Children's home run by Cornwall Council in Cornwall

Inspection report children‟s home: SC368934 1 SC368934 Registered provider: Cornwall Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide a short-break service for up to 21 children and young people who have learning difficulties and/or physical difficulties. The home is managed and owned by the local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 4–5 October 2018

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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 good at the last full inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are provided with fun experiences by a core staff team. Inspectors observed engaging interactions between staff and children during a visit to a local park. Pictorial communication methods enabled children to make choices and to demonstrate their feelings clearly.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Due to wider issues there are staff vacancies. Senior managers are actively working to recruit new staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Care planning is of a good standard. Children‟s holistic needs are fully considered and monitored. This promotes the ability of staff to meet the evolving individual needs of each child. Inspection report children‟s home: SC368934 2 Safeguarding practice, overall, is of a good standard. The registered manager acts quickly when child protection concerns are raised. Safer recruitment polices are followed. However, files for new staff do not explicitly show how managers decided that staff were suitable. A recommendation has been raised for managers to consider how to evidence their decision making.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The need for physical intervention to safeguard children is minimal and used appropriately in their best interests. However, the requirement relating to the behaviour management policy raised at the last inspection, remains at this inspection. Although the policy has been written, it is waiting to be ratified and implemented.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is no easily accessible method for complaints to be made by either children or adults. Since the last inspection, there has been one complaint, which was investigated. In contrast, a number of compliments were seen which depicted the good quality of care provided to children who stay at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A requirement was made at the last inspection regarding the need for children to be provided with an independent advocacy service. An advocacy service is now available and is ready to be commissioned for children should families or placing authorities require this service.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Supervision records which were sampled during the inspection demonstrated good practice. Staff received good support and challenge by managers. However, not all agency staff receive regular supervision.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Regulation 40 (Children‟s Homes Regulations (England) 2015) requires registered providers to notify Ofsted of any significant child protection matters. One such matter was not referred prior to this inspection. The incident itself was managed swiftly and effectively to ensure children are kept safe.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A number of the children who stay at the home have complex needs. Some childcare staff have not been provided with the higher level of training to meet the best interests of these children. A requirement has been made to ensure that such training is provided.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/10/2018 Full Good 26/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/07/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC368934 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 all staff have the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32(3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, all staff must be provided with the appropriate training in order to promote their ability to meet the best interests of children with complex needs. 15/03/2019

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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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the supervision of agency staff must be undertaken as clarified above. 15/03/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out–

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children‟s home; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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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

the name of the child; details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the 15/03/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: SC368934 4 measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; 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 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.

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Requirement Due date

Paragraph (3) does not apply in relation to restraint that is planned or provided for as a matter of routine in the child‟s EHC plan or statement of special educational needs. (Regulation 35(1)(a)(b), (2), (3)(i–viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c), (4)) The registered provider must notify the HMCI without delay if–

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child–

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Requirement Due date

is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation–

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Requirement Due date

the matter; the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40(4)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e), (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 15/03/2019

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Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.1) In particular, the decision-making process needs to be transparent within recruitment records. Inspection report children‟s home: SC368934 5

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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 difference 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‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC368934 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cornwall Council, PO Box 727, Truro TR1 9GP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Tony Phillips-Jones

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Inspector(s)

Polly Soper, social care inspector Paula Lahey, social care regulatory inspection manager Inspection report children‟s home: SC368934 7 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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

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