Children's home run by Oldham Children’s Social Care in Oldham

Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC035492 1 A

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Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and managed by a local authority. The home can accommodate four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since May 2019.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the judgement of inadequate at the last full inspection on 27 and 28 August 2019, the local authority was issued with three compliance notices in respect of: regulation 12, the help and protection standard; regulation 13, the leadership and management standard; and regulation 14, the care planning standard.

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This monitoring visit

Two monitoring visits were undertaken on 23 September and 22 October 2019. At neither visit was the provider able to demonstrate that sufficient action had been taken to meet the compliance notices. The restriction of accommodation has remained in place.

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This monitoring visit

A further visit took place on 19 November 2019. The agency manager has remained in post and has made a number of significant improvements to ensure that the home environment is warm, comfortable and well presented. The door locks have been removed from downstairs doors and, in particular, the fire door in the kitchen can no longer be locked. Children’s bedrooms now present as clean, and they are individually decorated with matching bedding, curtains and appropriate furnishings. Although the damp in the bathroom has not yet been rectified, there is now a plan for this work to be completed.

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This monitoring visit

Records have been revised and, although no children are currently staying in the home, exemplar records of risk assessments, care plans, health plans and education plans are now in place. Training has been undertaken by all staff to ensure that they understand how to complete documentation in full, to minimise risks, and to include Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC035492 2 all relevant information about the children.

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This monitoring visit

A review of the supervision of staff was undertaken. Additional supervision has now taken place with all staff. The records are detailed and demonstrate that the sessions have taken place on a regular basis. In addition, the agency manager has monitored the quality of the supervisions conducted by the deputy managers to ensure that staff are provided with opportunities to reflect on practice, discuss children and identify any learning or development opportunities. The deputy managers report that this process has been ‘extremely helpful and supportive’ and said that they feel that the input from the agency manager had been ‘invaluable in making the changes required in the home’.

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This monitoring visit

A review of team meetings was also undertaken. Meetings have now taken place with all staff. The records are detailed and evidence the work carried out with staff to understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. Time was allocated for all staff to review the policies and procedures in place to ensure that they understand what they are expected to do when children are missing from care or at risk and how they can use the whistleblowing processes that are in place. Discussions included why up-to-date risk assessments and placement plans are important, and the agency manager has reiterated how and why staff are expected to support children to achieve good outcomes.

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This monitoring visit

The agency manager has supported the deputy managers and staff team in implementing new ways of working. A clear and concise action plan has been devised and was provided for the inspector. This includes evidence of the work undertaken to introduce internal monitoring systems and clear and effective auditing of all children’s care records. This will improve the quality of care provided within the home.

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This monitoring visit

Compatibility risk assessments have been reviewed. This will ensure that the needs of both children already living in the home and those moving in are carefully considered. Since the inspection, no children have moved in or out of the home, yet the staff are now better equipped to support children during such times.

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This monitoring visit

No further enforcement action is planned. However, a further inspection will be conducted to review the previous requirements put in place and how the improvements are becoming embedded to improve the quality of care provided. Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC035492 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/08/2019 Full Inadequate 18/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/12/2018 Full Good 17/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC035492 4

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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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that–

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child.

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Requirement Due date

Paragraph (2) does not apply to medicine which–

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Requirement Due date

is stored by the child for whom it is provided in such a way that other persons are prevented from using it; and

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Requirement Due date

may be safely self-administered by that child. (Regulation 23(1), (2)(a)(b)(c), (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, an assessment of the children’s s suitability to self-administer medication should be completed. Children should have an appropriate place to store medication so that other children cannot use it. 11/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home–

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25(2)(b)) 11/10/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC035492 5 An assessment of the fire safety of the home should be completed on an annual basis. The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if–

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of–

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27(1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii), (2)(a)(b)) 11/10/2019

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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

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this should include copies of local authority care plans on all children’s case files. 11/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the 11/10/2019 Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC035492 6 last entry. (Regulation 37(1), (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, there should be a record of any children who have moved into the home or who have left. If the independent person becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest (whether under regulation 43(3) or otherwise) after a visit to the home, the independent person must include in the independent person’s report–

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Requirement Due date

details of the conflict of interest; and

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Requirement Due date

the reasons why the independent person did not notify the registered provider of the conflict of interest before the visit.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to–

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44(6)(a), (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 11/10/2019

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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: SC035492 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham OL1 1UT

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Inspector

Michelle Edge, social care inspection manager Inspection report for children‟s home – monitoring visit: SC035492 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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