Children's home run by Acorn Children’s Home (Branston) Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1276706 1

p.1

Acorn Children’s Home (Branston) Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home accommodates up to four children. It is one of two children’s homes run by a small limited company. The home aims to stabilise children and ensure that they feel safe, secure and cared for. A new manager has been appointed who is yet to register with Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit took place to monitor the progress made by managers to meet a compliance notice relating to the safe recruitment of staff and to ensure that the organisation has continued to comply with the restriction of accommodation notice. The organisation has adhered to the restriction of accommodation notice. As a result, there are no children currently living at the home. This visit has once again found serious failures in the organisation’s ability to follow regulation that are specific to the safe recruitment of workers. For example, a maintenance worker has been able to work at the home before essential recruitment checks have been carried out. As a result, this compliance notice has not been met and has been re-issued. Although the premises have benefited from redecoration and new soft furnishings, shortfalls still remain. For example, the downstairs bathroom still requires work to the wall underneath the boiler to ensure that it is safe. Furthermore, some fire doors

p.1

This monitoring visit

do not close properly. This could pose a potential fire risk. Ofsted will continue to carefully monitor this home. All remaining requirements will be reviewed at a future inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1276706 2

p.1

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/05/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 02/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1276706 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the young people’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(2)(c)(i)) 11/10/2019

p.3

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 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)) 25/10/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 5 days of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint, 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)) 25/10/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(vii)) 25/10/2019

p.3

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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 25/10/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1276706 4 The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to manage and review the placement of each child in the home (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(ii)) 25/10/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (2) The registered person may only – (a) Employ an individual to work at the home: or (b) If an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3)

p.4

Requirement Due date

(3)(d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(d)) * 11/10/2019

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(b)(c)) 25/10/2019

p.4

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; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) 25/10/2019

p.4

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.4

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.

p.4

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1276706 5

p.4

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorn Children’s Home (Branston) Ltd

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Claremont House, 223 Branston Road, Burton-on- Trent, Staffordshire DE14 3BT

p.5

Inspector

Louise Battersby, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1276706 6 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.

p.5

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspector

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

p.6