Children's home run by Oxfordshire County Council

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1229977 1 Registered provider: Oxfordshire County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A local authority runs this home, which is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children. The statement of purpose says that it provides a residential experience for children needing accommodation for a period of assessment. It also provides a service to children who need emergency, respite or short-term placements.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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 requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager now has more involvement in the decision-making about which children are offered a service. This has prevented children who have been assessed as not likely to benefit from staying in the home being placed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A requirement was made at the last inspection about the quality of the assessments that are carried out before a child moves into the home. While some improvements have been made, the quality of these assessments remains variable. For example, not all show that full consideration has been given to the compatibility of the children or the ability of the staff team to care for the children’s individual and collective needs. Two other requirements made at the last inspection about record-keeping and management Interim inspection report children’s home: 1229977 2 monitoring have been addressed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff develop a good understanding and knowledge of the children they care for. Staff take the time to find out about children’s needs and preferences and use this information to make sure that children have opportunities to achieve goals and make progress. It was positive to see that staff, when appropriate, took part in fun and educational activities with the children. This has helped children to forge strong and trusting relationships with staff and to learn that they can enjoy the company of an adult.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The risk management arrangements are effective in supporting staff in their roles. Staff provide children with firm and consistent boundaries. Direct work with children supports them to begin to understand how their behaviour impacts on them and their life chances. Some children have, as a result, stopped the behaviours that put them in danger. For example, one child staying in the home ceased taking risks altogether. This child had a very successful move back home. The child’s mother said that the shared care arrangement ‘helped him turn his life around.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work well with other agencies and professionals to support children to keep safe and make progress in their lives. When other professionals or agencies do not provide the input or services the child needs, the staff provide strong and successful challenge. Since the last inspection, a new deputy has joined the home and the manager has been registered with Ofsted. The management monitoring arrangements are effective in making sure that the management team has a good sense of where developments are required. Managers have begun to progress the plans to make improvements in the home. However, the arrangements for monitoring by an independent person are weak. This shortfall has been recognised and alternative arrangements are being considered.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 04/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/05/2017 Full Inadequate Interim inspection report children’s home: 1229977 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 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 any risk of harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that all admission risk assessments are of an acceptable quality. In particular, the assessments must show that detailed assessments have been carried out about the impact that the placement will have on the child and the existing group of children considered. There should also be consideration of the staff’s ability to meet children’s individual and collective needs. If staff require any training to enable them to meet the child’s identified needs, this must be provided. 17/05/2019 Interim inspection report children’s home: 1229977 4

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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

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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oxfordshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, New Road, Oxford OX1 1ND

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Inspector

Rosie Dancer, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1229977 5 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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