Children's home run by Wigan Council in Wigan

Inspection report children’s home: SC040266 1 SC040266 Registered provider: Wigan Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a local authority children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post. She registered with Ofsted in July 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors spoke to children living at the home as part of this inspection.

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Inspection date: 12 March 2020

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 12 March 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC040266 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, three children have moved out of the home. These moves were planned and facilitated by the registered manager. Staff maintained contact with some children. Some staff continued to support children, for example to help children identify apprenticeships in the area. This means that children were supported at this time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children living in the home attend education. Some children are making progress from their individual starting points. One child attends a college course and her predicted grade is a distinction.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The inspectors observed warm relationships between children and staff. This helps children have a sense of security. Children enjoy a range of activities, for example swimming and going to the gym.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support safe contact between children and their families. This means that children maintain relationships with their families.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The managers and staff work effectively with other professionals, such as social workers and health professionals. For example, a speech and language therapist is currently working with staff and children. This is to assess children’s language. The aim is to help staff understand children’s language and what this means for their care. This ensures that all aspects of children’s care are addressed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A notable strength is the stable and consistent staff team. The registered manager is supportive of the staff team. Some staff are positive about her leadership. However, staff, including the registered manager, do not receive regular supervision. This is necessary for staff to help them in their roles and to enable them to reflect on their practice to support children’s needs. A requirement has been made to reflect this shortfall.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home environment poses potential risks to the children. This is because fire doors within the home are kept open. Consequently, if there was a fire in the home staff and children would not be protected.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are shortfalls in safeguarding practice. This is about staff understanding when children may be at risk and acting on this. This is in relation to cannabis use in the home. Staff complete direct work with children on the impact of cannabis use. However, staff need to understand their roles and responsibilities in managing children’s cannabis use. This is necessary to ensure that staff stop children from smoking cannabis in the home. Furthermore, risk management plans need to include Inspection report children’s home: SC040266 3 clear strategies for staff to follow to ensure that these risks are assessed and managed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been incidents of physical restraint since the last inspection. While these incidents appear to be appropriate to protect children and staff, there are shortfalls in recording. This is because the records do not always include an evaluation of the incident. In addition, sanctions do not demonstrate that the children are supported to understand why their behaviour is unacceptable and how they can be support to make appropriate changes. The registered manger has not consistently evaluated all records to identify the appropriateness of all measures used and monitor staff practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Case records require improvement. Some records were found to be inaccurate because the dates in some incident reports do not match the date of the incident, for example missing-from-home incidents. The registered manager’s monitoring systems have not identified these shortfalls. Therefore, without accurate information the registered manager is unable to monitor children’s progress effectively.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager’s monitoring and review systems need to be strengthened so that she can identify and respond to shortfalls in practice and in the quality of care provided in the home. A requirement is repeated to reflect this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has met some of the requirements from the last inspection, although some shortfalls remain. However, the registered manager knows the gaps and the identified areas for improvement. Inspection report children’s home: SC040266 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC040266 5

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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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii)(d)) 08/06/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. 08/06/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC040266 6 (Regulation 33 (1)(4)(a((c)) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint 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 use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the named 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 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 08/06/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC040266 7 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.

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Requirement Due date

Paragraph (3) does not apply in relation to restraint that is planned or provided for as a matter of routine in the child’s EHC plan or statement of special educational needs. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b)(2)(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)((vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(4)) The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 08/06/2020

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC040266 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council, Town Hall, Library Street, Wigan WN1 1YN

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Inspectors

Michelle Edge, regulatory inspection manager Catherine Fargin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC040266 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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