Children's home run by Heathcotes CS Limited

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1272827 1

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Heathcotes CS Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to five children and young people. The home is owned by a private company. At the time of the inspection, there was no registered manager in post.

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This monitoring visit

Following the judgement of inadequate which was made at the full inspection on 15 May 2019, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice. Compliance notices were set in respect of the leadership and management of the home and the protection of children.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the restriction notice and review the actions taken to address the steps outlined in the compliance notice. This inspection identified that six requirements from the last inspection had been met. The remaining requirements will be reviewed at a further inspection.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the inspection, the home accommodated two young people.

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This monitoring visit

The evidence provided at this inspection demonstrated that the provider had put in place improved operational systems. Young people are now not deprived of their liberty and they have access to all parts of the home. The use of surveillance and monitoring has reduced. Managers continue to negotiate with placing authorities to agree appropriate levels of surveillance. This means that young people benefit from living in a less oppressive environment.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have ensured that all staff who do not have the relevant qualification are now enrolled to study towards this. In addition, the home’s current recruitment strategy is aimed at attracting suitably qualified and experienced residential staff. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1272827 2 A comprehensive programme of training has been implemented for staff. These arrangements are positive; however, the effectiveness of the training has not been evaluated. This means that managers are not yet clear about the competence of individual staff members.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, safeguarding incidents have demonstrated that staff do not fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Safeguarding practice has been poor. This has placed young people at risk of harm. In some cases, staff conduct has been poor.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted has received a further complaint from a partner agency. This relates to safeguarding and care practice. Leaders and managers have not been effective in developing or sustaining positive relationships with stakeholders. Feedback from professionals at this inspection highlighted continued concerns regarding the home failing to achieve outcomes, as defined in young people’s care plans.

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This monitoring visit

For these reasons, this inspection concluded that the steps set out in the two compliance notices have not been met.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted has received an up-to-date statement of purpose. However, the home is not currently being run in a way that is consistent with the offer described in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/05/2019 Full Inadequate 07/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1272827 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate. (Regulation 5(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to knowing when to challenge placing authorities, for example, regarding care planning. It also refers to understanding each other’s roles and responsibilities, and the provider delivering the care as commissioned. 03/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

is given appropriate advocacy support, and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about— 03/08/2019 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1272827 4 what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision. (Regulation 7(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(b)(iii)(d)(iii)) The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(i)(vi)(viii)(x)) 03/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(c)) 03/08/2019 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1272827 5 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—

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)) 03/08/2019

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(b)) 03/08/2019

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)) 03/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 03/08/2019 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1272827 6 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 1272827 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Heathcotes CS Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 37 Station Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S41 7BF

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Inspector:

Amanda Ellis, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1272827 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 looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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

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