Children's Home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 1 SC032083

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Castle Homes Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that Covid-19 is currently posing to those we inspect and regulate and is not carrying out routine inspections. Therefore, this monitoring visit of the restriction of accommodation on the home has been completed off-site via telephone interview and a review of documentation sent to the inspector.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 11 November 2019. Following a case review, two compliance notices were served under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 14, the care planning standard. Several requirements were also made.

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This monitoring visit

At a monitoring visit on 3 February 2020, the provider had not demonstrated sufficient progress to meet the notices. No children were living at the home. After a further case review, Ofsted imposed a restriction on further admissions until the regulator was satisfied that children could be accommodated safely.

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This monitoring visit

The home was given a judgement of ‘not judged’ at the interim inspection on 13 February 2020. There were no children in residence. The provider had recruited a new manager and deputy manager, pending safer recruitment checks. Progress was ongoing to make the necessary improvements in response to the identified shortfalls. These improvements could not be tested in practice to ensure that children could be cared for safely and their well-being promoted. In addition, the lack of a full staff team meant that the home was not ready to accept children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 2 The responsible individual and other managers have continued to make improvements to a range of documents, including risk management and care plans, so that they are more specific to children’s individual needs and risks. The documents will outline the strategies for the staff to respond appropriately and

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This monitoring visit

The provider has accepted that further amendments are required, for example to consider additional contextual safeguarding issues, which have previously been a relevant factor in the home’s locality. No children are currently living in the home. Therefore, plans are yet to be put into practice to ensure that the improvements robustly safeguard and promote positive outcomes and experiences for children.

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This monitoring visit

The new manager and deputy manager are due to take up their posts in April 2020. A full induction process is planned to ensure that they have awareness and knowledge of the company and the expectations of their roles.

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This monitoring visit

The company continues to recruit for a full staff team. Once recruited, a rigorous induction and training programme is planned. Senior managers are committed to ensuring that the home will not reopen until they are satisfied that the team is fully trained and competent to provide consistent, good-quality care.

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This monitoring visit

New systems are in place for senior managers to review management oversight in the home to ensure that it is evaluative and effective. Independent external monitoring has continued to comply with regulations.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has demonstrated to the regulator that appropriate action has been taken to address shortfalls identified in previous inspections. As a result, the restriction of accommodation is now ended. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/02/2020 Interim Not judged 06/11/2019 Full Inadequate 12/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 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 health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10(1)(a)(b)(2)(c)) Specifically, that provision is sought to support young people’s mental health needs. 20/12/2019

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(vii)(xii)( Young people should consistently be supported to understand when their behaviour is not acceptable and helped to find ways to adhere to boundaries. Direct work should support young people s understanding of criminally exploitative relationships. Any incidents of bullying should be

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Requirement Due date

clearly addressed and challenged. 20/12/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 5 The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— 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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 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; that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)) Specifically, any emerging risks, including those of potential radicalisation, should be recognised and appropriately referred to other safeguarding agencies to ensure that all young people living in the home receive appropriate support and protection. 02/01/2020

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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— promotes children’s welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(1)(b)(2)(c)) 20/12/2019

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that arrangements are in place to— ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; 02/01/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 6 manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority; that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)) Specifically, careful and robust consideration of each young person’s needs should be assessed to ensure compatibility prior to admission to the home. Any emerging change in

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Requirement Due date

young people’s behaviour should be monitored and support provided. Arrangements should be made to ensure that young people receive the services required, as set out in local authority plans. A person may only manage a children’s home if— having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children— the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has— within the last 5 years, worked for at least 2 years in a position relevant to the residential care of children. (Regulation 28(1)(b)(i)(2)(a)) 20/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The requirements are that— the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. 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— the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"). (Regulation 32(3)(b)(4)(a)) 20/12/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 20/12/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 7

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Recommendations

 It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4) Specifically, records should be detailed, particularly in relation to meeting young people’s needs. Prompt action should be taken in response to any staff members’ concerns.  Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) In particular, that the registered person should seek information from external

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Recommendations

safeguarding professionals when considering referrals to ensure that any risks are identified as part of pre-admission assessments. Where any risks are identified, including outdoor sports equipment, the review should clearly identify any actions taken to mitigate them.

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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: SC032083 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Castle Homes Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fifth Floor, 80 Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UD

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Anthony Armstrong

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Inspector

Karen Willson, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC032083 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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