Children's Home run by Somerset County Council in Somerset

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030439 1 SC030439

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Somerset County 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 registered to provide a permanent home and short-break care for up to six children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities. The home is owned and managed by a local authority. The registered manager resigned from the post on 31 March 2019. A new manager started in post in December 2019. He has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was made in response to a complaint received by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Three children were present at the time of this unannounced visit. The children were well supported. Care was provided by adults who were sufficiently trained and skilled to meet the children’s needs. Each child had one or two adults assigned to care for them. There were enough adults in the home to meet the needs of the children.

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This monitoring visit

Care plans and risk assessments contain useful information about how care should be provided to each child. Further improvements could be made by adding more detail in areas such as personal care and risk associated with compatibility between the children.

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This monitoring visit

Further measures are required to ensure that all of the marks or injuries sustained to children are fully investigated and preventative measures are put in place.

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This monitoring visit

Children are supported to go out and about, and they enjoy participating in fun activities. All of the children attend school. For some children, social integration with Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030439 2 their peers in the home is difficult. Attempts to promote integration should be made when it is safe to do so, in order to prevent social isolation.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted will continue to monitor the home’s performance and will conduct a full inspection in due course. The behaviour management requirement raised at the interim inspection will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 25/11/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/08/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/07/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030439 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

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 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

the name of the child; details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; 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”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record

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Requirement Due date

confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. 31/01/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030439 4 (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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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— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)) 01/04/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030439 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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Somerset County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Taunton, Somerset TA1 4DY

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Inspector

Michelle Oxley, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030439 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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