Children's home run by Footsteps to Futures Limited in Gedling

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484402 1 SC484402

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Footsteps To Futures Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people. The home accepts children and young people on a planned basis. The children and young people may have emotional and/or behavioural issues. The home aims to use a therapeutic approach. There is a new manager who has applied to become registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out in order to address specific concerns. This was in response to a number of complaints being received by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

At this visit, several shortfalls were identified. Many staff have left since the last inspection, particularly in January 2019. Not all young people feel safe. Young people have said that this is because staff who provided them with emotional support have left.

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This monitoring visit

The staff team presents as chaotic. There have been disagreements between staff, and disagreements with managers. Young people have been aware of some of these disagreements, and this has had a negative impact on them.

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This monitoring visit

In addition to this, some staff have left the home and then returned. Young people have found this confusing. Multiple staff changes have also impaired young people’s progress. One new member of staff only worked at the home for three shifts, then left. They were influenced by negative comments from a colleague.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have been trying to resolve the staffing situation. They have remained committed to young people and have continued to both recruit staff and manage Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484402 2 personnel issues as they arise. Leaders feel let down by some staff, who have at times been unprofessional and difficult to manage.

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This monitoring visit

The home is set up to provide care for three young people through a staff team comprising six and a half full-time equivalent members of staff. There are currently three permanent members of staff, and a bank worker. The bank worker has worked at the home for several months, after having previously left the home as a permanent employee. The most experienced permanent member of staff has only worked at the home for seven months. The other two staff members had only worked at the home for four weeks at the point of the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Young people have not been able to develop long-term, positive relationships with staff. Some young people, who have attachment difficulties, have found multiple staff changes particularly difficult.

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This monitoring visit

There are examples of staff members’ practice being poor. Two members of staff are reported to have used inappropriate language towards a young person. On another occasion, one young person overheard staff talking about complaints to Ofsted. Some staff have left suddenly, not saying goodbye to young people. Additionally, a young person reported that a member of staff said that they were leaving because of the manager. This particular situation had a significant impact on the young person.

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This monitoring visit

Young people who have suffered previous trauma and require consistent, dependable care could be further traumatised from this very unsettled situation.

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This monitoring visit

Management arrangements have not provided young people with stability. There have been three managers in the last 12 months. A new manager has applied to register with Ofsted. She is clear about the improvements needed but has been hampered by the difficulties within the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

One requirement about staffing was made at the full inspection in April 2018 and was set again at the subsequent inspection in June 2018. This requirement has still not been met. This has now been escalated to a compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Other requirements were not assessed at this monitoring visit and have therefore been carried over to the next inspection. Three recommendations were also not checked and have been carried over. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484402 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/04/2018 Full Inadequate 01/08/2017 Full Good 12/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484402 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

* 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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ─ 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; ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 15/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the 15/04/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484402 5 registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character; the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; 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)(b)(3)(a)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is with reference to agency staff, when the organisation or manager has not seen these checks for themselves. This requirement is repeated from the last inspection. 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.

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

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’).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their 15/04/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484402 6 parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated from the last inspection. 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 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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated from the last inspection. 15/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— the privacy of children is appropriately protected; (Regulation 21(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated from the last inspection. 15/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; 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 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)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated from the last inspection. 15/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 Ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484402 7 paragraph 13.1)  Staff need the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that might indicate a child is in any way at risk of harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12)  Ensure that care meets each child’s needs and promotes their welfare, taking into account the child’s gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, any disability, their assessed needs, previous experiences and any relevant plans. This is with particular reference to one child’s care plan, which did not incorporate all of this

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Recommendations

information. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2)

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Footsteps To Futures Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 3, ALB Enterprise Park, 170−180 Carlton Road, Nottingham NG3 2BB

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Inspector

Caroline Brailsford, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484402 8 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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