Children's Home run by Orchard Children Homes Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1257740 1

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Orchard Children Homes Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have social and/or emotional difficulties. Some of the young people may have an autism spectrum disorder. The home is operated by a private company. The current manager was appointed in September 2019 and has made an application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring inspection was to review the provider’s action in meeting the two compliance notices raised at the monitoring visit on 27 February 2020. This is the third monitoring inspection of the home since the full inspection on 29 October 2019 when the home was judged to be good by Ofsted. On 13 March 2020, a monitoring inspection was conducted in response to information received by Ofsted in relation to significant safeguarding incidents. The inspector judged that the concerns raised during the monitoring visit on the 27 February 2020 remained, but had not deteriorated any further.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ofsted did not physically visit the home. The inspector gathered evidence in several different ways, including talking to the manager and the staff, and reviewing electronic documents that had been sent over to the inspector to review.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, one new requirement has been raised.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have made progress in addressing the regulatory breaches identified in February 2020. As a result, both compliance notices have been met. There has been significant progress made in relation to staff training. Staff have now received face- to-face training in self-harm and ligatures, and online training in managing Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1257740 2 challenging behaviours. These training opportunities have helped improve the staff’s knowledge.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have carried out a review of the risk-management systems that operate in the home. A new risk- and behaviour-management framework has been introduced. Risk assessments are regularly updated with children’s known risks, and provide staff with accessible and clear information that enables them to understand and manage children’s individual risks. Managers have completed group and individual work with staff to ensure that staff understand these risk assessments and how they are to implement them.

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This monitoring visit

A deputy manager has been appointed to the home. The deputy manager is supporting the manager to implement the new risk- and behaviour-management framework and monitor staff practice. The deputy manager has worked at the home for over a year and she knows the staff and the children well.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have introduced a framework to support their evaluation and monitoring responsibilities. The framework prompts managers to have a greater level of professional curiosity when monitoring incidents, and to identify shortfalls or concerns as well as good practice. Lessons learned are addressed to improve staff practice and to further reduce the risk to children.

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This monitoring visit

Despite the good progress, managers have not updated the location risk assessment with newly emerging risks from children accessing a nearby road bridge. As a result, staff are left without clear guidance on how to reduce the risk in order to keep children safe.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/10/2019 Full Good 22/08/2018 Full Outstanding 09/01/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1257740 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(vi)(vii)) 05/04/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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)(b)) 05/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26(7)(b)) 05/04/2020 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1257740 4 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. (Regulation 28(1)(b)(i)) 05/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year, taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46(1)) 15/05/2020

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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: 1257740 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Orchard Children Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, 118 Calais Road, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE13 0UW

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Inspector

Karen Gillingwater, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1257740 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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