‟s home: 1263571 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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