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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 1

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Acorn Children’s Home (Branston) Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care for up to four children who have moved following a breakdown in either their fostering or residential placement, or who are required to live away from home. The current manager started in post in July 2019 and has submitted his application to be the registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 18 September 2019. One compliance notice was issued. This listed the steps that the provider must take to meet regulations in respect of the safe recruitment of staff. A suspension of registration notice was also issued on 23 September 2019 and runs until 12 December 2019. To evaluate the progress being made by the provider, a monitoring visit was conducted on 14 October 2019. The provider continues to adhere to the suspension of registration notice. The provider has not admitted any children to the home since the last full inspection. New processes have been put in place for the recruitment of staff. This involves the provider outsourcing its recruitment of staff to a recruitment agency. The provider has now recruited a human resources manager who will be responsible for ensuring that final verification checks for staff are carried out.

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This monitoring visit

A new policy is now in place for the recruitment of staff who are employed on a contract. The policy has only recently been implemented and is yet to be disseminated to staff. The new processes put in place are still in their infancy. At present, the provider is actively recruiting to fill the home’s current staffing Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 2 vacancies. As a result of this monitoring visit, the compliance notice has been deemed met. All remaining requirements will be reviewed at a future inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/08/2019 Full Inadequate 14/05/2019 Full Inadequate 17/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 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 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(c)) 21/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— develop positive relationships with them; engage with them; and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff— ensure that each child— is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives. (Regulation 7(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(b)(i)) 21/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— 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 21/11/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 4 as possible. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(viii)) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on an understanding about acceptable behaviour. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— 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 understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful. (Regulation 11(1)(b)(2)(a)(i)(vi)) 21/11/2019

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— 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; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(vii)) 21/11/2019

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 21/11/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 5 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; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child. Case records must be kept— in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36(1)(2)(d)) 21/11/2019

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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.

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Sarah Junor-Fitzpatrick, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250287 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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