Children's home run by Pine Forest Homes Limited in Cannock Chase

Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 1 SC373693 Registered provider: Pine Forest Homes Limited

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Full inspection 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 from eight to 17 years. The home provides both short- and long-term placements for young people who may have faced adverse childhood experiences, trauma, and placement and family breakdown.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since December 2015. The current acting manager was appointed on 5 January 2019. He has yet to make an application to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted inspected this service in July 2018 and again in October 2018. The home was judged inadequate at both inspections. Ofsted served a notice of restriction of Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 2 accommodation on 11 July 2018, to prevent any new young people being admitted to the home. As a result of the inspection in October 2018, a further restriction of accommodation notice was issued. In addition, two compliance notices were issued.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Monitoring visits took place on 6 November 2018 and 13 December 2018. One compliance notice was issued following the monitoring visit in November 2018. Following the monitoring visit in December 2018, Ofsted again issued a notice of restriction of accommodation. This is due to expire on 19 March 2019.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/10/2018 Full Inadequate 03/07/2018 Full Inadequate 13/03/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 14/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 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 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 help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6(1)(2)(b)(vii)) 8 March 2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to understand and develop skills to promote the child‟s well-being. (Regulation 10(1)(c)(2)(a)(iv)) 8 March 2019

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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 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)) 8 March 2019

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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 it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25(2)(b))* 18 January 2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 4 A person may only manage a children‟s home if the person is of integrity and good character; having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children, the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children; and the person is physically and mentally fit to manage the home; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has within the last 5 years, worked for at least 2 years in a position relevant to the residential care of children; worked for at least one year in a role requiring the supervision and management of staff working in a care role; and by the relevant date, attained the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 5 Diploma”); or a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma. (Regulation 28(1)(a) (b)(i)(ii)(c)(2)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(3)(a)(b)(4)(a)(b)) 8 March 2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. 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 the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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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. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(3)(b)(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)) 8 March 2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 5 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. The

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Requirement Due date

registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children‟s home if full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to verification, as far as reasonably practicable, of the reason why employment or position ended, where the applicant has been previously employed in a position involving work with children or vulnerable adults. 8 March 2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the manager receives supervision. 8 March 2019

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children‟s home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; ensure that the records are kept up to date; and retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37(1)(2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to maintaining a copy of the staff duty roster of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual rosters worked. (Schedule 4(3)) 8 March 2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)) 8 March 2019

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Requirement Due date

Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 6 * These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last full inspection, one young person has remained living at the home. Inspectors found that the provider has complied with the restriction notice, as no further young people have been admitted to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Progress made by the young person at the monitoring visit on 13 December 2018 has not been sustained. For example, the young person no longer attends education or employment and staff have failed to act to provide him with structured activity to support the development of independence skills. This leaves the young person ill- equipped for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Previous action by staff to improve the young person‟s health has not been maintained. For example, the inspection on 2 and 3 October 2018 identified an overreliance on processed food. Initial improvements to offer the young person a more varied and healthy diet have not continued. Staff told inspectors that this is because staff lack interest in cooking. The absence of a balanced and nutritious diet shows a failure by staff to promote the young person‟s health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The number of staff permanently employed at this home has reduced to two. Despite this, managers and staff have worked to ensure that the young person is cared for by consistent individuals. Staff have taken on extra hours and only one member of bank staff has been introduced, limiting the impact on the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Professionals told the inspectors that their communication with staff at the home is positive. Staff liaison with the police and social workers has improved significantly and staff will advocate for the young person to ensure that some issues relating to his care are followed up.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Managers have failed to take sufficient action to address significant fire safety concerns. An independent fire risk assessment of the home identified that urgent action was needed to address safety issues. Managers took no action for over two months. This resulted in inspectors making a referral to the fire service. The significant failure by managers to address fire safety has placed the young person and staff at significant risk of harm.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Managers have implemented new processes and documents to help staff to better understand behaviour management and how to manage risk. This has improved some aspects of practice. For example, staff respond appropriately when the young person goes missing from the home. However, managers do not ensure that documents are updated with new and emerging risks. For example, managers have not updated risk Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 7 management information regarding the young person‟s alleged criminal activity levels and possible links to gangs and weapons. This is despite having had this information for a month. As a result, staff are unable to respond safely or effectively to reduce the risks posed to the young person. Furthermore, despite information about the young person using an off-road motorbike, there is no recorded evidence of staff talking to the young person about the dangers of this risky activity and advising him about how to keep safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Managers have failed to act to address previously identified shortfalls in the safer recruitment of staff. The organisation continues not to verify the reasons why staff have left previous roles when they have worked with children or vulnerable adults. This continued poor practice fails to ensure that staff who work in the home are safe to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been no registered manager at this home since December 2015. The home has been overseen by three different managers since May 2018. The lack of consistent management oversight of the home has significantly reduced the ability of staff to achieve and sustain improvement. Of the four requirements raised at the last inspection, only one has been met. A further seven requirements have been raised as a result of this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The acting manager was appointed in January 2019. He is a director of the organisation. No assessment of his fitness for the role of manager has been undertaken by senior managers and the provider is unable to demonstrate that current safer recruitment checks have been completed. Managers are therefore unable to demonstrate how they have satisfied themselves of the acting manager‟s suitability for this role. In addition, it is not sufficiently clear that the individual has the relevant knowledge, qualifications and experience to be in day-to-day charge of a children‟s home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Shortfalls in the management oversight of the home continue. The staff roster does not accurately record the hours that managers have been at the home and fails to reflect that an acting manager is now in post. This brings into the question the validity of these records in the case of a complaint or investigation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff now benefit from regular supervision. However, senior managers have failed to ensure that staff managing the home have regular supervision. As a result, there has been limited review and monitoring of the service by senior managers. Furthermore, those in day-to-day charge of the home have been left without formal support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have undertaken training to increase their understanding of the needs of the young person who lives at the home. However, managers have not ensured that staff have completed a relevant childcare qualification within regulatory timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager‟s quality of care review fails to acknowledge the current Ofsted judgement, or the enforcement action taken. This omission means that the review fails to demonstrate accurately the quality of care offered at the home or what action is Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 8 required to make the required improvement.

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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

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‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pine Forest Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ballance & Lowbridge, Accountants, 65 Market Street, Hednesford, Cannock, Staffordshire WS12 1AD

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Inspectors

Tracey Coglan Greig, social care inspector Debbie Holder, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC373693 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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