Children's Home run by Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council in Knowsley

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037657 1 SC037657

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Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority children’s home provides care and accommodation for three children and young people who have social and/or emotional needs. The registered manager has been registered since March 2017. However, in the absence of the registered manager, an interim manager has been appointed and she is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Serious shortfalls were found in safeguarding practice and leadership and management during a monitoring visit undertaken on 26 November 2019. As a result, Ofsted issued two compliance notices in relation to regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. Additionally, a notice restricting accommodation at the home was issued under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

A further monitoring visit was undertaken on 7 January 2020, to assess the actions taken by the provider to comply with the notices. During that visit, the inspector found that the provider had not taken sufficient action to comply with the notices. As a result, two further notices were issued under regulation 12 and regulation 13. Furthermore, the notice restricting accommodation at the home remained in place.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to assess whether the provider had taken sufficient action to comply with the two notices.

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This monitoring visit

The children’s risk assessments are up to date and clearly identify the strategies for managing risk, for example unsafe mobile phone use. Increased monitoring of the children’s mobile phone use is ensuring that the staff are quickly alerted to potential Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037657 2 safeguarding concerns. Improved risk assessments and consistency in the staff’s practice are enhancing the children’s welfare and safety.

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This monitoring visit

The staff’s engagement with the children has improved. Regular direct-work sessions are helping the children to reflect on their behaviour and develop skills to keep themselves safe. Furthermore, these direct-work sessions are helping the staff to nurture trusting relationships with the children.

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This monitoring visit

The children’s risk-taking behaviour has significantly reduced. There have not been any incidents of the children going missing from the home since the last monitoring visit. Although unsafe mobile phone use continues to be a concern, the staff are now managing this appropriately. The inspector observed the staff sharing information with a specialist child sexual exploitation team, which demonstrates an improvement in the staff’s understanding of their own and other professionals’ safeguarding roles and responsibilities.

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This monitoring visit

The children are now benefiting from consistent routines, boundaries and guidance. They are now coming home at the agreed times and are settling at bedtime. Additionally, the staff make sure that they know where the children are when they are away from the home. These improvements have significantly enhanced the children’s welfare and safety and made the home a safe, peaceful and welcoming home environment.

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This monitoring visit

The management oversight of the home has much improved. The staff team is now getting regular and consistent guidance and support from the interim manager. Furthermore, a recent staff development day provided the team with the opportunity to reflect and focus on improving their practice. . As a result, team-working and consistency in practice have improved.

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This monitoring visit

The independent monitoring of the home is thorough. There is strong evidence of the interim manager using this independent scrutiny to make continuous improvements in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Overall, the provider has taken sufficient action to satisfactorily address the two compliance notices. No further enforcement action is planned and the notice restricting accommodation at the home has been removed. A further inspection will take place to review how these improvements have been embedded and sustained.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037657 3 Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/04/2019 Full Good 19/04/2018 Full Good 24/05/2017 Full Good 07/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037657 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on mutual respect and trust; an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults. (Regulation 11 (1)) 16/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure 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. (Regulation 14 (1)(2)(a)) 16/02/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037657 5

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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: SC037657 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Knowsley MBC, Children’s Services, Huyton Municipal Buildings, 6th Floor, Huyton, Knowsley, Merseyside L36 9YU

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: James De Turberville

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Inspector

Marina Tully, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC037657 7 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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