Children's home run by Oracle Care Limited in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC356327 1 SC356327 Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people aged eight to 18. Children and young people may have complex social, emotional and behavioural needs and may require attachment-aware, trauma-informed care and support.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is currently without a manager.

p.1

Judgement at last inspection: inadequate

Date of last inspection: 7 November 2018

p.1

Judgement at last inspection: inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged inadequate at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, the home was ‘not judged’.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection has been conducted over the telephone with the responsible individual. No children have resided in the home since 13 December 2018.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ofsted inspected the home in November 2018 and raised nine requirements and one recommendation. Because the home is vacant, and staff from this home are working at other homes across the organisation, it is not possible to assess progress made by the service to address these shortfalls.

p.1

and young people since the most recent full inspection

When the registered provider decides that the home should accept placements, they are required to inform Ofsted of their intention to do so. This is a condition of their registration. Inspection report children’s home: SC356327 2 The registered provider is in the process of recruiting a new manager and staff team in readiness for when the home reopens.

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/11/2018 Full Inadequate 11/01/2018 Full Outstanding 28/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/10/2016 Full Good

p.2

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.

p.2

Requirement Due date

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

p.2

Requirement Due date

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

p.2

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.2

Requirement Due date

The standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

p.2

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare; and

p.2

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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(ii)(iv)) 31/03/2019

p.2

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 31/03/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC356327 3 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

p.2

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)) The health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met; and children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(i)) 31/03/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 31/03/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

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;

p.3

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about 31/03/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC356327 4 a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(vi)) 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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(d)(e)) 31/03/2019

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children, and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d)) 31/03/2019

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(3)(d)) 31/03/2019

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34 (1)(a))

p.4

Requirement Due date

Ensure that senior managers liaise with the designated officer to complete safeguarding investigations when staff resign from the organisation. 31/03/2019

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. Reviews should be underpinned by the Quality Standards as described in Regulations 5 to 14. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.2) Inspection report children’s home: SC356327 5

p.4

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.

p.5

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.

p.5

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’.

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oracle Care Limited

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 54 Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS

p.5

Inspector

Jo Stephenson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC356327 6 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.

p.5

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspector

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

p.6