Children's home run by M.J. Children’s Services Limited

Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 1 SC068991 Registered provider: M.J. Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/08/2018 Full Good 26/06/2017 Full Good 24/11/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 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 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

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, make books and games readily accessible to children. 10/01/2020

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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 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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, remove dangerous items, such as broken glass, and make safe arrangements for moving and using knives. Decorate the home to a good standard and ensure that the bedroom is adequately heated and draught free. 23/12/2019

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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 staff— 23/12/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 4 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; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)) 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

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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that:  internal and external monitoring include feedback from parents and carers and external professionals about the care provided;  the internal monitoring identifies shortfalls in practice and the environment;  shortfalls are addressed promptly. 10/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 10/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be 30/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 5 equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b)(6)(a)(b)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)(e)) 23/12/2019

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improvement to be good

There are some strengths at this home. However, there are several shortfalls in safeguarding, and in leadership and management, which require improvement.

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improvement to be good

The general decor of the home is tired and worn in some areas. One child’s bedroom was poorly maintained and stark. There were stains on the floor and there was graffiti on the headboard and damaged furniture. The bedroom window did not shut properly, letting through a cold draught. The radiator was not working. This fails to provide an acceptable standard of accommodation.

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improvement to be good

Children have had to ask for board games and books as they were locked away. One Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 6 child said that she no longer reads since the books have been locked away. This limits the children’s ability to learn and play informally.

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improvement to be good

The staff help the children to see their families. The staff understand the importance of maintaining these relationships, and help the children to increase the amount of time they spend with significant family members.

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improvement to be good

The children engage in and enjoy a good variety of activities, including holidays. The children benefit from these experiences and new opportunities. They make friends and establish social networks outside the home.

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improvement to be good

The staff understand the children’s needs and encourage them to build on their strengths and develop the areas in which they need extra support. The staff encourage the children to undertake age-appropriate independence tasks, which help them to gain confidence. Children have made progress with their self-care and capacity to form attachments with others.

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improvement to be good

The staff have positive relationships with the children. As a result, the children feel that they can speak to a trusted adult about their concerns. The staff sit and talk with the children at mealtimes. This provides a sociable, family-style atmosphere. The children said that the staff listen to them and act on their requests. The suggestions that they make about aspects of their care are taken seriously by the staff, and acted on. This empowers the children and enables them to take control of important decisions about their lives.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager failed to report a safeguarding allegation appropriately to the designated officer. This delayed the manager’s access to external guidance on how to manage the allegation. Some staff lack understanding of the reporting procedures. The reporting of one allegation was delayed by three weeks. The failure to report safeguarding concerns in a timely way does not properly safeguard the children’s welfare.

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improvement to be good

Some areas of the physical environment pose a risk to the children. Damage has not been repaired quickly. One broken window contained loose glass shards. There were glass shards in the grass in the garden. This is despite one child’s identified risk of self- harm. Access to broken glass increases the potential for harm through accident or intent. An internal glass door had been damaged. Although duct tape had been used to make it safe, the tape had unpeeled, exposing broken glass.

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improvement to be good

The staff carry knives from the office, where they are stored, and through the home to the kitchen area. This increases the risk of an accident or incident.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments for children are well maintained and feature the main risks. They are Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 7 regularly updated and provide a good understanding of the risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has been in post for a short time. She has made a positive difference to the home. Despite this, there are several shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home, some of which predate the current manager. The current manager is keen to learn from previous mistakes and has a strong vision for the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Monitoring is ineffective. The manager has failed to monitor and maintain the physical environment to an acceptable and safe standard. External and internal monitoring systems have not routinely considered the views of associated professionals, parents and children. Therefore, opportunities have been missed to use feedback to improve the experiences and care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The statement of purpose refers to outdated information and the most recent version has not been shared with Ofsted. Failure to ensure that the statement of purpose is current makes it difficult for Ofsted and other interested parties to have an accurate view of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

A significant incident involving a child and the subsequent involvement of the police were not notified to Ofsted. Although the manager responded appropriately to the incident, failure to notify Ofsted affects Ofsted’s ability to ensure that children are adequately safeguarded. This issue was raised at the last inspection and has not been addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

One staff member has not achieved a relevant level 3 diploma in the required timescale. Managers have experienced difficulties with the training provider, which has led to delays in the staff member accessing the resources and support that they need to achieve this qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff spoke highly of the new manager and said that they welcome the new approaches that she has brought to the home. The staff said that supervision is meaningful to their role, and helps them to work with the children effectively. The manager has started to make some improvements.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 8 Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well

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Information about this inspection

it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: M.J. Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Arbutus House, 4 Loddington Lane, Belton in Rutland LE15 9LA

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Inspector

Lianne Bradford; social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC068991 10 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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