Fletcher House

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2523209 1

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Safehands Liverpool Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This residential family centre is registered to accommodate up to three families at any one time. The residential family centre is privately owned. Families access the centre at the direction of the family court and/or the local authority for the purposes of assessment.

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Information about this children’s home

The residential family centre was registered with Ofsted in October 2019. The registered manager left the company in March 2020. An interim manager has recently been appointed and has not yet submitted her application to be registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This residential family centre was newly registered in October 2019. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 9 March 2020 following concerns raised to Ofsted about the staffing levels and safeguarding practice at the centre. At the monitoring visit, the inspector identified significant concerns in relation to safeguarding practice, leadership and management and the quality of care and support provided to families. Following this monitoring visit, Ofsted issued an emergency suspension notice. There have been no families living at the centre since the emergency suspension notice was issued.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the actions that the provider has taken in response to the emergency suspension notice and the shortfalls identified. The monitoring visit was an off-site visit due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions. The provider shared its action plan and a number of documents with Ofsted. This information was reviewed and discussed in detail with the responsible individual to enable an informed decision to be made as to whether the suspension of the home should be lifted. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2523209 2 Following the emergency suspension of the home and the failings identified, the provider is in the process of recruiting a suitably qualified and experienced staff team. A new manager was appointed on 15 April 2020 and two family assessment practitioners have been recruited. Additionally, an existing family assessment practitioner has been promoted to the deputy manager role, a permanent family

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This monitoring visit

assessment practitioner and a regular bank worker have remained in their roles. However, the recruitment checks for the new staff are not complete and do not demonstrate safer recruitment practice or that staff have the necessary skills, qualifications and experience necessary to manage the centre or for the work that they are to perform.

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This monitoring visit

Staff structures have been reviewed and the implementation of team leaders and a deputy manager will strengthen the management structure at the centre. The provider reported that it will ensure that a senior member of staff is at the centre at all times and that they will take the lead in ensuring the safety and well-being of families, children and staff. Furthermore, the provider reported that staff rotas will be planned to ensure that there is always a minimum of two members of staff on duty and appropriate staffing levels to meet the needs of families residing at the centre.

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This monitoring visit

The provider reported that it has strengthened the induction and training plan to ensure that the staff team is suitably trained. Staff will receive information and guidance about the centre’s policies and procedures, safeguarding practice, regulatory requirements and national minimum standards and will undertake mandatory training. However, due to the current restrictions and social distancing measures because of COVID-19, the provider is unable to ensure that staff have completed the full induction and mandatory training programme.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has reviewed and updated its supervision policy and format to ensure that supervision is undertaken with the staff team on a regular basis and that sessions include reflective practice and discussion about the needs, plans and progress for families. The provider has strengthened its monitoring and review systems to ensure that there is effective monitoring and scrutiny of supervision so that supervision is supportive to staff and helps them to safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual is confident that the centre’s electronic recording system is effective, and has provided evidence to demonstrate that records could not be accessed at the time of the last monitoring visit due to access being blocked by the company’s IT department due to unusual activity being identified by some members of staff. The purpose of the block was to ensure that confidential information relating to families and the company was protected.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken some steps to address the shortfalls identified at the previous monitoring visit. However, sufficient action has not been taken for the suspension notice to be lifted. Furthermore, the provider agreed that it cannot ensure that families will be safely supported if the centre was to open prior to a Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2523209 3 sufficient and suitable staff team being in place. Therefore, the suspension of the home will remain in place and a further monitoring visit will take place before its expiry.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement There is a newly registered service so has not had any inspection activity. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2523209 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 registered person shall compile in relation to the residential family centre a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as ‘the statement of purpose’) which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1. The registered person shall provide a copy of the statement of purpose to the [Chief Inspector]. (‘The residential family centres regulations 2002’, regulation 4 (1)(2)) 20/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider and the registered manager shall, having regard to the size of the residential family centre, the statement of purpose, and the number and needs of the residents, carry on or manage the centre (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. (‘The residential family centres regulations 2002’, regulation 8(1)) 20/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

protection policy which— is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the residential family centre from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect. The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must in particular provide for— the prompt referral to the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated, of any allegations of abuse or neglect affecting any child accommodated in the residential family centre; written records to be kept of any allegation of abuse or neglect, and of the action taken in response; consideration to be given in each case to the measures which may be necessary to protect children in the residential family centre following an allegation of abuse or neglect; a requirement for persons working at the residential family centre to report any concerns about the welfare or safety of 20/04/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2523209 5

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Requirement Due date

any child accommodated in the residential family centre to one of the following— (i) the registered person; (ii) a police officer; (iii) an officer of the [Chief Inspector]; (iv) an officer of the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated; or (v) an officer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. (‘The residential family centres regulations 2002’, regulation 12 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(d)(e)(f)) The registered person shall ensure that there is, having regard to— the statement of purpose of the residential family centre, its size and the numbers and needs of its residents; and the need to safeguard and promote the health and welfare of residents, a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working for the residential family centre. (Regulation 15(a)(b)) 20/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall not— employ a person to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre; or allow a person to whom paragraph (2) applies, to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre. or the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work at a residential family centre unless— he is of integrity and good character; he has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work he is to perform; he is physically and mentally fit for the work he is to perform; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to him in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2. 20/04/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2523209 6 The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by him— receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (‘The

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Requirement Due date

residential family centres regulations 2002’, regulation 16 (5)(a)) 20/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall maintain in respect of each family accommodated in the residential family centre a record which— includes the information, documents and other records specified in Schedule 3 relating to the members of the family; is kept up to date. (‘The residential family centres regulations 2002’, regulation 19 (1)(a)(b)) 20/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

If, in relation to a residential family centre, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (‘The residential family centres regulations 2002’, regulation 26 (1)) 20/04/2020

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those we [inspect/regulate]. During this visit, the inspectors took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the [setting/local authority/home/agency/school]. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements [and the current attendance of the children]. (NB the latter square bracket text probably only needed for boarding provision). 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: 2523209 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Safehands Liverpool Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Rose Lane, Liverpool L18 8ES

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Antonia Kinsella

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Inspector

Lisa Mulcahy, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2523209 8 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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