Tundra House

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC043814 1 SC043814

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Educare Adolescent Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have social and emotional difficulties. The home has been without a registered manager since January 2019. Since this time, a new manager took up post in February 2019 and has since withdrawn his application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This children‟s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 20 June 2019, during which 10 requirements were raised. Serious failings were identified at this inspection, which included poor infection control measures that seriously compromised children‟s and staff‟s health. On 25 June 2019, Ofsted issued a suspension notice that prevents the home from operating.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring inspection was conducted to evaluate the progress being made by the organisation to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The provider is adhering to the suspension notice and no children have lived at the home since this was issued.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment has significantly improved. It has been professionally deep cleaned and sanitised. The home has also been redecorated and refurnished throughout to a good standard.

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This monitoring visit

A worker from the environmental health department for the home‟s local authority has now concluded his investigation. He has made several recommendations, which the registered provider is in the process of acting on. Once the home is re-opened, the new processes and procedures put in place will need to be fully implemented within the home. Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC043814 2 Several members of staff have left, including the manager. The home has two members of staff and they are currently redeployed to work in other children‟s homes in the organisation. Recruitment activity is underway to try and fill the multiple staff vacancies. However, the home does not have a manager or sufficient staff to care for children.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual is working on an action plan to address the shortfalls raised at the last inspection. The registered provider has taken steps to address some of the concerns raised. For example, all staff working in the organisation will now complete mandatory training on infection control. In addition, there has been a review of how the organisation monitors and reviews incidents that occur at the home and new procedures put in place to ensure that there is oversight of serious incidents by senior managers. This will help to ensure that managers and staff respond to concerns promptly and rigorously.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, the suspension notice remains in place. It runs until 16 September 2019. Ofsted will continue to monitor the setting.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/06/2019 Full Inadequate 28/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/08/2018 Full Inadequate 11/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC043814 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— seek to involve each child‟s placing authority effectively in the child‟s care, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child‟s needs; and

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‟s or a relevant person‟s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, 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. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)) 12/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the home‟s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children‟s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose; ensure that staff— understand and apply the home‟s statement of purpose; protect and promote each child‟s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect; and

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child‟s needs, as recorded in the child‟s relevant plans, taking account of the child‟s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii) (iii)(iv)) 12/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The children‟s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the 12/08/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC043814 4 children‟s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c)) 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 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

support each child‟s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; and

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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 return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(ii)(viii)) 12/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— 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 that staff help each child to—

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Requirement Due date

understand the child‟s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child‟s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child‟s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(ii)) 12/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— mutual respect and trust and an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet each child‟s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child‟s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; and 12/08/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC043814 5 are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(x)) 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 staff—

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child protection policies;

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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 and 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)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 12/08/2019

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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 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 12/08/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC043814 6 skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home‟s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h)) The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the registered person or authorised person speaking to the child did not take part in the restraint. 12/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child and are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 12/08/2019

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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: SC043814 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Educare Adolescent Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Venture House, 12 Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

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Inspector

Sarah Junor-Fitzpatrick, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: SC043814 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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