Children's Home run by The Partnership of Care Today in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390576 1 SC390576

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Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A large provider of children’s services operates this home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have experienced childhood instability, resulting in trauma and associated complex behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place in response to concerns raised in a safeguarding notification and from a placing authority. In addition, the inspector monitored the provider’s adherence to the restriction of accommodation notice issued on 26 February 2019.

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This monitoring visit

No children have been admitted to the home since the last monitoring visit. Consequently, the provider has adhered to the restriction of accommodation notice.

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This monitoring visit

Since the monitoring inspection on 22 February 2019, one child has moved, leaving one child resident in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has taken some immediate steps to improve the arrangements to safeguard children. For example, waking night staff have been temporarily reintroduced and they now receive clear guidance about their role and responsibilities. Managers and staff also review and update young people’s risk assessments in light of new information.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not yet decided on all permanent arrangements about how to safely manage bedtime and night-time routines. As a result, vulnerabilities remain in the home’s approach to supporting and protecting children at night. This has the potential to compromise children’s welfare and safety.

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This monitoring visit

When safeguarding concerns arise, the registered manager and staff do not always share important information with all relevant professionals. This does not help Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390576 2 professionals to make informed decisions about the next steps in response to these concerns.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager and staff view safeguarding incidents in isolation and do not consider possible links between them. As a result, they do not fully understand potential risks, and this undermines their ability to assess and manage these risks.

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This monitoring visit

When young people experience difficulties in school, staff do not always follow this up with them on their return home. For example, one young person made a disclosure to a teacher about alleged abuse at the home. He also said that he was upset about a falling-out with other residents that morning. The young person’s social worker was informed and the young person immediately retracted his disclosure. Records do not show whether staff spoke to the young person on his return from school to check on his welfare. This shows a lack of consideration and care to the young person’s needs and well-being.

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This monitoring visit

The restriction of accommodation notice remains in place, as do the requirements raised and compliance notice issued at the monitoring inspection on 22 February 2019.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/07/2018 Full Outstanding 12/12/2017 Full Good 17/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390576 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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Requirements Due date

12: The protection of children standard*

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

2(a)(i) 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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Requirements Due date

In particular, ensuring that risk assessments are accurate and up to date. 03/04/19

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

(vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. 03/04/19

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Requirements Due date

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

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 03/04/19 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390576 4 (b) 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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Requirements Due date

13 (1) The leadership and management standard

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Requirements 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—

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Requirements Due date

(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential: and (b) promotes their welfare. 03/04/19

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Requirements 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— (a) understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirements Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered provider must ensure that staff: 2 (b) (ii) protect and promote each child’s welfare. 03/04/19

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Requirements Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. (Regulation 19(1)) 03/04/19

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Requirements Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 03/04/19

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Requirements Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. In particular, that case records are accurate and detailed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390576 5 paragraph 14.4)

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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. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390576 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Partnership of Care Today Children’s Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Lansdowne House, 85 Buxton Road, Stockport, Cheshire SK2 6LR

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Inspector

Jackie Line, regulatory inspection manager Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC390576 7 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 looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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