Children's home run by Oxfordshire County Council in Oxford

Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC036383 1 SC036383

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Oxfordshire County Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children‘s home provides care and accommodation for up to six female young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is managed by a local authority.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered by Ofsted on 4 November 2015.

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This monitoring visit

This children‘s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 12 and 13 February 2019. This resulted in seven requirements being made in addition to a notice of restriction of accommodation under section 22B of the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to see what progress has been made to address the shortfalls identified at the full inspection and to ensure compliance with the notice of restriction of accommodation. Since the last inspection, there have been no children admitted to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following the last inspection, leaders and managers have taken insufficient steps to ensure that all of the requirements made at the last inspection have been addressed.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no improvements in the quality of risk assessments. Risk assessments were not updated following a serious incident which resulted in a child being admitted to hospital.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no improvements to the physical condition of the premises. The house presented as untidy, unwelcoming and institutional. This does not demonstrate effort on the part of managers and staff to promote a sense of feeling Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC036383 2 valued on the part of children.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have failed to demonstrate sufficient understanding of the quality of the service provided and its impact on children. The manager has not used monitoring and review systems effectively to improve the quality of the care provided in the home. While monitoring tools have been devised since the last inspection, these have not been used by the manager and senior leaders have failed to monitor and act on this continued shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that staff receive practice-related supervision. Of 14 staff who have worked in the home since the last inspection, only four have received practice-related supervision. Senior leaders have failed to identify and address this continued shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the independent person has failed to provide written reports of his visits to Ofsted. Senior leaders have failed to identify and address this continued shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has failed to provide Ofsted with written reports demonstrating a review of the quality of care provided. Senior leaders have failed to identify and address this continued shortfall.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has taken steps to address two of the requirements made at the last inspection. Considerable care and effort have been taken to ensure that the transition of one child to another placement is undertaken positively and sensitively. The registered manager has reviewed the processes to be used when administering medication to children and the manner in which this is recorded. Training has been arranged for all staff involved in the administration of medication to children to minimise any future errors.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2019 Full Inadequate 04/10/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 04/12/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 02/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC036383 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

(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (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; (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe; (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‘s welfare; (b) that the home‘s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each

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Requirement Due date

child effectively from harm; and (d) 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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(d)) 07/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‘s home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 07/05/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC036383 4 registered person to— (f) 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; and (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

(4) The registered person must ensure that all employees— (a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and (b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 07/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

44: Independent person: visits and reports

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Requirement Due date

(1) The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children‘s home at least once each month. (4) The independent person must produce a report about a visit (―the independent person‘s report‖) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‘s opinion as to whether— (a) children are effectively safeguarded; and (b) the conduct of the home promotes children‘s well-being. (7) The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person‘s report to— (a) HMCI; (b) upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located; (c) the placing authorities of children; (d) the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and (e) the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1)(4)(a)(b)(7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 07/05/2019

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Requirement Due date

45: Review of quality of care (1) 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. (2) In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— (a) the quality of care provided for children; (b) the feedback and opinions of children about the 07/05/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC036383 5 children‘s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and (c) any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (3) 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

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Requirement Due date

quality of care review report‖). (4) The registered person must— (a) 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 (b) 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. (5) The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b)(5))

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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

Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC036383 6 Unique reference number: SC036383

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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, Oxfordshire OX1 1ND

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Inspector

Jacqueline Georghiou, social care inspector Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC036383 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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