Children's home run by South West Mental Health Ltd in Somerset

Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1185768 1

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South West Mental Health Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately operated children‟s home is currently registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people.

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This monitoring visit

The children‟s home was judged inadequate at the last full inspection on 2 and 3 July 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This visit involved monitoring performance against one compliance notice: regulation 6: the quality and purpose of care standard and seven requirements. At the full inspection, serious concerns were apparent in how well young people were helped and protected, particularly in relation to young people‟s mental health needs, the safe use of medication, and staff not supporting young people in line with their risk assessments. Leaders and managers had failed to address poor record keeping and incomplete care plans. Urgent action was required to remedy these weaknesses.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the actions that leaders and managers have taken to address the weaknesses. While positive action has been taken to improve the quality of care provided to young people, these improvements are in the early stages of implementation and need time to be completed fully and to embed into practice. As a result, some of the requirements raised at the previous inspection will remain in place and be reviewed further at the next full inspection. Enough evidence was found to meet the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Following the last inspection, leaders and managers have enrolled all staff on several training courses, including safe handling of medication, mental health level 2, dynamic risk assessment and safeguarding for residential homes. While some of this training has been completed, some has yet to be started. Nevertheless, staff are taking steps to improve their knowledge and understanding and are better equipped Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1185768 2 to support the young people.

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This monitoring visit

Medication administration records and daily records are now regularly audited. These audits are effective, as minor discrepancies in records have been identified. The registered manager has taken suitable action to identify the reason for the discrepancies and to remedy them. The registered manager recognises that further time is required to embed the learning that staff have recently received.

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This monitoring visit

Action to improve the quality of young people‟s therapeutic records has started. Care plans and risk assessments have been reviewed and rewritten, and files are being streamlined. A newly designed electronic recording system to better support staff is yet to be put into action. The registered manager is, however, identifying where staff practice can improve and addresses it in regular supervision.

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This monitoring visit

There have been few changes to the staff team, and this stability has resulted in the young people being much calmer. They are taking part in holiday activities, are involved in redecorating a room they can all use to study in, and planning their uniforms for when they return to school in September. Staff were observed interacting warmly and playfully with the young people.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 02/07/2019 Full Inadequate 11/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 31/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1185768 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 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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (i)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)) 27/09/2019

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child‟s behaviour, in accordance with the child‟s age and 27/09/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1185768 4 understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child‟s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child‟s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children‟s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(ix)(x)(xi))

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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— 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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child‟s welfare; and 27/09/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1185768 5 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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b))

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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

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; 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)(b)(c)(f)(g)(i)(h)) 27/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date; and 27/09/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1185768 6 are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c))

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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

Registered provider: South West Mental Health Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: H & H Accountants Ltd, Old Bank Buildings, East Street, Ilminster, Somerset TA19 0AJ

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Inspector(s)

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report for children‟s home - monitoring visit: 1185768 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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

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