Children's home run by Halliwell Homes Limited in Staffordshire Moorlands

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008488 1 SC008488

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Halliwell Homes Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a private children’s home registered for up to eight children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers education on site at a registered school.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is currently vacant. There is an acting manager in place.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 11 December 2019. Ofsted issued four compliance notices under regulation 10 (health and well-being), regulation 12 (protection of children), regulation 13 (leadership and management) and regulation 23 (medicines).

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the provider’s compliance with the steps laid out under the compliance notices issued under regulation 10 and regulation 13. The remaining previous requirements were not reviewed as part of this monitoring visit. These will be addressed at the next inspection of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have taken appropriate steps to address the shortfalls outlined in the compliance notice under regulation 10. Children now benefit from newly introduced healthcare plans. These documents include a clear summary of all appointments and the agencies that are involved and are used by staff to inform the healthcare of each child.

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This monitoring visit

There is a clear pen-picture of each child that outlines all their health and emotional needs, which are being addressed by staff in practice. The agreed actions within education, health and care plans are beginning to be implemented by the staff to Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008488 2 enhance children’s well-being, for example the provision and use of alternative communication systems.

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This monitoring visit

The steps taken mean that the compliance notice relating to regulation 10 is met.

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This monitoring visit

The home remains without a registered manager. There is an interim manager in place and a support manager, who have improved the oversight of records in the home. This hard work is beginning to have a positive impact on the outcomes for children. For example, it has included careful practice review following incidents that have occurred in the home, and the team has changed its practice accordingly.

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This monitoring visit

However, there are recent shortfalls in shift seniors working directly with children and providing leadership to the team operational with children. Each shift without a nominated senior means that newer, inexperienced care staff and agency staff do not benefit from management direction from a positive senior staff role model.

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This monitoring visit

While there are sufficient staff on each shift, this has only been achieved by permanent staff working excessive hours in a week and the use of known agency staff. The demands on the current team are not sustainable, and staff cannot meet the needs of young children when they are tired.

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This monitoring visit

The company has recruited six extra staff members, who have completed their induction. However, due to the wait for clearance checks, these new staff have yet to be deployed. Hence, there is no positive impact on the staff team to date. However, staff morale is considerably boosted by the planned increase to the staff complement.

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This monitoring visit

Records in the home indicate that staff are receiving help and support in their work, via their supervision sessions, team meetings and clinical consultations. Suitable training in attachment and trauma, that matches the needs of the children in the home, has been completed. This programme is now also rolled out to new staff on induction prior to them becoming operational in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff also benefited from a safe practice workshop, in which real scenarios from practice were considered and discussed by the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

The regulation 13 notice is not fully met and therefore a regulation 13 compliance notice will be re-issued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008488 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/12/2019 Full Inadequate 05/12/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/06/2018 Full Good 20/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008488 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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular regard to providing a nominated senior staff presence within each shift. 19/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; 31/01/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008488 5 manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

and that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

any punishment involving the consumption or deprivation of food or drink;

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Requirement Due date

any restriction, other than one imposed by a court or in accordance with regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), on—

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Requirement Due date

a child’s contact with parents, relatives or friends;

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Requirement Due date

visits to the child by the child’s parents, relatives or friends;

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Requirement Due date

a child’s communications with any persons listed in regulation 22(1) (contact and access to communications); or

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Requirement Due date

a child’s access to any internet-based or telephone helpline providing counselling for children;

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Requirement Due date

the use or withholding of medication, or medical or dental treatment;

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Requirement Due date

imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation;

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Requirement Due date

withholding any aids or equipment needed by a disabled child;

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Requirement Due date

any measure involving a child imposing any measure against another child; or 31/01/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008488 6 any measure involving punishing a group of children for the behaviour of an individual child. (Regulation 19 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(d)(e)(f)(g)(h)(i)(j))

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. 31/01/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008488 7 (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC008488 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Halliwell Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Tape Street, Stoke on Trent ST10 1BB

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Inspectors

Karen Forster, regulatory inspection manager Pauline Yates, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC008488 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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